Country Inn and Suites Knoxville I-75 North

DO NOT STAY HERE. They talked me into booking while I was standing in the lobby, then demanded a $200 deposit on top of the $100 room charge because I live only 40 miles away. They wouldn’t refund the room and were extremely rude and dishonest. If the hotel is anything like the management and owner, I’m sure it’s nasty and vile. BUYER BEWARE.

The shower soap dispenser in the bathroom was empty, so that was a fun start to the morning. At nearly $200 for one night, this entire stay was unacceptable, and I want a refund. I need a manager or corporate employee to contact me about my stay from November 29th-30th. I emailed the address the front desk gave me but haven’t heard back. I expect a response by tomorrow afternoon. My stay should be refunded, and they should offer a complimentary stay at other hotels. I’m serious, and if nobody contacts me by tomorrow, I’ll post the pictures I emailed here too. Nothing about this hotel was worth almost $200 a night. They could at least have filled the body wash dispenser.

I travel for work and stay in hotels a lot. I communicate, apologize if I’m late, and leave rooms clean and respectful. I’ve never had an experience like this. I’m not posting to attack anyone, but guest safety and basic professionalism matter, and how concerns are handled says everything. I was told to file a police report. I don’t know if I will, since I have other things going on. Beware if you stay at The La Quinta in Powell. Stank energy was heavily present that morning. The night staff were kind, transparent, and seemed genuinely concerned, which I appreciated. But the manager on duty in the morning didn’t want to review the camera footage or meaningfully address the safety concern, despite the night shift saying guest safety would be taken seriously. Instead, explanations were made and it was brushed off. The concern was that an unknown man came to my room door around 6 a.m., knocked, and stood there for several minutes while I didn’t answer. I think I was told he went back and forth to my door randomly and waited, and the cameras would show how many times. The last time, he went back downstairs and remained inside for over an hour and a half, sitting in the lobby and getting breakfast. Staff only questioned him and asked him to leave after that. Before he left, he walked upstairs past my room again, then took the opposite stairwell and disappeared. Checkout turned into a separate problem. I was sick and running behind, so I called the front desk to let them know. A housekeeper knocked and woke me. I apologized and said I’d hurry. She rolled her eyes and left. I called the desk and said I’d be out within 20 minutes. Before that time was up, she came back and pressed me again, then muttered profanity as she walked away. I addressed it, and things escalated. She spoke to me rudely and aggressively, walking toward me and yelling, “LISTEN LADY YOURE LATE!! Did you call the front desk??? YOU’RE LATE!” I told her I had called and she should check with her boss before running her mouth. I won’t lie, I matched the same energy she gave me when she tried to run up on me with that stank attitude. She ran into the elevator, and I have no idea where she went. At the front desk, they excused her behavior by saying she’s paid per room. That might explain frustration, but it doesn’t excuse speaking that way to a paying guest, especially one who’d been overly polite at first. Checkout is at 11 a.m.; I was on the interstate around 11:30 a.m.

This was my worst stay here, and I didn’t finish it. I’d stayed a few times before and booked this room months ahead at an agreed rate, with two beds. We arrived around 7:30 p.m., late because we left after my son got out of school. Steven at the front desk found my reservation and asked about pets and who would be staying. I said no pets, just me, my wife, and our son, who is 12. The paperwork showed almost $100 more than the rate I’d reserved. Steven said it was because there was a third person. I explained again that he was my child and had always stayed with us, and that kids stay free. Steven said that wasn’t their policy and they charged extra for any additional guest. When I asked to speak with a manager, Steven said I was calling him a liar and accusing him of not knowing his job. He said he’d cancel the room and told me to see how lucky I’d be finding a room that late. We were out of town with my wife and son, and he was rude and mean. He said people come in trying to rent one room for five people. I pointed out that he could see it was just my family. I called Wyndham customer service from the lobby, with my family and luggage there. The woman was very nice and didn’t understand why he was charging for a child. She called Steven, who doubled down and said the hotel was privately owned by Jill Patel and that it was her policy to charge for any additional parties in the room. We had a two-bed room that sleeps four, with only three of us. The customer service rep offered to find a nearby hotel because she didn’t understand what was going on here. She also said Steven needed to cancel the booking without a penalty so I wouldn’t have to pay for two hotels. I said he’d already threatened to cancel it, so that shouldn’t be a problem. She asked me to make sure he said it verbally. I put my phone on speaker so she could hear. At first Steven only nodded yes, but when I asked him to say it, he did. That Friday night I called the owner, Jill Patel, to tell her how rude Steven had been to my family. Steven had lied and told her he didn’t know my son was a child. He also acted like he was the best employee, then refunded my money after he caught his mistake. I asked Mrs Patel about her hotel’s policy on children, and she promptly said kids stay free. Steven is probably the worst employee. Because of this experience, I’ll never stay at this hotel again.