Econo Lodge Knoxville North

I wanted my husband to tell them at check-in that we were leaving, but he didn’t. The room was so disgusting. It smelled like a moldy grandma’s house, and it looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned in months. There was no toilet paper until I asked for a roll. The remote had no cover, and the sheets and bedspread had burn holes. We slept and planned to get out as soon as possible. Outside, I saw what looked like drug deals going on at all hours around the south side of the building. There was also a mattress propped against the southwest side. I have pictures if anyone wants them. I’d never recommend this place to anyone.

The outdoor area was just as troubling as the room. A nearby field was covered in garbage, needles, and other trash dumped by homeless people and drug addicts. Rats the size of small dogs roamed the parking lot, stairs, and areas under cars all night, going into bushes and rummaging through garbage. The property felt unsafe and clearly neglected. They also raise room prices during SEC football weekends, which is outrageous given the conditions. Inside, there was filth everywhere, and I saw bedbugs and roaches. The mattress was worn out, with two deep dips and worn springs, and there were huge urine stains on it, the sheets, and the bed skirt. I pulled the mattress out and found the bed skirt filthy. Food crumbs, hair, dirt, and dried food on the wall under the headboard were all over the room. The tub and shower curtain were moldy and stained. The carpet was so dirty my bare feet turned black, as if it hadn’t been shampooed in years. The furniture was dusty and grimy. Housekeeping looked completely unprofessional: I’d walked past rooms during the day and seen a maid sitting in a chair or lying across the bed on her phone instead of cleaning. If you have allergies, you can’t breathe with all the dust left behind. Even without allergies, the bedbugs, roaches, rats, and general filth make this motel unlivable. Management doesn’t seem to care about hygiene, safety, or guests. I have pictures of the bedbugs and bites all over my body, and the number of bites would shock you. I’d give this motel zero, maybe even negative five stars. I can’t recommend it under any circumstances.

The beds were infested with bedbugs, though I didn’t really have trouble with roaches. Rats as big as small dogs roamed the parking lot at night, and people knocked on our door at all hours. I also saw two homeless people behind the store next door putting needles in their arms. The rooms were dirty, and I’m never staying there again. They say they offer breakfast, but they don’t. They also raise rates on Fridays and Saturdays when there’s an SEC football game, without posting or telling you about it.

The Wi-Fi actually works here, and it’s quiet. Compared with the Lovell Road location, this place is cleaner, cheaper, has bigger beds, and no roaches. But the air conditioner in our room hasn’t been fixed in the seven months I’ve been here. Even on the coldest setting, the room was warmer than outside. Now the sink’s hot water runs constantly too.