Skyland Inn

The area is pretty, with lovely scenery and some interesting old spots, and it's close to Bristol. More than that, I felt safe there with my little ones. Some nearby places seemed a bit sketchy after dark, no judgment. For the price, the room was very clean, and the owners were kind and on the premises. You can tell they care about looking after the rooms. I like supporting family businesses, and this felt like one of life's little rewards for doing that. An inexpensive place can be a gamble, but this one worked out. It'll be my go-to when I'm traveling through with my kids.

The room reeked of smoke even though we were told it was nonsmoking. Its setup was odd: the mini fridge and microwave were near where an outlet should have been, but wasn't, and the light between the beds had to be plugged in. It crackled when we did that. At least the heat and A/C unit looked fairly new and had no visible dust on the vents. The beds seemed newer too, with clean, unstained linens and mattress pads on metal platforms, though the double beds were a bit firm for us. We arrived late, and my dad trusts independent motels more than I do. Since this one was older, we weren't expecting much. We checked the beds and crevices for pests after looking through the reviews, but thankfully found no sign of bedbugs, roaches, or anything else crawling around. I didn't feel very safe. The peephole was damaged, stuffed with tissue, and covered in black electrical tape. There was a deadbolt, but no lock on the doorknob and no U-bar lock. The room had three windows, one facing the parking lot, one in the bathroom facing the lot too, and one on the wall opposite the entry door. We checked all their locks. The stay was adequate, as I said, but we wouldn't come back. It's a cheap, clean stop if you're not particular and don't need the usual amenities. The funniest part is that now I can say I've stayed in a hotel with escape hatches, the windows, like in a movie or TV show. Even Sam and Dean Winchester might find it a little sketchy.

I needed a room near midnight after car trouble and got one easily at a great price. It was clean and had what I needed except shampoo, and the whole process was hassle-free. The Wi-Fi was weak now and then, and the heat/A/C unit was loud, but otherwise I had a great visit. It looked like a husband-and-wife team ran the place, and they seemed to be doing a perfectly fine job. I'm not sure why the ratings are so low. If I need a hotel in the area again, I'll come back.

The bathroom was covered in mold, the shower curtain included, with profanity written on the wall. The toilet was old and broken like one at a truck stop, and it slid around. The sink wasn't attached to the wall and kept sliding too, and its drain had no stopper, so it could swallow anything that went down. The fridge didn't work. We didn't try the microwave. The pool was an eyesore, empty and apparently unused for years, and I doubt they'll repair it. There was no shortage of other problems: the A/C was broken and falling out of the wall, looking like a fire hazard; the doors looked as though they'd been kicked in; and the thin, 70s-style bedding was full of scratchy cigarette holes. Wi-Fi didn't work in the rooms, only at the office where we checked in. The tiny room smelled nasty, and perfume couldn't cover it. There was broken glass by the bed, probably because the cramped layout makes it hard to move around and clean. Cleanliness was atrocious, though at least there were no bugs. We booked a standard king room with one bed for two on Expedia, but when we arrived they asked for more money and gave us a key to a very small room with two double beds. We kept tripping over things and felt like we were maneuvering around inside a dingy storage unit. Everywhere else nearby was booked on short notice, so we had no other option. I wish we'd stayed somewhere else. This place isn't worth a dollar. I took pictures for my review but don't know how to upload them here. Honestly, it should be condemned.