Joplin Inn

The room was nice for the price, but a loud neighbor woke me at 2:30 a.m. There was nobody on site to help, so I wouldn't stay here again.

I needed a place to spend the night before an early appointment in Hot Springs, after passing by here many times. The room was clean and cozy, and the coffee, fridge, and microwave were all good.

You have to call to reserve, then someone brings a key down, since no one from the motel is on site. They also won't let you see a room before paying. My wife is very sensitive to smoke, and we've been able to switch rooms before when the first one smelled recently smoked in. I explained this to the reservation clerk and asked if the person bringing the keys could bring two, so we could use the second if the first room had been smoked in. She refused, saying guests aren't supposed to smoke in the rooms and that they couldn't help it if someone did. I understood that, and was only asking for two different room keys. She still insisted it wasn't possible and said she didn't know how to satisfy me. This was quite possibly the rudest reservation clerk I've dealt with, and I travel a lot. Is bringing down two keys really such a big ask? I can only imagine how they'd handle an actual problem.

The rooms were spacious and clean, and you get full use of Mountain Harbor amenities, including the pool, tennis courts, volleyball, spa, and marina. The restaurant there was really good too. There's some road noise, though it didn't bother us. I like the old-time charm, even after the remodeling, especially details like the vanity cabinet built into the wall with a razor slot at the back. We'll stay again on our next crystal-digging trip and recommend it to friends.