Managers / Tennessee / The Smoky Mountains

The 7 Best Short Term Rental Management Companies in the Smoky Mountains in 2026

Fifteen companies manage cabins across Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Wears Valley. We ranked the seven worth your keys on fees, verified public reviews and real local depth, with every fact sourced.

15 evaluated 7 ranked Most companies quote privately typical full service fee Last updated: September 2026

Key takeaways

Short Term Coops is our top pick for 2026, the only company in this market with both a fully itemized published fee, a flat 20% of net rental revenue, and a sourced public review score of 4.9 stars. Elk Springs Resort leads on local depth, operating since 2008 across all four towns. Cabins For You is the pick for a simple published rate at 10%. Only 2 of 15 managers here publish a rate, so treat the fee table below as an early real price sheet for this market.

How we evaluated

We scored all 15 companies operating in the Great Smoky Mountains on four weighted inputs: fee transparency (30%), where published rates beat quote only pricing; verified owner reviews (25%), drawing on LinkedIn verified submissions and public review scores from Google and Airbnb with their source and date; local depth (25%), meaning staffed presence and portfolio density in market; and service scope (20%), verified against each company's own published pages. Facts were checked in September 2026 and each carries its source. There are no paid placements. The full formula lives on our methodology page.

Every manager compared

CompanyBest forModelPublished fee
Short Term Coops Owners who want the exact fee base defined in writing before they sign Full service, in-house Flat 20% of net rental revenue plus a $75 monthly technology fee, published
Elk Springs Resort Owners who want the longest sourced local track record and coverage across all four towns Full service Not published
Cabins For You Owners who want the simplest published percentage in this market Full service 10% management fee, published
Compass Vacation Properties Owners across the widest published service area in this market Full service, family owned Not published
Cabins of the Smoky Mountains Owners who want a company with a staffed, physical Gatlinburg presence and all four towns covered Full service Not published
Fireside Chalets Owners who want the longest operating history in this market Full service Not published
Eden Crest Vacation Rentals Owners who want one all-inclusive fee rather than itemized pass-through charges, even without a published number Full service, all-inclusive management fee Not published (no percentage or range stated)
Bear Camp Cabin Rentals Names Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Wears Valley and Sevierville in its cabin location tags, with a dedicated property management and owner login section See notes Not published
Bear Tootin' Cabin Rentals Locally owned and family operated, per its own site, covering Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Wears Valley See notes Not published
Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals Covers Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville with a dedicated property management contact route for owners See notes Not published
Hearthside Cabin Rentals Based on Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge (VLS License #506), covering Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville See notes Not published
Parkside Cabin Rentals Gatlinburg based, covering Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge See notes Not published
Chalet Village Manages the Chalet Village resort community within Gatlinburg specifically, narrower than the other companies here See notes Not published
VTrips Regional Southeast operator with a dedicated Gatlinburg page; its site navigation separately lists Pigeon Forge and Sevierville as destinations See notes Not published
Vacasa National operator with a dedicated Gatlinburg vacation rentals page See notes Not published

Fees are each company's own published wording, checked September 2026. Where a company does not publish a rate we say so rather than guess.

The rankings

Ranked by the printed formula. Every fact below links to its source or names the date we checked.

1

1. Short Term Coops Most transparent pricing

Best for: Owners who want the exact fee base defined in writing before they sign

Short Term Coops is the only company we evaluated in this market that publishes both a specific rate and what it is calculated on: a flat 20% of net rental revenue, with named exclusions for guest taxes, guest paid cleaning fees and platform charges, plus a disclosed $75 monthly technology fee. It also prints a sourced review score, 4.9 stars across 922 reviews. The portfolio is intentionally small, so expect a boutique relationship rather than a large national book.

BasePigeon Forge area, Tennessee
ModelFull service, in-house
FeeFlat 20% of net rental revenue plus a $75 monthly technology fee, published checked September 2026
Rating4.9 blended rating across 922 verified reviews, per their site checked September 2026
PortfolioIntentionally small portfolio, per the company; no exact count published
2

2. Elk Springs Resort Longest local tenure

Best for: Owners who want the longest sourced local track record and coverage across all four towns

Elk Springs Resort has operated in Sevier County since 2008, the longest sourced local tenure in this market, and is the only ranked company here that names all four target towns in one published sentence: Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Wears Valley. It reports over 1,000 five star Google reviews and more than 180,000 total reservations handled. It does not publish a management fee, so plan on a quote call.

BaseSevier County, Tennessee
ModelFull service
FeeNot published checked September 2026
RatingOver 1,000 5 star Google reviews, per their site checked September 2026
Portfolio180,000+ total reservations handled, per their site (booking volume, not a property count)
3

3. Cabins For You Simplest published rate

Best for: Owners who want the simplest published percentage in this market

Cabins For You publishes a straightforward 10% management fee directly on its property management page, alongside a side by side owner statement comparing it against a hypothetical 20% competitor with itemized pass-through charges. It is Gatlinburg based and covers Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. No aggregate review score is printed on the site, so we could not verify one.

BaseGatlinburg, Tennessee
ModelFull service
Fee10% management fee, published checked September 2026
4

4. Compass Vacation Properties Widest town coverage

Best for: Owners across the widest published service area in this market

Compass Vacation Properties is a Pigeon Forge based, family owned manager that names more towns in its own service area than anyone else we evaluated here: Cosby, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Wears Valley and Nashville. Its site cites a 2026 Manager-Review ranking of #1 in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, which is a third party claim rather than our own scoring. It does not publish a fee.

BasePigeon Forge, Tennessee
ModelFull service, family owned
FeeNot published checked September 2026
Rating2026 Ranked #1 Property Manager in Pigeon Forge & Sevierville, #3 in Gatlinburg by Manager-Review (a third party ranking claim printed on their own site, not a star rating) checked September 2026
5

5. Cabins of the Smoky Mountains Staffed Gatlinburg reception center

Best for: Owners who want a company with a staffed, physical Gatlinburg presence and all four towns covered

Cabins of the Smoky Mountains runs a staffed, roughly 1,500 square foot guest reception center in Gatlinburg and names all four towns in this market in its own location map. It describes itself as the largest cabin rental agency in the Smoky Mountains, a claim we could not independently verify. No fee or review score is published on its site.

BaseGatlinburg, Tennessee
ModelFull service
FeeNot published checked September 2026
6

6. Fireside Chalets Longest tenure

Best for: Owners who want the longest operating history in this market

Fireside Chalets has operated since 1999 per its own copyright footer, the longest sourced history among the companies we evaluated. It covers Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and named resort communities including Wears Valley. Sevierville is not named on its site, so we do not claim it. No fee or review score is published.

BaseGatlinburg / Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
ModelFull service
FeeNot published checked September 2026
7

7. Eden Crest Vacation Rentals All-inclusive fee model

Best for: Owners who want one all-inclusive fee rather than itemized pass-through charges, even without a published number

Eden Crest Vacation Rentals covers all four towns in this market and advertises an all-inclusive management fee that it says covers listings, light maintenance, inspections and quarterly inventory with no nickel and dime add-ons. It does not publish the percentage or a range, so you will need to ask for a quote to compare it against the published rates above.

BaseSevier County, Tennessee
ModelFull service, all-inclusive management fee
FeeNot published (no percentage or range stated) checked September 2026

Also evaluated

Real companies with real operations in the Smoky Mountains that did not make the top 7 this quarter.

Bear Camp Cabin Rentals

Names Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Wears Valley and Sevierville in its cabin location tags, with a dedicated property management and owner login section. Fee not published.

Bear Tootin' Cabin Rentals

Locally owned and family operated, per its own site, covering Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Wears Valley. Fee not published.

Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals

Covers Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville with a dedicated property management contact route for owners. Fee not published.

Hearthside Cabin Rentals

Based on Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge (VLS License #506), covering Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. Fee not published.

Parkside Cabin Rentals

Gatlinburg based, covering Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Individual Google Reviews testimonials appear on site but no aggregate score is printed. Fee not published.

Chalet Village

Manages the Chalet Village resort community within Gatlinburg specifically, narrower than the other companies here. Fee not published.

VTrips

Regional Southeast operator with a dedicated Gatlinburg page; its site navigation separately lists Pigeon Forge and Sevierville as destinations. Fee not published.

Vacasa

National operator with a dedicated Gatlinburg vacation rentals page. Fee not published; Vacasa sets fees per property.

The Smoky Mountains fee index

Our fee transparency index: what managers in this market actually publish, refreshed quarterly. 2 of 15 managers evaluated publish a rate. Full table on the market data page.

CompanyModelPublished feeStatus
Cabins For YouFull service10% management feePublished
Short Term CoopsFull service, in-houseFlat 20% of net rental revenue plus a $75 monthly technology feePublished
Elk Springs ResortFull serviceNot publishedQuote only
Compass Vacation PropertiesFull serviceNot publishedQuote only
Cabins of the Smoky MountainsFull serviceNot publishedQuote only
Fireside ChaletsFull serviceNot publishedQuote only

How to choose between them

Three questions that separate these companies faster than any sales call.

What does the fee base actually cover?

A percentage means little without knowing what it is calculated on. Short Term Coops publishes its exclusions in writing. Ask every other candidate for the same before you compare numbers.

Will you put the fee in writing before a walkthrough?

Only two companies in this market publish a rate. A manager willing to quote a number by email before seeing the cabin respects your time and their own pricing.

Do they actually cover your exact town?

Some books here cover all four towns, others cover two. Confirm your specific address against the service area named on the company's own site, not a general "Smoky Mountains" claim.

Researched and written by Aaron Whittaker. Updated September 2026. Every fact on this page carries its source. How we rank

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Questions owners ask

Answered from the same sourced research behind the rankings.

Best airbnb property management companies in the Smoky Mountains?

Short Term Coops is our top pick for 2026, the only company here with both a published fee and a sourced review score. Elk Springs Resort and Cabins For You round out the top three on local depth and a published 10% rate. The full ranking above covers 7 companies of the 15 we evaluated.

Airbnb management companies in the Smoky Mountains with the lowest fees?

Only 2 of the 15 managers we evaluated publish a rate. Cabins For You publishes a 10% management fee, and Short Term Coops publishes a flat 20% of net rental revenue plus a $75 monthly technology fee. Every other company quotes privately.

Who should I hire to manage my Airbnb in the Smoky Mountains?

Match the manager to your property and how hands on you want to be. Short Term Coops suits owners who want a fully itemized fee in writing. Elk Springs Resort suits owners who want the longest sourced local track record. Compare fees in the table above and call two or three.

Best full service airbnb management companies in the Smoky Mountains?

Full service picks on this list are Short Term Coops, Elk Springs Resort, Cabins For You, Compass Vacation Properties, Cabins of the Smoky Mountains, Fireside Chalets and Eden Crest Vacation Rentals.

Best airbnb co-hosting services in the Smoky Mountains?

We did not verify a dedicated co-hosting specialist among the 15 companies we evaluated in this market. Every ranked company here operates as a full service manager rather than a co-host. We will add a co-hosting pick if we verify one.

Best property management companies for cabins in the Smoky Mountains?

Elk Springs Resort, Eden Crest Vacation Rentals, Cabins of the Smoky Mountains and Compass Vacation Properties each name all four towns in this market, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Wears Valley, in their own published service areas.

Alternatives to Vacasa for Smoky Mountains vacation rental management?

Local alternatives include every other company on this list. The strongest contrast to a national brand is a Smoky Mountains only operator like Short Term Coops or Elk Springs Resort, where the book is smaller and the team is in market.

Best short term rental managers in Gatlinburg TN?

Every company we ranked names Gatlinburg in its service area. Our Gatlinburg town guide breaks down which of them are based there directly.

Best airbnb management companies near Pigeon Forge TN?

Compass Vacation Properties is based in Pigeon Forge, and Short Term Coops, Elk Springs Resort, Cabins For You, Fireside Chalets and Eden Crest all name Pigeon Forge in their service areas. Our Pigeon Forge town guide has the full breakdown.

Best vacation rental property managers near Sevierville TN?

Elk Springs Resort, Cabins For You, Compass Vacation Properties and Eden Crest Vacation Rentals all name Sevierville in their published service areas. Our Sevierville town guide compares them.

Owner reviews in LinkedIn verified

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Transparency: STR Select is an independent directory with no paid placements. No paid placements. Relationships with companies we cover are disclosed on their pages. Reviews are LinkedIn verified and editor approved. Corrections: every fact above carries a source, and companies can claim their listing to correct anything.

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