Holiday Inn Express to be housing option for University of Tennessee students

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - This fall, University of Tennessee students will have the option of staying at the Holiday Inn Express at 6324 Papermill Drive, according to the housing website.

The hotel will function as an off-campus apartment placement and will be an “affordable housing option for transfer students in a high-demand housing market,” the website stated.

The university will run the entire hotel, so only UT students will reside in the building. The main entrance will be locked, and UT employees will operate the front desk.

Like any other residence hall, the Holiday Inn Express will have an on-site hall director and resident assistants to provide social and educational events.

Residents will be able to use the laundry at the hotel for free. Each room will have a minifridge, a bed, desk, closet, trash can and a flat-screen TV. Housekeeping will also clean the bathrooms every other week, but UT officials said the residents are responsible for cleaning their rooms.

For transportation, UT will provide shuttles to campus Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. However, UT officials said that the schedule might change throughout the academic year. Students staying at the Holiday Inn Express will also have the option to buy a discounted commuter parking pass for the upcoming year.

Executive Director for University Housing, Anthony White, said as of now, 130 transfer students will be staying in the hotel. The maximum capacity is 234 students, with 34 single rooms with king-sized beds and 100 double rooms with two queen-sized beds.

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