Dan, it's been a couple of years since I was out there. But what I remember, I think there are two motels in Gilmer, and both are owned by the same people. So not a lot of reason to pick one over the other. The one I stayed in was okay, they had some glitches in the check-in as I recall, but the room itself was fine.
And a heads-up, it's hilly from Gilmer to Jefferson, flatter thereafter.