Harrah’s Casino Cherokee, officially Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, is a large casino hotel in Cherokee, North Carolina, near the Great Smoky Mountains. Its main draw is variety: approximately 3,000 slots, live table games, a dedicated WSOP poker room, Caesars Sportsbook, and plenty to do between gambling sessions. The trade-off is a sprawling, four-tower layout. I see this as a better fit for an overnight casino getaway than a quick gambling stop with minimal walking.
Harrah’s Cherokee at a glance
| Address | 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, NC 28719 |
|---|---|
| Property type | Casino resort |
| Minimum gambling age | 21 |
| Casino and sportsbook area | Approximately 150,000 square feet combined, as advertised |
| Slots | Approximately 3,000 advertised |
| Table games | More than 160 advertised, including blackjack, roulette, craps, and mini-baccarat |
| Poker room | Dedicated WSOP room with 32 advertised tables |
| Retail sportsbook | Caesars Sportsbook |
| Hotel | More than 1,800 rooms across four towers |
| Notable amenities | Mandara Spa, indoor and outdoor pools, bowling, an arcade, and live entertainment |
| Phone | 828-497-7777 |
Advertised inventories describe the property’s scale, not the number of machines or tables available at any particular hour.
What kind of casino is Harrah’s Cherokee?
Harrah’s Cherokee is a destination resort rather than a small gambling hall. It opened in 1997, and its hotel towers, restaurants, event facilities, and nongaming entertainment are now a substantial part of the reason to visit.
The mountain setting adds another dimension, but decide what kind of vacation you want before booking. If gambling, dinner, and a show are the main attractions, staying under one roof has real appeal. If you will spend most days exploring the surrounding area, compare the complete resort room price with lodging closer to your outings.
For alternatives around the state, see our guide to North Carolina casinos.
Casino floor and games
The advertised selection includes approximately 3,000 slots, more than 160 table games, a high-limit gaming area, and a separate poker room. The Caesars property fact sheet identifies blackjack, roulette, craps, and mini-baccarat among the table games.
That breadth helps when your group does not all play the same thing. It does not guarantee an open seat at your preferred limit. Decide your comfortable wager before looking for a table, rather than allowing the available seats to decide your budget.
Slots and video poker
Slots dominate the machine offering. The practical task is finding a game and total wager you enjoy, not trying to cover the whole floor. Check the full spin cost: a low denomination does not necessarily mean a low wager once credits and bonus requirements are included.
For video poker, check the actual game and paytable rather than assuming every bar-top gaming unit offers your preferred variation. I would not use winning stories or losing-session complaints to judge machine payouts. Neither establishes a payout percentage, and a machine is never due because the last player had a bad run.
Live table games
Blackjack, roulette, craps, and mini-baccarat provide the core confirmed choices. Posted minimums, available tables, and rules matter more to your session than the property’s total inventory.
Do not plan around a particular low minimum without checking directly. At blackjack, read the payout and rules before buying in, and treat optional side bets as separate wagers rather than part of the admission price.
WSOP poker room
Harrah’s Cherokee has a dedicated player-versus-player WSOP poker room with an advertised capacity of 32 tables. That is room capacity, not a promise that 32 games will be running.
The operator describes eight-handed cash games, daily Texas Hold’em tournaments, and additional monthly tournaments. For a poker-centered trip, confirm current games, stakes, tournament dates, registration arrangements, and room hours before reserving a hotel room. Video poker and house-banked poker-style table games are not substitutes for this dedicated room.
Caesars Sportsbook
The on-property Caesars Sportsbook has ticket windows, self-service kiosks, lounge seating, a 90-foot viewing screen, and three bookable private Fan Caves. This is a dedicated retail betting and viewing space, not simply a bar with sports on television.
For a group outing, compare ordinary seating with the complete Fan Cave reservation terms. Confirm service hours, reservation charges, and what is included. Keep paper betting tickets secure, and ask about redemption before leaving town.
Mobile wagering and retail tickets are separate matters. Do not assume an app account changes the rules or redemption process for a bet placed at a window or kiosk.
Hotel towers and booking costs
The resort offers rooms and suites in the Mountain, Creek, Soco, and Cherokee towers. Wyndham lists 1,831 guest rooms, while operator material describes more than 1,800. The useful planning point is that this is a very large hotel, not a single compact building.
I would give tower location almost as much attention as bed type. Ask about the route from your room category to gaming, restaurants, and parking. A bargain room may be less convenient if your party needs frequent walking breaks.
- Casino-focused stay: Ask which room categories offer the most convenient route to gaming.
- Light sleepers: Request a location away from elevators and busy public areas, without treating the request as a guarantee.
- Limited mobility: Confirm specific bathroom features, room features, and routes through the resort.
- Mountain views: Book a view explicitly rather than assuming every room has one.
Compare final totals, not headline rates
The Wyndham property listing makes an easily missed distinction: its calendar rates include taxes and fees, while rates displayed elsewhere on the site include fees but not taxes. Compare final stay totals for the same dates and room category.
Also compare cancellation terms, deposits, pet charges, and optional services. Packages and add-ons can have different cancellation conditions from the room itself. A lower price with less flexibility is a different product, not automatically a better deal.
Dog-friendly accommodation is advertised for up to two dogs, with a 50-pound-or-less qualification and an extra nightly fee. Confirm the precise weight restriction, eligible room category, and full charge before booking.
Restaurants and bars
The dining lineup gives overnight visitors several reasons to stay on-site for meals. I would choose by occasion first and celebrity name second.
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House: A planned, full-service steak dinner.
- Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen + Bar: Burgers, barbecue, and casual dining.
- Amici Italia: Italian dining listed by Wyndham.
- Noodle Bar: Asian dishes on the casino floor, promoted as a late-night option.
- Selu Garden Café: Breakfast and Southern-style lunch choices.
- Myst Bar: Cocktails, beer, bar-top gaming, and sports viewing.
The Gordon Ramsay Food Market ranges from Grab and Go items to full-service dining at G/R Truffles Pub. Hours vary by station, so the market’s overall opening hours do not guarantee your preferred counter will be serving.
Check current menus and venue schedules before building an evening around a particular restaurant. For a show night, reserve a sit-down meal where possible and leave a buffer. Convenient location does not turn a full-service dinner into a quick bite.
Entertainment, pools, spa, and golf
The Cherokee Event Center hosts concerts and other ticketed performances. The operator’s property overview lists more than 3,000 seats. Think large concert venue rather than intimate lounge when choosing tickets.
Mandara Spa, indoor and outdoor pools, shops, a fitness center, and UltraStar bowling and arcade activities give the resort more staying power than a gambling-only property.
My take: bowling and the spa are meaningful alternatives for a mixed-interest group, but only if you will use them. Check reservations, operating schedules, access rules, and additional charges before paying more for amenities.
Preferred access to nearby Sequoyah National Golf Club is also advertised. Treat golf as an outing requiring transportation and tee-time planning, not a course immediately outside the lobby.
The official pool and fitness FAQ, updated January 3, 2022, limits those facilities to resort hotel guests, excluding area-hotel guests even when booked through Harrah’s. Confirm current access before choosing off-site lodging and counting on a resort pool day.
Parking, accessibility, and practical visit costs
Use 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, North Carolina 28719 for navigation. Plan your entrance around hotel check-in, casino play, or an event, and record your parking location. At a large resort, “somewhere near the casino” is not much of a retrieval plan.
EV chargers are advertised; confirm compatibility, availability, and charges if you depend on charging. For a flight-based trip, arrange airport transportation before booking rather than assuming a shuttle or late-night ride will be convenient.
Valet and mobility-equipment costs
The official amenities FAQ, updated December 2, 2022, lists valet at $20 per use for most visitors, with complimentary valet for hotel guests, Diamond members, and Seven Stars members. It also lists scooter rentals at $60 per 24 hours and complimentary wheelchairs. These are older published terms, not current price guarantees.
Using those terms for an illustrative budget, two separately charged valet uses would cost $40. Two consecutive 24-hour scooter rental periods would cost $120, assuming the same rate applies to each. Confirm current prices, exemptions, equipment availability, and repeat-period billing before relying on either estimate.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information and our calculations. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| Harrah’s Cherokee valet parking: Paid use versus published exemptions | The amenities FAQ updated December 2, 2022, lists a per-use valet charge for most visitors but complimentary valet for hotel guests, Diamond members, and Seven Stars members. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee mobility equipment: Scooter rental versus wheelchair policy | The amenities FAQ updated December 2, 2022, distinguishes paid scooter rentals from complimentary wheelchairs; it does not establish current availability. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee indoor pool and fitness area: On-property versus off-property lodging access | The pool and fitness FAQ updated January 3, 2022, restricts use to guests staying in the resort hotel, explicitly excluding area-hotel guests even when their lodging was booked through Harrah’s. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee pool visits with children: Published supervision requirement | The pool and fitness FAQ updated January 3, 2022, requires children to be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee room equipment: Microwave availability in the amenities FAQ | The amenities FAQ updated December 2, 2022, describes microwaves as available upon request and subject to availability, rather than guaranteed equipment. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee Wyndham booking display: Calendar totals versus rates elsewhere on the site | Wyndham says its calendar rates include taxes and fees, whereas rates displayed elsewhere include fees but not taxes. Compare equivalent final totals rather than treating both displays as the same pricing basis. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee Wyndham reservations: Package cancellation versus room-stay cancellation | Wyndham warns that cancellation terms for packages and add-ons may differ from the terms for the room stay. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee dog-friendly stays: Published limit and fee basis | Wyndham advertises up to two dogs, with a 50-pound-or-less qualification and an extra nightly fee, but supplies no fee amount in this passage. Confirm the precise weight restriction and total pet charge before booking. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee poker room: Cash-game format versus tournament offering | The Caesars fact sheet describes a dedicated 32-table WSOP room with eight-handed cash games, daily Texas Hold’em tournaments, and additional monthly tournaments. These are published offerings, not a live seat or schedule guarantee. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee sportsbook: Self-service versus staffed betting options | The Caesars fact sheet lists both self-service kiosks and ticket-writer windows, alongside lounge seating and private Fan Caves. It does not give service hours or Fan Cave prices. |
| Harrah’s Cherokee fitness center: Wyndham’s advertised operating schedule | Wyndham advertises a 24/7 fitness center. Visitors whose plans depend on overnight access should confirm the schedule directly rather than assuming pool and gym hours are interchangeable. |
| Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission: On-property regulatory access | The commission says its offices in each casino are staffed around the clock, providing a regulatory contact distinct from hotel or casino customer service. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Illustrative two-use valet budget under the amenities FAQ updated December 2, 2022 | $40.00 | Repeat valet use can add to a day visitor’s budget, while the published FAQ exempts hotel guests and the listed rewards tiers. Confirm the older fee schedule before relying on it. |
| Illustrative scooter budget for two consecutive rental periods under the amenities FAQ updated December 2, 2022 | $120.00 | A scooter needs its own trip-budget allowance; the same FAQ lists wheelchairs as complimentary. Confirm current pricing, availability, and repeat-period billing, and choose equipment appropriate to your mobility needs. |
Research references: caesarsrewards.custhelp.com 1, caesarsrewards.custhelp.com 2, wyndhamhotels.com, newsroom.caesars.com, cherokeegamingcommission.org.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-15. Illustrative assumptions are labeled, and the full calculation inputs remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
Compare the complete trip, not simply on-site and off-site room prices. Valet exemptions can matter to an overnight guest, and mobility equipment deserves its own budget line. A complimentary wheelchair and a rented scooter are not interchangeable solutions for every visitor.
Caesars Rewards and value
Check your Caesars Rewards account for applicable room offers, and read the terms rather than assuming a complimentary room means no other charges. Ask how your planned play or purchases qualify instead of assuming one earning arrangement applies throughout the resort.
I would never raise a gambling budget to chase a future room or meal. An offer is useful when it improves a trip you already wanted, not when obtaining it becomes the vacation’s most expensive part.
Who Harrah’s Cherokee is best for
Harrah’s Cherokee suits adults planning a casino-centered mountain getaway, especially groups with different gaming and downtime interests. Its substantial game selection, dining, entertainment, pools, and spa give a multiday stay a purpose beyond the casino floor. The trade-off is a sprawling, four-tower property where room location and walking routes deserve attention. Travelers seeking a compact overnight stop, or spending most of their time exploring elsewhere, should compare simpler lodging and the complete trip cost before booking.
Frequently asked questions
How old do you have to be to gamble at Harrah’s Cherokee?
The minimum gambling age is 21. Bring valid photo identification.
Does Harrah’s Cherokee have a poker room?
Yes. The dedicated WSOP poker room has an advertised capacity of 32 tables. Confirm current cash games and tournament schedules before a poker-focused trip.
Does Harrah’s Cherokee have a sportsbook?
Yes. Caesars Sportsbook offers staffed betting windows, self-service kiosks, sports viewing, and bookable private Fan Caves.
How many hotel rooms does Harrah’s Cherokee have?
The resort has more than 1,800 rooms across four towers. Wyndham lists 1,831 guest rooms.
Is valet parking free?
The official amenities FAQ updated in December 2022 lists complimentary valet for hotel guests, Diamond members, and Seven Stars members, with a per-use charge for most other visitors. Confirm the current policy before arrival.
What should I check before booking?
Compare the final room total, cancellation terms, tower location, and event calendar. If a restaurant, pool, spa treatment, poker tournament, or performance is the reason for your trip, confirm that specific offering before committing.