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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

A Really Bad Motel Experience


RoadDog
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As folks out there traveling on the roads, it is sometimes necessary to stay in a motel. Most of my experiences have been good ones, but there have been a few not-so-nice.

 

This account has to take the cake. Kathy Weiser, owner and editor of Legends of America stopped in Lebanon, Missouri had had an unbelievable experience. Read about it at her blog spot:

 

http://legendsofamerica.blogspot.com

 

Yeah, she SHOULD have stayed at the M-M. I bet she wishes she did now.

 

Watch Where You Stay on the Road. --RoadDog

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I have discovered, over the years, that about 98% of motels are decent, clean and have a friendly and helpful staff. I can really think of only two that I wasn't all that happy about, both Days Inn's and both on the same trip.

I will admit the Days Inn in Nashville, where we had our 1999 Hudson car club National meet had an excuse, however feeble. They were not to far from tearing the place down for airport expansion, so with a room rate of $48 (convention rate), one can excuse, more or less, the fact that half the AC's didn't work (in temps of 110 - at 9 at night), most of the ice machines didn't work and the ones that did couldn't keep up with demand.

One rule of thumb - if the roaches are checking out as you're checking in, it might not be a very good place to stay.

The other problem Days Inn on that trip was in Somerset, PA, on my way back to Maine. I should have suspected something when the clerk had trouble figuring out what room to put me in. Finally got a room key, went to my room, and found a smoking room (I'd asked for no smoking) that reeked like the back room of a political convention - and WASN"T EVEN MADE UP!!!!!! Did get another one without to much trouble so this really couldn't be considered a "bad" motel.

I've had a couple strange motels; one in Bristol, TN, and one, on the same trip, outside Stroudsburg, PA. I usually check in early, around 5 or 5:30. When I get up around 6 in the morning to continue my journey the parking lot(s) are full. In both these motels the lot was empty when I checked in - and empty when I left. In Stroudsburg, at 6:15am, there wasn't even a clerk in the office - couldn't get into the office anyway, there was a window outside. And I sure ain't gonna stand around outside looking for a clerk at the end of January in eastern PA - or anywhere else it's 30 or lower outside!!!!!!!!

But I've never stayed in a motel where the parking lot was empty when I left in the morning.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

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Worst hotel stay in my life was outside Memphis in 1987. It doesn't live up to the story in the link, but it's the best one I have.

 

My buddy, his girlfriend, and I had driven in to broadcast a football game -- I forget the name of the school there now. The Baptists had descended upon the town for a convention. Not knowing about the Baptists, we hadn't made reservations anywhere. We drove from motel to motel, farther and farther away from town. We ended up staying 20 miles north of town in some old motel. The room was dark, dirty, and smelly. The room sort of "moved" when we turned on the one dim bulb. The lock on the room's door seemed mighty flimsy and the proprietor seemed mighty creepy. We didn't shower, and we slept with one eye open in our clothes on top of the beds. Even though the game ended in late afternoon, we drove back to Indiana that night rather than face another room like that!

 

jim

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I am staying this evening (and last) at the Town House Motel in Winnemucca, Nevada. This is a gem of a place. So clean it squeeks, and the room is big enough to play football in. This is a Mom and Pop place, and it puts the chains to shame. Quiet and well furnished, with wifi, frige, and microwave. And guess what....the manager leaves a room between guests so I don’t have to listen to the guy next door snoore (updated 9:05PM). And the bathroom is heated...gees I hate to shiver through the morning routeen. 3 stars in AAA. Coffee in the room, nice management, and all for $25 less than anything close in a national chain.

 

So it can be good...

 

Keep the Show on the Road

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