About Us
Your family IS our company!
Since 1972 Mountain Laurel Chalets has served as the premier Smoky Mountains cabin rental company. Nestled next to the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, our reputation is one of service, friendliness, family and giving back to the community. We are founded on three core values. These values guide every decision we make and shape our unique culture to be unlike any other rental company in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
Every good story has a hero. In the case of Mountain Laurel Chalets, ours has two. Ralph and Dot Egli aren't your run of the mill heroes. Pioneers in the vacation rental management industry the Eglis began Mountain Laurel Chalets in a simpler time, where a handshake meant something. The Eglis were an honest couple with a simple mission: to love people and care for them well. Mountain Laurel Chalets was born out of this simple yet profound approach to business, and we still make it our daily aim over 50 years later. We pursue and apply the newest tools and tech in our industry, remaining able to pivot as needed based on changing times, but one thing remains the same: we aim to love people and care for them well.
Ralph and Dot Egli met in Oak Ridge, TN and were married in 1959. They moved to Gatlinburg before the city was a vacation destination like it is today. They built a home and settled into the community, investing their time and energies there for the long haul. Ralph was a general contractor, building such wonderful contributions as the County library, the Village in Gatlinburg and even the first toilets atop Mt LeConte. Dot served as the county’s first Kindergarten teacher at Pi Beta Phi Elementary. They raised their three children on Wiley Oakley Road and served the needs of their neighbors who visited part-time in their vacation homes.
Over time the city began to grow and tourism took root. People began to build more homes in the area, and the Eglis would watch over their friends' properties when they went out of town. This was the simple start to Mountain Laurel Chalets. Over time, and as vacation home rentals became a more normal means of lodging, Ralph and Dot formally established MLC and began professionally managing what ultimately became over one hundred properties. They worked hard and built a successful business, but at the end of the day it was still about one principle for Ralph and Dot: love people and care for them well. Our second generation owners, Tom and Susan Goodwin (the Eglis' daughter and son-in law) now seek to honor Ralph and Dot's legacy each and every day.
Our owner and CEO, Tom Goodwin, was a recent guest on an award-winning vacation rental management industry podcast, during which time he shared his personal perspective on and passion for generous hospitality. It will provide you with great insight into the heart of Mountain Laurel Chalets, and is well worth 40 minutes of your time.
