Sunrise Ridge Resort Review – Pigeon Forge (2025)

Want to know what it’s like to stay at Hilton Vacation Club’s Sunrise Ridge Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee?

We recently took a weekend getaway to the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area, where we stayed at Hilton’s Sunrise Ridge Resort.

It is perfectly situated near popular attractions like Dollywood, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, The Island, and Downtown Gatlinburg.

But, it is also tucked away in a quiet spot in the mountains.

We stayed in a standard one bedroom unit on the ground floor, overlooking the pool (and the mountains).

You can see our full room tour video below.

Don’t worry, it’s only 2 minutes long.

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Sunrise Ridge Resort Review

Sunrise Ridge is a timeshare resort formerly owned by Diamond Resorts, who was bought out by Hilton Grand Vacations a few years ago.

The resort hasn’t undergone any major renovations since the switch, so it has really only changed in ownership.

What I love about Sunrise Ridge is that it is one of the timeshares that is almost always available, and can usually be booked at a discounted rate if you book it less than 60 days out, which is what we did.

Living Room

The living room definitely looks aged, but everything is in good condition.

Nothing was dirty or broken or torn.

I’ve noticed this is pretty common in the more rustic, woodsy destinations, with pretty much all of the timeshare companies.

I like that the whole living room, kitchen, and dining area is open.

Dining Room

There’s not really a formal dining room, but there is a dining table tucked to the side that seats 4 people.

It’s a pretty light table, so you could shuffle it around towards the center of the room if you wanted to, since it is so close up to the tv.

Kitchen

Having a full kitchen is so nice when traveling, especially the longer you travel.

We tend to do a lot of work-cations, so being able to cook healthy meals while traveling is essential.

The kitchens come fully equipped with all the standard kitchen utensils and appliances, including pots and pans.

If something is missing, you can always call housekeeping to bring you something.

Plus, there’s a dishwasher for easy clean up.

Bedroom

The bedroom was decent sized and I like that the bed is tucked into a nook.

It’s nice to have a ledge to set down phones or a bottle of water since there is no night stand.

We didn’t use the closets at all since we were only there for a couple of days and didn’t bring that much stuff with us.

I didn’t like that the window for the bedroom was right in the walkway of all of the rooms, but there’s a blackout curtain, so it’s not so intrusive, just noisy.

This room is connected to the only bathroom in the unit.

Bathroom

The bathroom can be accessed from the bedroom and from the hallway.

It has a jetted tub combined with the shower.

Then, separating the tub from the sink is an in-unit washer and dryer.

They always leave laundry detergent for you to use, but you can also bring your own stuff if you want.

At some resorts you have to get at least a two bedroom unit to have laundry included.

It’s really hit or miss, so it’s great that this one had it.

Booking Your Stay With Timeshare Points

For those that are timeshare owners, here’s the breakdown of the points we used for this stay.

We actually purchased our timeshare through Diamond Resorts back in 2020, before Hilton bought them out, so our point system is still the old Diamond system.

For some background, we have 7500 points a year, which they tell us is good for 7-10 nights a year, but we’re averaging 25 nights a year with these points.

The average price per year for our timeshare is $3,900 when we factor in the original purchase price plus the annual maintenance fees.

But once we factor in the freebies they give us (like gift cards, attraction tickets, experiences, etc) it’s more like $2,900 a year.

So for this stay, we stayed for 2 week nights in June for 900 points for 2 nights.

The price breakdown of this is $468 for the total stay, or $234 per night.

This is pretty much exactly what it would’ve cost to pay cash around that time of year, so it definitely was not one of our most affordable timeshare stays.

Most of the time we only use points when they come out to less than the equivalent of $150 per night.

If we factor in the freebies we’ve been given, it actually comes down to being as cheap as $348 for the total stay, or $174 per night.

We banked our points for this year and had to burn through last year’s points, so we splurged a little for this stay, but is was a reasonable splurge.

Hot Tub

The hot tub is quite large for your typical resort.

We went out here each night during our stay just to enjoy the views and enjoy being outside.

Pool

The pool was also a good size, but it didn’t have any extras.

The pool deck has plenty of space to either sit at a table or lay out in a chair.

We didn’t go into the pool since it was already night time and the hot tub was a much better choice, but there were quite a few kids playing in there each night.

Overall Experience

Overall, this was a great trip.

I didn’t like that it cost us a little bit more points than we’re used to spending and that the room was really outdated, it felt like it wasn’t worth the increased price.

But because of the location and all the things to do in the area, we would still stay here again anyway if we were using timeshare points.

The resort is quiet since it’s tucked away, but it also doesn’t take too long to get to any of the popular spots, so the convenience is also nice.

I don’t recall having any wifi or data issues while we were there, though I’m sure it wasn’t the strongest signal.

Also the parking is free and close by, so that’s a good benefit.

1. Grande Villas Resort – Orlando

Grande Villas is just across the street from Cypress Pointe, so it is conveniently located to all things Disney!

There is an on-site pizza & deli restaurant, full bar, and Starbucks coffee too.

The tub is really the highlight of the room though.

2. Mystic Dunes Resort – Orlando

Mystic Dunes is one of the Diamond timeshares that really has a resort vibe, but the setting of being in Orlando, Florida probably plays a big part in that.

It’s just south of Disney World, with easy access to the parks.

The rooms are spacious and well kept, with just about every amenity when you stay in a one bedroom.

3. Cypress Pointe – Orlando

Cypress Pointe is another Hilton resort and it is actually right across the street from the Grande Villas resort!

The studio rooms here are unique in that they are more like a honeymoon suite and they are so affordable considering they are right outside of Disney Springs.

4. Grand Beach – Orlando

Grand Beach looks like the Grand Floridian, but it’s not.

It’s located about 10 minutes from Disney Springs and it’s a quiet resort.

They are super affordable and have 2 pools you can enjoy.

5. Ka’anapali Beach Club – Maui

Ka’anapali Beach Club is located on Maui and is one of the most coveted of all of Diamond’s properties.

It’s in a great location, just down the road from Lahaina.

Plus, we enjoyed having the full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, and our beautiful ocean view.

6. Polo Towers – Las Vegas

Polo Towers is right on the Las Vegas Strip, across from The Cosmopolitan.

We love the central location of this resort, as well as having a full kitchen because most Vegas hotels today have their fridge full of drinks that have insane mark ups, making them un-useable for yourself.

We’ve stayed in a variety of room types here over the years including a Two Bedroom, Studio Efficiency, and 1 Bedroom Accessible Room.

7. Historic Powhatan Resort – Williamsburg, Virginia

We absolutely loved staying at this resort in Williamsburg.

It was one of our more affordable timeshare visits and the unit had everything we needed.

We had just a One Bedroom, but it was 3 stories and set up like a townhome.

The first floor was the entrance, the second floor had a kitchen, dining room, full bathroom, bedroom with en-suite bathroom, and laundry.

Then the top floor was like a converted loft or attic with a tv, couch, and coffee table.

8. Varsity Clubs of America – Tucson, Arizona

This resort is the only place we stay in Tucson and we drive through here A LOT on our frequent road trips.

If you book with 30 days of your visit it’s pretty cheap.

We love the pool and hot tub here because it usually stays warm enough in the evenings to enjoy both.

It’s a quieter, no frills place and it’s right in the middle of town, centrally located to everything in Tucson.

The One Bedroom units are perfect with their full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, and dining table.

9. Varsity Clubs of America South Bend – Indiana

South Bend is famously known as the home of the University of Notre Dame.

Varsity Clubs of America is a great, inexpensive place to stay when you’re visiting the area.

It also makes for a great home base for day trips to places like Indiana Dunes National Park and Chicago.

10. Palm Canyon Resort – Palm Springs, California

Palm Canyon Resort is the premiere timeshare resort in Palm Springs.

We love staying here for fun stay-cations every so often because it’s always discounted within 30-60 days or less of travel.

They have a great pool with a hot tub and water slides built into the rocks.

11. The Suites at Fall Creek – Branson, Missouri

Last but not least, we love Diamond’s resort in Branson.

It’s set back along a creek, hence the name, so it’s a quite woodsy experience just outside of town.

It’s still close enough to everything too.

What we loved about this room was the counter space in the kitchen, the screened in porch, and the open layout of the room.

The One Bedroom layout here could easily be the equivalent of a real one bedroom apartment.

12. San Luis Bay Inn – Avila Beach, CA

San Luis Bay Inn is situated just above Avila Beach on a hill top along the central coast of California.

It’s in walking distance to this quiet beach town and it’s boardwalk of shops and restaurants.

13. Riviera Beach & Shores Resort – Capistrano Beach, CA

Riviera Beach & Shores Resort is an oceanfront property near the southern tip of Orange County, California.

It’s in a quiet area of the beach with hardly anybody else around.

We like coming down here for a few days at a time to enjoy the views and the peace and quiet.

14. Riviera Oaks Resort & Racquet Club – near San Diego

Riviera Oaks is a quiet resort in the town of Ramona, just outside of San Diego.

It’s a perfect getaway for wine tasting in Ramona or visiting the historic gold rush town of Julian.

15. Bell Rock Inn – Sedona, Arizona

Bell Rock Inn is a timeshare resort just South of the city center of Sedona.

It’s an older, smaller property, but it’s the most effective use of timeshare points.

Our stay was the equivalent of only about $65 a night!

The Wrap-Up: Sunrise Ridge Resort Review

Sunrise Ridge Resort is Hilton’s most centrally located timeshare property when you’re visiting the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area.

It’s a little outdated, but not worn down or dirty.

The prices range wildly, so sometimes it’s pretty affordable, while other times it’s quite a splurge.

Considering the condition of the resort, I’d try to stay on the cheaper end.

But for the convenience, you could justify some higher prices.

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