Sandman Inn Blue River

The first room we were given reeked of smoke, even though this was supposed to be a non-smoking property. The smoking area and ashtray were only three feet from the door. Our second room was absolutely filthy, disgustingly so. We reported it at the front desk and left to find somewhere else to stay. Neither room remotely matched the pictures. Shameful for the Sandman brand.

The front desk staff member was polite and apologetic when I showed a video proving the bathtub ring was dirt, not a stain. I was in a basic, reasonably priced, dog-friendly ground floor room, so I wasn't expecting extras. But I had to scrub the tub myself with a solution I'd packed. The hotel was fully booked, so changing rooms would've taken time, and I was told the biggest discount they could offer was 15%. I accepted that. I also pointed out debris around the beds; the staff said they'd leave a note for housekeeping, which I appreciated. Later I noticed more: dust throughout, dead flies on the windowsill, dirty baseboards, and the mini fridge door left open. Staff did what they could, but the cleaning needs improvement. I hope they take the feedback seriously.

The only thing that bothered me was the A/C, which was a little loud. From the road the hotel looks old, and my wife and I were wary after seeing so many negative Google reviews, but our room was clean and newly renovated, with very comfortable beds. The staff were really friendly, and the restaurant surprised us in a good way: tasty food, good choices, and great value. I expected much higher prices in the middle of nowhere. There are also picnic tables and a BBQ outside for guests. To me, it's a hidden gem at a very good price.

I was put in a room with a door that opened straight outdoors and had no working lock. The room hadn't been cleaned properly either, and there was still a used coffee filter in the pot from the previous guests. I was charged $200 for this dirty, unsecured room. Putting a young woman travelling alone somewhere so unsafe and reckless is completely unacceptable. I'll never stay here again, and I strongly suggest others avoid it too. Pathetic.