Holiday Inn Express & Suites Alcoa (Knoxville Airport) by IHG

We picked this hotel because there was a huge event in Knoxville that weekend and it was more affordable. The location worked well, with restaurants within walking distance or a short drive, plus a coffee shop, grocery store, and gas station nearby. It was a good, kid-friendly stay, and the staff were wonderful. Breakfast was great too. The pool is there, but it's very small and super cold, especially at night. During our longer stay, housekeeping was hard to get; when I asked staff at the cleaning carts directly, they kindly gave me supplies for refills. I also noticed wear and tear on the bathroom trim by the door that needs redoing.

After a rough experience at the nearby La Quinta Inn and a third-party booking source Google redirected us to taking advantage of us, this hotel turned the night around. The evening desk gentleman worked hard to retrieve a reservation that had gotten hung up and made sure my family could finally relax and rest. They found us a nice room, and breakfast was surprisingly good. When you're tired after traveling all day, that kind of help leaves an impression. I'm glad we came here. Travelers with pets should stop here, and we'll book again whenever we're in this region.

The breakfast was limited, and most of what was there was cold or overcooked. Nothing was labeled, so you couldn't tell whether the sausage was pork or turkey. The hotel is on the small side, and the fitness center has bottles to take but no water machines. There's no laundry or laundry bags. Rooms near the pool smell like the pool, and the bathrooms need updating. The shower leaks into the hallway and leaves puddles, though the water pressure and hot water were perfect.

Everything was very clean, including the bathroom, and the room was comfortable. It had a mini fridge, microwave, and Keurig coffee maker. The location was convenient, and I'd stay again.