Mainstay Suites Knoxville Airport

The woman who checked us in was extremely friendly, and check-in went well. After that, the stay was miserable. The room was small, uncomfortable, and didn't feel or smell clean. People were loud and kept slamming doors until 1 a.m., so we got no sleep. The toilet wouldn't flush, the water pressure was very low and it didn't get very hot, and both beds were uncomfortable. There were no extra linens for the pull-out bed. I had a service dog, and the front desk had told me all dogs were allowed without breed restrictions, with a $20 fee at the hotel. Once there, I was told only service dogs were accepted and there was no fee. The front desk said I had apparently been sent to Expedia through the hotel's site, and Expedia had given me wrong information. With the noise, broken toilet, unclean feeling, and bedding problems, it wasn't worth the rate. I wouldn't stay again.

The evening desk staff were kind and accommodating, and the linens were clean. Still, it was hard to get comfortable in a room with a stale, mildew-like smell, almost like old laundry, and the Wi-Fi was weak and unreliable. The property looked poorly maintained: floorboard trim was peeling, the office chair was old and stained, and paint overspray on walls and fixtures looked sloppy. The place felt unfinished and neglected. More consistent upkeep and attention to detail could make it much better, but in its current shape I can hardly recommend it.

The receptionist was super nice, and the lobby looked and smelled clean. The suite was another story: it smelled awful, like someone had blown it up just before we arrived. We also found a random pill on the floor, which makes you wonder how well it had been cleaned.

We came for Smoky mountain bike week. After reading good reviews, we were told our bike would be safe in the back parking lot in front of our window. In the morning, it had been hit in a hit-and-run. We filed a police report and asked to see the security camera footage, but were told there were no outside cameras, just one pointed at the pool area. When I told the manager, he said it was unfortunate. The hotel's insurance company said the manager hadn't been negligent for my bike being damaged on hotel property, so I'm left with a $3100 repair bill. What a great stay at this choice hotel. Bikers, beware!