Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Tullahoma by IHG

We asked for two rooms next to each other when booking and were told that would be arranged, but the second room ended up an entire floor above the first. The pool was the main reason we booked for graduation weekend. After check-in, we were told it was closed for maintenance until the following day. Looking inside, it seemed to have been out of service for a while, and I couldn’t see it reopening soon. I wish they’d posted or told us about the pool before we arrived.

The breakfast attendant was so kind and kept everything clean and stocked. The woman at the desk was also lovely to talk to and answered all my questions. I haven’t been this impressed by a hotel in a while. They serve thick-cut, real bacon too. Best hotel bacon I’ve ever had.

The staff were friendly and professional, and the hotel itself was clean and nice. We stayed for 3 nights without any complaints about the property. Breakfast, though, was terrible compared with similar hotels elsewhere. There was no yogurt, cream, or waffles, and the refrigerator was empty, among other things. At 5:45 on Sunday morning, somebody started watching TV loudly and slamming doors, so you can guess how happy we were. The bathroom toilet seemed kid-sized, like they’d chosen the cheapest and smallest option to save money. The shower head was so high my wife, at 5'6", couldn’t reach it. She had to climb on the side of the tub to adjust it the way she wanted.

For a budget hotel, this was a great value. I keep finding that less expensive places give better service than pricier ones. Maybe it’s because the rooms are more consistent, or expectations are managed better, or something else, but the stay is usually better.