Try your luck at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel, operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee. It is located 50 miles west of Asheville at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in the town of Cherokee. And see the results of a $633 million expansion! Their 21-story luxury hotel features a whooping 1,001 guest rooms plus 107 suites. Many rooms have mountain views of the Great Smoky Mountains. The grand lobby of marble floors and earth colors provide a lodge-like feel. Harrah's provides four-star lodging that include amenities like large baths, upscale furniture, and special amenities such as coffee makers and 42-inch HD plasma TVs. For an even more luxurious experience, there are eight suites in the Mountain Tower, 21 suites in the Soco Tower and 78 suites in Creek Tower. The hotel includes a covered garage, arcade, indoor pool and workout room, as well as a 15,000-square-foot conference center and several restaurants. They are pet-friendly with a special PetStay Luxury Room for up to two of your canine companions! And for your dog’s enjoyment, they provide a special welcome amenity. Click here to visit their Web site.

Creek Tower Rooms offer one king or two queen beds, many with a majestic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. Large baths, upscale furniture fixtures and special amenities such as hair dryers, coffee makers and 42-inch Plasma TVs with high definition create a luxurious experience. Click here to visit their Web site.

For 2012, the Casino floor is doubling in size to approximately 160,000 square feet! 4,300 gaming units include video poker, live digital blackjack, Cherokee Raffle Reels, Baccarito, live digital poker, 60 digital table games will increase from 40 tables to 60 tables, high limit games area, and an Asian Gaming Room & Noodle Bar.

Chefs Stage Buffet features chef specialties prepared at interactive stations that are sure to please any palate! Other restaurants include Paula Deen's Kitchen, a food court and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and BRIO Tuscan Grille coming in 2012.

The new Paula Deen's Kitchen is open! The "Queen of Southern Cuisine" has opened a full-service, 404-seat restaurant featuring an á la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is reminiscent of the décor and ambiance of Paula Deen's home and kitchen in Savannah.

The new 3,035-Seat Cherokee Events Center is the biggest entertainment and concert venue in the region

Cherokee Things to Do
There are many things to do in the Cherokee area, including museums, shopping and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See our Cherokee Guide for more.

Golf
Hotel guest can enjoy a round of golf at the Sequoyah National Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 72 championship course designed by golf architect Robert Trent Jones II and Native American golf pro Notah Begay III. 

Directions
Cherokee is just 52 miles from Asheville via I-40 West to Exit 27, then U.S. 19 to U.S. 441 in Cherokee (Just over an hour's drive). Or you can take the more scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, but this could take three to four hours. A great day trip is to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway to Cherokee and return the faster way via I-40 back to Asheville.

The very swanky South Super Suite is reserved for the high rollers!

Click here to visit their Web site.