The Mountaineer Inn, Asheville

I recently stayed at the Mountaineer Inn for a single night during a weekend trip to Asheville. The Inn is located on Tunnel Road and has easy access to I-240. Being on Tunnel Road, there's plenty of restaurants within walking distance and you're a short drive from downtown Asheville, Biltmore Estate, and the Asheville Mall. The Mountaineer Inn also excels in service. The check-in staff is friendly, there's always a bite to eat in the lobby for the guests, and they're quick to answer customer concerns. The only potential problem in this area is that the owner is Greek and has an accent that may be hard for some to understand. The downside to the Inn are their amenities. The rooms themselves are fine - a comfortable bed, a (1980s era) TV, a coffee-maker, and a bathroom. However, there are certain little amenities that I soon began to miss - a thermostat, an alarm clock, shampoo, or a shower bigger than a phone booth come to mind. In other areas, cleanliness was lacking, for instance the stains on the wall in our room, or peeling wall-paper near the shower. Decor is also an issue, as it seems like a decorator last visited the Mountaineer in the '70s. Wood paneling, a "homey" cartoon portrait of a mountainman, rather uncomfortable naugahyde chairs. Also, as the hotel has no interior corridors, if you're close to the lobby, expect noise, both from passing guests and from Tunnel Rd. below. Also, our room had a minor pest problem (minor being a waterbug and an ant), so for some people this may not be the most ideal conditions. Would I stay here again? Only if I couldn't get a better price at a competing chain (Red Roof, for instance). The Mountaineer Inn is a good value and a good look at what America's hotels were like prior to the emergence of chain hotels, but there's something to be said for providing amenities which have become standard to guests. For someone on business, I'd recommend it only if your expense account is severely limited. For students used to dorm life, it's about even. For families watching their travel budget, I can see nothing horribly wrong with the Mountaineer.