Americas Best Value Inn & Suites Maryville

The room was cramped in nearly every way. We’ve been traveling together for over 55 years, and haven’t had a smaller room or a smaller so-called queen bed. The closet was mostly occupied by the fridge, microwave, ironing board and iron, leaving just two tiny drawers for clothes. There was very little water pressure in the shower, the toilet lid wouldn’t stay up, and the bath towels were small and scarce. The outlets were old and loose, so charger plugs wouldn’t stay in. The TV remote only worked when aimed at a particular corner light, and the volume failed on some channels. The room also felt badly maintained. The carpet was filthy, as if it hadn’t been shampooed in years, and the bathroom wallpaper was peeling. Cracks in the walls looked like a toddler had filled them. A plastic fork was melted over the bed light, and the ceiling smoke detector flashed green right in our eyes all night. The overhead lights by the window and desk were burned out. There were no lamps, just an intensely bright light over the mirrored headboard or the hall and bathroom lights. The fridge was on its coldest setting and still barely chilled anything. Housekeeping was loud outside the rooms, talking, shouting and banging carts around. People playing cards in the breakfast area in the evening were noisy too, so it wasn’t peaceful. The vending machine had a limited assortment of drinks, and its own sign said several wouldn’t bend. Toiletries for two were inadequate: one tiny Ritz-cracker-sized soap each, enough to wash one foot, and one quarter-ounce bottle each of lotion, shampoo and rinse. The desk clerk was so slow that molasses and a sloth could give lessons, and seemed not to want to be there. That attitude came through in every comment. Breakfast had a waffle iron, bland biscuits and gravy, overcooked scrambled eggs and the usual packaged items. The regular and decaf coffee were hot and excellent, the one redeeming part. The curtain blocked vehicle lights very well on the first floor, and the tap-and-go door lock worked every time.