Teton Valley Motel

We paid a reasonable rate, the sheets were clean, and the basic amenities worked, so you get what you pay for. The bathroom trim was rotted, dead flies on the floor suggested the room had sat unused for a while, and the floors were generally a bit dirty. We never saw any staff on site, though that doesn’t mean they weren’t around. Is it safe? Yes. Could they improve things with a little effort? For sure. Would I stay again? Probably, because the price is good.

If keeping costs down is your main concern, it’s livable, and I’m glad we only booked one night. The on-call staff were willing to switch rooms, which earned an extra star, but the place looked so rough I figured moving our stuff and packing again wouldn’t help much. There was debris on the floor like nobody had swept. Some lamp parts were missing, and a shade was barely attached. The AC sounded like an incoming 747 and didn’t cool well. The whole place had hard, cold tile and no carpet. The freezer had an ice maker but no tray, and there was no shared ice machine outside. Towels were dingy, and some had holes. It was just shabby in general. From one hospitality real estate investor to another, do better. It doesn’t need to be the Taj Mahal, but the basics and little things matter.

After we got the first room, number 5, one bed seemed fine but the other was worn out, sagged, and had no support. The window faced a full dumpster. We texted and got a quick response, then checked room 8 and chose it because its beds were good and it didn’t look onto the dumpster. The bathroom in room 8 wasn’t clean, with dark strands of hair all over the floor and bathroom, even though neither of us has dark hair. It was quiet, except for the usual sound of someone coming in and shutting a door. Some text replies seemed AI-generated and weren’t useful. When we had no internet in the morning, the same password kept being sent and didn’t work, so I’m not sure whether access is limited. Depending on your standards for cleanliness and comfort, this may or may not suit you. It wasn’t for me.

The owner was fantastic to coordinate with, and arranging the stay was easy. For about a third of the price of Jackson AirBNBs that can run $1,000 a night, this motel is a solid alternative with only a short drive into town. It’s not luxurious, but the savings make it worthwhile. Bring your own pillows, since the ones there are flat and stiff.