Mason Stone doesn't know it yet, but he's building a lifetime of memories in the Smokies. His dad Rob has stayed with us 13 times in 5 years. That's not a booking. That's family.
Fifty-four years of legacy doesn't produce quick wins. It doesn't generate overnight success stories or viral moments. What it produces are deep wins — the kind that settle into you slowly and stay there. The kind that reminds you, at the end of a long day, exactly why you got into this business in the first place.
Last night I opened my Facebook messages — something I don't do nearly often enough — and found a note from a guest named Rob Stone. Rob is from Hebron, Kentucky and has stayed with us 13 times in the last 5 years in seven different homes.
This past visit, Rob stayed at one of our newly renovated properties. It had been, honestly, our worst-performing home. But after a complete gut renovation — one that took vision, investment, and an owner who cared deeply about what their home could become and trusted us to do it — On the Rocks quickly moved to one of our top performers. Not just in revenue. In something harder to measure. In the kind of experience that leaves a mark on a family.
Here is what Rob wrote to me:
Tom, I recently read an article that children remember vacations more than almost anything else. I believe that's true because the one real vacation I had as a kid — honestly, the only one — still stands out in my mind as one of the best experiences of my childhood. I felt like it lasted forever. My kids are the same way with Gatlinburg. They remember every trip in full detail, probably better than I do. Yet somehow they can't remember what they had for lunch or when they were told to clean their rooms.
This past weekend at On the Rocks, we had the best time. The bourbon room was incredibly cozy, and we spent a lot of time in there. The beds were amazing too. Really, the place was perfect. It instantly became one of my favorites. I'd probably put Tucked In still as number one, but On the Rocks is right behind it.
We stopped into the office and talked with Chris, and I have to tell you, I really like that guy. A lot of times when you walk into places, you feel like you're bothering people or putting them out. Chris was the complete opposite. He was friendly, informative, and genuinely welcoming. Honestly, it made us want to stop back again on our way out, so we did. I think having guests stop into the office is a great thing because you get to meet the people behind the company, and it reassures you that you picked the right place.
Also, Kelly is amazing. Sometimes I message her last minute on the off chance we might make a trip happen. And sometimes I can't even book, but she's always incredibly kind and helpful to me.
On the drive home today, we were all so sad, still trying to hold on to that Gatlinburg feeling a little longer. So we listened to all of season two of For the Love of Gatlinburg. I can genuinely tell how much you love this company, your family, and its legacy. And of course, Gatlinburg itself.
I just wanted to say thank you. I truly appreciate what you do, and I'm always proud to tell people where they should book when they head to the Smokies.
Thanks again, Rob Stone.
I sat with that message for a long time.
I think about what's happening in this industry right now. There are companies growing at a pace that would make your head spin — adding 25 new properties each month, hundreds in a just a few years with sophisticated algorithms, AI-powered pricing, filtered review systems designed to surface only the guests most likely to leave five stars. It's impressive in its own way. It's a kind of moat, built with ingenuity and technology and speed.
But Rob Stone didn't write that message because of an algorithm. He wrote it because Chris made him feel like he wasn't bothering anyone. He wrote it because Kelly remembered him. He wrote it because his kids remember every trip in full detail — the bourbon room, the beds, the view — and that kind of memory doesn't get manufactured. It gets earned. Slowly. Over decades. One family at a time.
Not the technology. Not the occupancy rate. Not the direct booking percentage, though those matter too. Our moat is that families like Rob's have chosen to spend the most meaningful moments of their lives with us — and they keep coming back. 59% of our guests are repeat visitors to MLC. 25% have stayed with us five times or more representing over 2400 families. They are not returning because they found the lowest rate on Airbnb. They are returning because someone at Mountain Laurel Chalets — Chris, Kelly, someone behind the desk — made them feel known. Made them feel like their family mattered.
And here's what I've realized: that's exactly what some owners are looking for too. Those are the owners who find their place at Mountain Laurel Chalets. They resonate with our values and our deep relationships that reflect hospitality and family.
Not every property owner thinks about their cabin this way. Some bought it solely for financial leverage. Some are watching their cameras and counting their bookings and wondering why we can't squeeze more revenue out of a Saturday night. We understand that perspective. We understand that many bought homes in the height of the market and the demand is simply not there anymore. They are wanting the short game to win but the months of post covid explosion are over. What’s left is people who want to play the long game. That’s where we shine. Owners who want guests like Rob Stone, not first-time visitors that are simply looking for the lowest priced cabin.
The owners we're built to serve are the ones who chose Gatlinburg because it means something to them. They grew up vacationing here, or they brought their kids here, or they stood on a mountain overlook with their spouse twenty years ago and never quite got over it. They bought their cabin because they wanted other families to feel what they felt. They want to know that the people staying in their home are Rob Stones — thoughtful, respectful, returning guests who treat the property with the kind of care that comes from genuine appreciation.
Our third core value and our unique distinction in this flooded market is all about stewardship — of your investment, of your guests' vacation, and of something that outlasts all of us.
As Fast Company put it earlier this year: "Technology brings speed and scale, while human leadership brings context, authenticity, and belief."
Rob Stone's message is context. It's authenticity. It's belief.
That's why we do this. We are generous stewards. Rob’s story confirms that for me.
Tom Goodwin is the owner and CEO of Mountain Laurel Chalets, the original family-owned vacation rental management company in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, operating since 1972. For more, visit mtnlaurelchalets.com.
