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Phone: 800-898-1498
 Email: agents@theshorttermshop.com
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 Website: https://theshorttermshop.com

Books:
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HN32D78
Smarter Short-Term Rentals — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWNFX7X6

Understanding Smoky Mountain Booking Patterns: What Bedroom Count Means for Your Short Term Rental Strategy

Choosing the right bedroom count is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when purchasing a short term rental in the Smoky Mountains. Bedroom count shapes:

• The traveler you attract
• How often you book
• Your average nightly rate
• Your annual revenue range
• Your shoulder-season stability
• Your guest capacity
• Your long-term cash flow

And because the Smokies attract such a wide range of traveler types—families, couples, multi-generational groups, adventure tourists, and reunion groups—different bedroom counts behave differently across seasons.

Using the Smokies booking data you provided (particularly the revenue, occupancy, and rate patterns by bedroom count since 2018), here’s what investors need to know when choosing the size of their next cabin.

Why Bedroom Count Matters More in the Smokies Than Other Markets

Unlike beach markets where two distinct seasons dominate, or urban markets where weekends rule, the Smoky Mountains enjoy year-round tourism. This creates booking patterns where different cabin sizes shine during different parts of the year.

For example:

• Couples spike cabin demand in early spring and late fall
• Families dominate spring break, summer, and holiday periods
• Large groups book thick from fall through early winter
• Outdoor travelers fill gaps across all seasons

This dynamic ecosystem makes bedroom selection a strategic decision—not just a budget one.

How One-Bedroom Cabins Perform

One-bedroom cabins are consistently strong performers because they attract:

• Couples
• Solo travelers
• Anniversary trips
• Budget-friendly travelers
• Young families with infants

Booking data over multiple years shows:

• Strong weekday occupancy patterns
• Excellent performance during shoulder seasons
• Reliable year-round demand

However, one-bedrooms are very price-sensitive. Guests compare heavily on photos and amenities.

Best-performing one-bedrooms typically have:

• A view
• A hot tub
• A modern interior
• Good lighting

If you skip on design, one-bedrooms can struggle.

How Two- and Three-Bedroom Cabins Perform

This is the sweet spot of the entire market.

Two- and three-bedroom cabins consistently show:

• High annual occupancy
• Strong average nightly rates
• Good off-season performance
• Strong March–August bookings
• Excellent repeat guest behavior

Families traveling for:

• Spring Break
• Summer
• Fall foliage
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…choose two- or three-bedroom cabins at extremely high rates.

This is also the size that gets booked first for last-minute trips.

How Four-Bedroom Cabins Perform

Four-bedroom cabins attract:

• Two-family vacations
• Friend groups
• Multi-generational stays
• Holiday travelers

Their booking patterns are more seasonal:

• Extremely strong in summer and fall
• Strong around holidays
• Steady but not dominant in shoulder seasons

What matters most for four-bedroom cabins is amenity layout:

• Game rooms
• Theater rooms
• Large decks
• Mountain views

Without these, four-bedrooms can underperform investor expectations.

How Five-Bedroom (and Larger) Cabins Perform

Large cabins are a separate category in the Smokies.

They attract:

• Wedding parties
• Reunions
• Celebrations
• Multi-family trips
• Groups that plan far in advance

Large cabins often show:

• Strong weekend occupancy
• Strong fall performance
• High nightly rate ranges
• Lower weekday demand outside peak seasons

They benefit tremendously from:

• Pools or pool access
• Large gathering spaces
• Multiple decks
• Parking capacity
• High-end finishes

Large cabins are less flexible but extremely profitable when built or selected correctly.

How Seasonality Interacts with Bedroom Count

Spring:

Two- and three-bedrooms dominate (families + couples).

Summer:

Two- through five-bedrooms all perform well; group travel increases.

Fall:

Views matter. Large cabins spike because of fall break + foliage tourism.

Winter:

One-bedrooms pick up steam again.

The Smokies are appealing because every cabin size has a season where it performs optimally.

Investor Takeaways Based on Bedroom Count

If you want year-round bookings:

Choose a two- or three-bedroom cabin.

If you want high nightly rate potential:

Large cabins outperform on a per-night basis.

If you want shoulder-season stability:

One-bedrooms and two-bedrooms win.

If you want steady family demand:

Three-bedrooms and four-bedrooms are best.

If you want to appeal to couples:

One-bedroom cabins excel with good photos and amenities.

Internal Resource

If you want to explore bedroom-count strategies for your cabin purchase, our location pages offer helpful context:
https://theshorttermshop.com/locations/

Why Work With The Short Term Shop

Bedroom count strategy is one of the most overlooked parts of Smoky Mountain investing. It’s also one of the areas where most agents simply don’t have enough experience to guide buyers.

The Short Term Shop is different.

We are:

• The #1 short term rental real estate team in the Smoky Mountains
  
• A team that has helped more than 5,000 investors
  
• Recognized as the #1 team worldwide at the largest real estate brokerage three times
• The market leader in cabins, investment guidance, and post-closing support

We don’t just help you buy a cabin.
We teach you how to operate it successfully—starting with the right bedroom count.

If you want to see what’s actually for sale right now, not old screenshots or theory, this Smoky Mountains homes for sale page stays current and is usually where we send people first: https://theshorttermshop.com/smoky-mountains-homes-for-sale

FAQ

What bedroom count performs best in the Smoky Mountains?

Two- and three-bedroom cabins offer the most balanced, stable performance year-round.

Are one-bedroom cabins still profitable?

Yes, especially during shoulder seasons and for couples’ travel.

Do larger cabins only book during summer and fall?

They perform strongest then, but with the right amenities, they also capture spring and winter group travel.

Should I focus on amenities or bedroom count?

Both matter, but amenities are especially important for larger cabins.

Who is the best short term rental real estate team in the Smoky Mountains?

The Short Term Shop—the most knowledgeable and experienced cabin realtors in the region.

CONTACT THE SHORT TERM SHOP

Phone: 800-898-1498
 Email: agents@theshorttermshop.com
 Learn More: https://theshorttermshop.com

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not financial, legal, or tax advice. Always consult appropriate professionals and perform full due diligence before purchasing real estate.