Rodeway Inn Knoxville North

It was my first time at a Rodeway Inn. We're elderly and were assigned a second-floor room, with no elevator or help carrying our luggage. There was no breakfast, no table lamps, and no clock. The ceiling floodlights over the bed were harsh. The bottom sheet had holes, and one pillow was six inches longer than its case.

The young man at the front desk was polite, which was the only good part. The place strongly smelled of weed, while the room and hallways were dirty and stained, with peeling paint. Our supposedly non-smoking room smelled of cigarettes even though we'd signed that we wouldn't smoke, and the toilet was dirty. I booked somewhere else right away and returned the keys. I explained the problems and left my contact details for the manager to call about a refund, but he never did. I booked through Travelocity, and they couldn't get a refund from him either.

My fiancée and I were in Knoxville for a wedding and birthday party and had booked through Travelocity. While stuck in traffic, we called to say we'd be late for check-in. They said it was fine, but the way it was said felt unwelcoming. Outside, there were shoeboxes and other trash scattered in the grass as we looked for parking. A dense weed smell hit us near the side entrance. Upstairs, that faded and was replaced by cigarette smoke throughout the hallway. We'd requested a non-smoking room because neither of us smokes, but the room smelled of cigarettes too. The headboard finish was chipping, and everything, including the supposedly fresh sheets, felt coated in a film. We lasted about 10 minutes, mostly searching Travelocity for another place, then returned the key and left. The person at the desk didn't seem concerned and said, “I've never seen the rooms.” Since then, we've been trying to get Travelocity to refund us, but the hotel owners are refusing. I strongly suggest reconsidering a room here. Sleeping in a dumpster would have seemed more reasonable, at least you'd know what to expect.

Really affordable, with clean rooms, a hot shower, comfy bed, extra pillows, friendly staff, and a nice free breakfast. We brought our small dog too. They charge a small pet fee, I think it was $15-$20, and there are places to eat nearby. The area was quiet and felt safe enough that we left our bicycles on the back of our car. Don't let the other reviews put you off, it was great for the price.