I had an awful experience at the Travelodge Americana Inn in Pigeon Forge. We arrived around 11 PM, only to find a line of people waiting at the front desk. The clerk appeared to be under the influence of some substance, and the hallway smelled so bad it was almost unbearable.
When it was our turn, the clerk didn’t even greet us and immediately demanded our ID and credit card. During the time we were there, other guests were coming to the desk asking for clean towels and double-checking them before taking them back. That says a lot about how unsanitary this place is!
When we opened the door to our room, we were horrified to see cockroaches fleeing from the doorstep. The floor was sticky, the odor was unbearable, and the beds were not made: it was as if they hadn't even bothered to clean up after the previous guests! We didn’t even dare to touch anything inside and went back to the front desk. When we reported the issue, the clerk, he couldn't care less and showed no concern, leaving us with no choice but to find another hotel at almost midnight!
To make matters worse, when I asked to cancel and get a refund, he told me to “check with Expedia” (hotels.com) instead of handling it himself. When I shared my experience with the receptionist at the hotel we booked as a backup, he actually laughed and hinted that it's a well-known fact that this place is a dump.
Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere else!