Review of the Jordan Motel in Jamestown, TN

This summer I thought hard about where I wanted to go on my first vacation since 1979 that didn't involve visiting a relative. I invited my mother and we decided that we needed to stay within a couple of hours of our home and we both wanted to be in the mountains. It couldn't be the Smoky Mountains, because a whole bunch of our relatives live in the area and I in particular wanted to stay out of living rooms and cemeteries for this vacation.

Together we choose the Cumberland Mountains and I arranged to take time off in the middle of October thinking that we would be there just as the leaves started turning and it would be a beautiful time to visit. If I miscalculated and got there before the leaves changed that would be okay too, because the mountains are beautiful at any time of year.

Examining our map of Tennessee we decided on Jamestown; then I contacted the Chamber of Commerce and asked for brochures. Why Jamestown? We picked it because it was centrally located to several places we wanted to visit: historic Rugby, a restored Victorian village; Big South Fork Scenic Railway; Big South Fork National River & Recreational Area; Standing Stone State Park; and Pickett State Park.

I had planned it all out; we would get a two bedroom cabin with a kitchen and stay for three nights and four days. We needed separate rooms because my mother needs the room to be warm to stay healthy and I need the room to be a little cool so I can breathe easier. We needed a kitchen so I could cook my own meals, due to several health issues I am unable to eat out like normal folks without getting ill.

I got online and checked out the local places to stay and found the Jordan Motel. Their website advertised two bedroom suites with a kitchen, living room and balcony. The photographs showed a neat and clean place. It seemed perfect, but to make sure I looked for online reviews and found nothing but good reviews.

On July 31st I called and made my reservations and requested a non-smoking two bedroom suite; was quoted a price so low that I asked again "For two bedrooms?" She confirmed that $59.99 was what it cost to stay one night at the Jordan Motel for two bedrooms. My mother and I spent the next few months talking about our vacation and we both were looking forward to being in the mountains.

Jordan Motel is located about three miles outside of Jamestown in a very nicely wooded area; the place looked wonderful. It was neat, clean and well taken care of. We arrived at the office at 11:30 Saturday morning and were warmly greeted. Checked in and got our key; I was so excited to be there until we got within a couple of feet of our door.

There was a strong odor of cigarette smoke, I gave them the benefit of the doubt thinking perhaps someone had been just standing there smoking. When I opened the door the strong stench of cigarette smoke greeted me; then I noticed the small room had two beds and an ashtray on a table. I was so dumbfounded that I couldn't comprehend for a moment or two what I was seeing; not two bedrooms, but two beds in a very small room and no kitchen area.

I walked back to the office to get this straighten out. The woman in the office couldn't understand why I had a problem with the room; it was clean wasn't it? She admitted that when I called several months ago she was out of non-smoking rooms so she just put us in a smoking room. I asked her why she didn't tell me that then; I would have made arrangements somewhere else. No answer.

She started searching through her paperwork to find a non-smoking room for us, that's when I repeated that I made reservations for nonsmoking two bedroom suite. It took four tries before she heard the difference between two beds and two bedrooms. That's when she said the apartments were booked for the next seven days and had no more to say.

Since the website listed these two bedroom apartments as suites, I didn't know to say the word "apartment" so the woman taking the reservation could understand what I meant, but you would think using the words "two bedrooms" versus "two beds" would have been enough of a clue. I did get a refund; after asking twice.

We were not able to stay in Jamestown because the type of accommodations we needed were already booked for the weekend at all the places we called. Oh, I forgot to mention that she offered no help on her own in finding another place for us; after I asked if she knew of any place we could find what we needed the woman in the Jordan Motel office gave me a booklet opened to a page that had accommodations listed.

She never once apologized for her colossal mistake and did not offer to call around to find us another place to stay. She acted as though I was being overly picky for wanting what I asked for in July. We ended up driving 40 more miles to Crossville to find a motel that had a microwave and refrigerator in a large room with two beds. My mother got sick because the room was too cold and I got sick because the room was too hot. Since the both of us were unwell, we decided to return home the next day.

I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed we are that our vacation plans all fell through. Since we both were feeling so bad, we didn't get to visit any of the places we wanted to see. We didn't even feel like driving back to Jamestown to look at it.

I don't know if woman who runs Jordan Motel is incompetent or just plain doesn't care; either way our vacation was ruined. Bottom line: If you are looking for a beautiful place to vacation, Jamestown, TN is a wonderful place to visit; but I would advise you stay away from the Jordan Motel.

The Jordan Motel
2904 S. York Hwy
Jamestown, TN 38556