Element by Marriott Knoxville West

The room was reasonably comfortable, but the highway noise was unbearable. During my four-day stay I had to make the bed, reuse the same towels, and go without cheap coffee each day because nothing was refreshed. I thought COVID had ended four years ago. Apparently I had to request room service, which I don’t understand. The service felt robotic, and breakfast was just scrambled egg whites and bread, which I didn’t like. I went to Whataburger instead, which was amazing. There are plenty of hotels around, so avoid this one.

There are lots of restaurants within walking distance, and breakfast was fresh with a great range of options. Our room was clean and had everything we needed. The staff were welcoming and accommodating. I’d absolutely stay here again.

This was my second stay, and this time housekeeping was very poor. In the first room, one bed looked made, but the previous guest’s sheets were still on it. There was hair and dirt under the blanket. They moved us, but both beds in the next room were in the same condition, with dozens of hairs and dirt around the foot of each bed. There was lots of hair on the bathroom floor, shower walls, and in every corner. We changed the bed linens ourselves, then the front desk manager came up to sweep and remove the hair.

I stayed at the Element Hotel from February 2025 to May 2025. The first few weeks went well, but problems with housekeeping and management made the rest of the stay unsatisfactory. I put a camera in my private room to protect my belongings during housekeeping visits. It’s surprising, and sometimes concerning, what people may do when they think they aren’t being watched. Some may even behave improperly despite knowing there’s surveillance. A maintenance worker once came into my room without knocking while I was undressed, despite the “DO NOT DISTURB” sign on the door. I reported it, and the hotel handled the issue appropriately and compensated me with points. I still think guests should use the door stopper and deadbolt for extra security. Housekeeping only partly cleaned my room on many occasions. I believe staff were uncomfortable with my camera. If people are doing their jobs properly, I don’t see why a camera in a guest’s private room should make them uneasy. Two housekeepers consistently did an excellent job, and one agreed with my reason for having the camera. When I brought up the poor cleaning with the head of housekeeping, David, he responded passive aggressively and suggested the housekeepers’ discomfort with the camera was why they did a substandard job. The last incident that made me leave was a housekeeper vaping in several parts of my room. I recorded it and reported it to the Manager, Barbara. Soon after, General Manager Stuart Cann emailed me with an ultimatum: remove the camera or be present during housekeeping visits. I thought that was unreasonable. It would have been much more uncomfortable for both sides if I had to sit in the room and watch them clean. I hope this review gives the hotel useful feedback and warns future guests.