Okay, this is a story not about a hotel that I’ve actually stayed at, but a local hotel. I first read about it several years ago, when the city of Norwood, Ohio was attempting to shut down the lovely Quality Hotel and Suites Central, alleging that it is a “haven for criminal activity”
Now, I’ve never stayed at this hotel but I’ve driven by it many times. I have to say it never looked like a super awesome hotel, but at least to me, the fact that it was part of one of the major “chains” made me think that at least there wasn’t rampant drug use and prostitution in it!
From the article – Norwood Police Det. Harry Schlie testified Monday that he sent a confidential informant to the hotel seven times in April to buy heroin. That helped police arrest three people they charged with drug dealing in the hotel stairwells, rooms or parking lot. Others were arrested for prostitution for acts alleged to have occurred in the hotel.
Uhhhh….I’d be less surprised if it was an independent mom-and-pop style hotel – with those I think it’s anything goes (which is one reason why I’m nervous about those places). In fact, according to the news article, earlier in the year, police shut down the independent Drake Motel in a different part of town for similar things. While I can say for myself that although there was not any drug use or prostitution (that I saw), I once stayed in a Motel 6 in Mobile, AL that definitely qualifies as MY worst hotel stay ever. After he told us he had no rooms left (despite our reservation), the man at the front desk told us that he could sell us, and I quote, “a room with something wrong with it” – it turned out to have purple “goo” all over (and I mean ALL over) the tub.
And that doesn’t even count the hotel where the fire alarm went off at 3am and I had to evacuate.
(SEE ALSO: Can you leave kids alone in a hotel room?)
I think the best part of this story when I first published it was going out to TripAdvisor and reading some of the hotel reviews. Tragically the hotel is now closed (though still nearly 10 years later it has not yet been torn down), so there is no longer a TripAdvisor page for it. What surprised me is how this hotel was only ranked #33 out of 49 in Cincinnati – I shudder for the bottom 16 on the list!
Here’s a sampling of reviews
Once we walked into our room, it smelled of urine. The bathroom smelled of urine and there was hair on the floor and on the ceiling. The carpet, curtains and bedspread were nasty.
The hotel itself is falling apart, dirty and marijuana odor.I glad I had clorox wipes to wipes down the entire room. I know its the only time the remote control has ever been cleaned. Thankfully we only stayed one night.That restless night a fight broke out @3:30 am .Yes the
police did arrive promptly,but what fun it was to listen to the drunken residents being cuffed in
the hall
This hotel was seriously the most filthy, dirty places I have ever been. I do not believe it has been cleaned in 10 years. No exaggeration! Chip bags in hall way, maybe new years eve decorations too… dirt upon dirt. Windows were disgusting, cigarette ashes on the bedding and night stand, room smelled like smoke (supposedly a non smoking room), floors def not ever vacuumed, floors have disqusting stains, found stuff all over the floor in room like bobbie pins, trash etc, walls / doors/light switches are stained with filth.
The funny part too is all of the “good” reviews that I have to imagine are some of those “shill” reviews that you hear about on sites like these. I thoroughly enjoyed reading those reviews and definitely recommend it if you want a laugh. Leave a comment with your favorite review
What about you? What’s the worst hotel you’ve ever stayed at? Can you top this one?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
I don’t know these particular hotels, but I stopped staying at a number of well-known chains a long time ago because of quality problems. The thing to keep in mind is that hotels in many lower priced chains are franchised, and so actually can be “mom-and-pop” operations, run by a family trying to squeeze out every dollar they can. They may give housekeepers only a few minutes to “clean” each room, or economize in other ways that affect quality. And chains vary a lot in terms of trying to establish and enforce uniform standards; some don’t seem to care what their franchisees do.
I stayed in a place last summer where there were cops questioning someone in a room across a small parking lot from my room. Made me feel “safe.” There was actually no problem that we saw or experienced there.
Another one we stayed in was like Fort Knox in the reception area. It was like a bank with bullet proof glass and doors that had to be rung open to come or go. Had to put a parking pass in our window or the car would be towed. This was in Madison WI on what I thought was the edge of town.
Once we stayed in Kingman AZ in the summer w/o air conditioning. It was hot and miserable and mgmt couldn’t give us a different room.
I am a cheapskate so have been to a fair amount of Motel 6s. Some are pretty nice but some look like there are folks that are best categorized as potential riff raff sitting outside of their rooms.
Stopped in Mitchell SD at a non chain motel last summer during Sturgis Motorcyle Rally. There were a group of bikers, maybe 10 or so, outside a few rooms talking. I was thinking that I just hope we aren’t near them. Well of course we got the room next to theirs. We talked to them a bit and they were in their 50s and 60s and really nice folks. I would also point out that they were quiet and did not keep us up at all at night. So…some folks aren’t all you expect them to be. Some are much better.
Now, with AI, I just assume every review I read on any site is fake
I stayed at a motel in Florida off I 95. The first room reeked of smoke. It was a non-smoking room. The second was okay. But, there were no towels. We went to the office to request towels for 4 people. They gave us 2 towels and told us to return them once we used them.
I complained to the corporate headquarters and was given points equal to a half nights stay.
It was a Super 8 motel.
Can’t even say the Motel 6 we stopped at on a road trip from NY to PA was bad for single me and my kids. I guess it was good though that it was only one night because the toilet got plugged…Stuff happens
Yeah – I have had some good experiences at Motel 6 as well.
JW Marriott Copacabana. Checked in, musty, old and dusty. Bathroom had hairs on the floor in the corner and a skid mark still remained of poop from the previous guest. Room had a window that looked inside of the hotel lobby courtyard, so no exterior view.
Immediately checked out.
About 25 years ago, I stayed at a chain hotel in Allentown, Pennsylvania. I do not remember which one. The room reeked of smoke. There were no windows. The hotel was full but they said they had one room that they usually don’t use and this was it.
Budget hotel chain in Washington DC. Front desk clerk protected behind bullet proof glass. Room facing parking lot adjacent to industrial dumpster. Cockroaches crawling across floor.
What’s the name of the hotel
holiday Inn express columbus TX Smelled so bad!
Oof, luckily I haven’t stayed in any hotels myself—but I’ve read enough horror stories to know what to avoid! Think: stained sheets, moldy bathrooms, flickering lights, and a mysterious smell that no one can quite place. One person even said their “non-smoking” room came with a complimentary ashtray… and cigarette burns on the comforter. Yikes.
https://pulsaratravel.com/
A good number of years ago on a fly / drive biz trip to Charlotte and southeast NC. I had a rental car. Stayed at a Holiday Inn in the area. The hotel and room themselves were fine. But about 2 AM, I’m awakened by noise in the parking lot. Car engine revving, then “crunch,” repeating over and over again, with a woman yelling. My rental was parked nearby, so I’m worried this lady could damage my rental, leaving me on the hook. Called the front desk, police arrived. My theory— some sort of domestic dispute.
In 2008 or so, biz conference in Torrey Pines, CA, very posh La Jolla area. 4-5 star hotel. I’ll omit the name — it was also prepping for the U.S. Open golf tournament the next week, right next to the hotel. (do a map search you’ll see the name.) Entered room, greeted with an overwhelming odor of ammonia. They apologized profusely, gave me an upgraded room at no add’l $. After dinner, I found a very expensive charcuterie tray including a split of red wine. If problems occur, it’s good that local staff are empowered to “fix” them.