Holiday Inn Express Athens

Title: A Warm Welcome and Immaculate Stay at Holiday Inn Express Athens, TN — Thanks to Leeann, and there staff! Review: During our travels a few days before Christmas, our family needed a clean, welcoming room and friendly faces. We were traveling on 12/22/2025 to Michigan to visit our grandchildren, and a prior stay at the Sweet Water Holiday Inn Express had us worried about mold that put my family in danger back in October 2025 they also put the safety of our 15-month-old grandchild in danger of live mold spours. To complicate matters, Expedia changed our dates and had us booked for 01/05/2026—far from our travel plan. From the moment we arrived in Athens, TN, Leeann at the front desk made all the difference. She greeted us with genuine warmth, listened to our concerns, and calmly guided us through the booking mix‑up. She explained that the Sweet Water location was closing and walked us through a quick cancellation process, helping us avoid a hefty fee that was being charged for a problem that wasn’t ours. Leeann also ensured her manager was aware of the issue with Expedia and the potential refund, making us feel supported rather than overwhelmed. The room itself was immaculate and quiet—exactly what we needed after a tense day of travel. Check-out the next morning was smooth, and the manager followed through on addressing the Expedia charge and the refund discussion. It was such a relief to see a team member truly advocate for guests and take care of the details. On our way back, my wife and son suggested we stay again at the Athens location, and Leeann was there with the same welcoming spirit, eager to hear about our Michigan trip and our grandkids. Her kindness and professionalism are a standout example of the kind of hospitality Holiday Inn Express should be proud to have. If you’re in East Tennessee and value a dependable, comfortable stay with people who genuinely care, book the Athens Holiday Inn Express—and definitely ask for Leeann. Five stars for the experience she helped create.

Great for a pit-stop. Clean rooms, clean hotel overall. The breakfast is awesome.

Booked a room here for work. Didn’t care what type, ended up with a double queen. Room was as-pictured; basic but modern and nice. Floor and surfaces seemed clean enough; I always bring Clorox wipes with me. Love the places to put luggage and belongings. Parking wasn’t great but breakfast was good. Only complaint I really had was the hair. I’ve grown to expect some like in the shower or something but quite a bit was present in both beds and oddly there was a pillow askew. Would stay again, just hopefully linens are kept a little better.

We had a great stay here. The beds were very comfortable with very soft sheets. Everything seemed clean. Breakfast had a good variety of hot and cold options. All employees that we encountered were friendly and helpful.

Sabrina was very friendly and helpful! There was a gentleman also maybe maintenance who was very kinda as well. Room was nice and clean, and breakfast was good. Pool was a lot of fun! Definitely recommend.

I booked a Queen Suite for myself and 4 kids for a "staycation". Mavie was super welcoming and made check-in effortless. The hotel was quiet, yet kid-friendly. ●ROOM #1: Nice clean room, however, we had a problem with our tv not working so I called the front desk. Mavie (front desk on second shift) came up and tried to fix it - she tried everything she could for nearly 20 minutes - but it wouldn't fix. Mavie went above and beyond and had us moved into a different Queen Suite in minutes! I'm so thankful that she put in the extra effort of trying to fix it herself and then moving us, to avoid any real inconvenience. MAVIE WAS PHENOMENAL! ●ROOM #2: Wonderful. Everything was clean and freshly kept up on. Comfortable beds, no issues with air conditioner. ●POOL: We spent most of our 3 days/2 nights at the indoor pool, which was wonderful. Very clean, warm water - it was so relaxing to me and enjoyable for the kids! ●BREAKFAST: The kitchen area was continuously wiped down and restocked by Ursula. She was very friendly and efficient at her job! The breakfast was fantastic! Between the five of us, we ate our fair share of pancakes, biscuits & gravy, omelets, bacon, sausage, and other delicious items. This was a very pleasant experience and we thoroughly look forward to returning here again!

The staff here were amazing from the lady that checked me in to Renee, who found my earbuds from the housekeeper, left my Apple earbuds at the property and a housekeeper found and Renée let me know I turned back around and got them. That is very appreciated because those things usually disappear Hotel was very nice and clean. Nice property.

This was a fabulous hotel. The staff was the friendliest I've ever seen at a hotel. Everyone we saw greeted us. The free breakfast was good for a hotel breakfast. There would be some type of eggs, either bacon or sausage, biscuits and gravy, and amazing cinnamon rolls. Plus, the normal cereal, breads, pancake maker. The pool was very clean and usually not busy. The only real gripe I have is that the tub was an odd shape and didn't drain well. But, overall, it's a great hotel with friendly staff. Very quiet.