Best Western Cades Cove Inn

My daughter and I wanted to visit a quiet side of the Smokies, so we stayed here in Townsend for three days the week of June 22nd. Loved the room, it was clean with plenty of room to move around and the beds were great. With Covid going on, there is no morning breakfast nor are you able to use the pool, but you've got a nice swimming hole just a few minutes away at Townsend Rye, or there's a few different tubing places in town as well. Hotel staff will not enter your room during your stay to be prepared to put your trash out, linens, and just let the front desk know. Or Garfield, who is one of the hosts/guest services- if you happen to see him cleaning an empty room. All you have to do is ask, and they WILL take great care of you. Loved our stay here. less

The location of the hotel was excellent and the hotel itself was exceptionally clean and well kept, particularly for a hotel that is pet friendly. The hotel manager and his staff were also very nice and accommodating. We were a bit disappointed in the room rates during this time of Covid 19 at $89.10; $98.10 and $170.10, respectively for Wed, Th, and Friday nights because there were no amenities other than hot coffee. There was no housekeeping service, no pool, no work out room and no hot breakfast. And, although we understand why we think it should also have reflected in the nightly prices for the rooms. Would stay here again. less

Great firm beds with nice new bedspread but old crummy blanket underneath. Overwhelming fake clean scent greats you as you open the door. No exhaust fan in the bathroom. New furnishings. A/C worked great. Terrific relaxing view from our 2nd story rm 228 which is the last one in the back, on the left side as you look at the hotel from the road. A pair of rocking chairs for each room line the corridor. In June 2020 there was no room service, breakfast bar or pool due to COVID-19. The roughest towels ever, but plenty of them. Extra large mini refrigerator froze our ice packs overnight in that tiny freezer portion (yeah!). Sticky room chair arms, and hair in the bathtub were cleanliness hickups I found a little unnerving. The Timbers steak house is right across the street and had a 2-hour wait at 5:00 pm EDT on a Saturday night. We ate at Riverfront Restaurant twice: it has terrific waitresses and service but barely acceptable food quality (everything fried or out of a can except the green salad; they do serve frog legs though). New restaurant called the Pancake something had delicious pancakes that hit the spot; don't expect much more. And lastly, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was restorative, lush upon lush, and not a piece of trash or downed tree limb in sight. Impeccable landscaping everywhere. Cades Cove was a traffic nightmare on a Saturday afternoon; Roaring Fork was too. By the way, there is all new pavement throughout the Park (as of June 2020). A real luxury to drive. Go in peace. less

Room was clean enough but the floors were really dirty. You couldn’t see it because of the type floor, but if you walked bare foot you’ll see it. Nothing some swifter attention couldn’t cure. Nice because it accepts pets. They do need to make the doors a bit more secure IMO. Exterior of building and grounds are well kept. less

This was our first trip since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and we came because we planned to hike in the Smokies during the day. The Best Western website brags about "Our Commitment To Keeping You Safe And Healthy With Industry-Leading Cleaning Standards." They promise "new protocols minimize guest contact...streamlined check-in..." and "Enhanced sanitation procedures..." and "Sanitizing stations or wipes will be available throughout hotels" (they say that twice, repeating"Hand sanitizer or wipes will be provided for guests and employees in all public areas" and, instead of breakfast, "Enhanced ‘Grab & Go’ offerings will be implemented in most hotels providing guests with pre-packaged food and beverage options." None of those promises were kept in this hotel. The only difference in the lobby was a plexiglass barrier between the clerk's face and mine, but with plenty of room above and below for infectious aerosols to circulate. The clerk did not wear a mask. The only hand sanitizer in evidence was a bottle I saw behind the front desk, not for public use, and I did not see sanitizer or wipes for the public in any public spaces. Yes, the breakfast room was closed, and no, there was no "grab & go" offering instead, or anything else. The room was what you'd expect for a $75 a night hotel, including ceiling paint peeling from an upstairs leak. Glad we paid only $95 plus tax per night for Thursday and Friday. On Saturday the rate would have gone up to $195 per night, which would have been robbery for this room in this hotel. To be fair, the room was clean, the sheets and towels did not look worn out, the few furnishings were not chipped, and the floor was not carpeted (carpeted floors are almost always filthy in cheaper hotels). Did they clean the room according to the new housekeeping standards? Maybe, maybe not -- we had no way to tell. There was no signage to indicate any changes. Thankfully we brought our own gloves and spray disinfectant, so we thoroughly cleaned all touch points before moving in. In case anybody cares, the pool is closed and still has its winter canvas cover. Summary: not recommended if there are other options. Especially not recommended during the pandemic. less