Super 8 Chatham Ontario

We left in the middle of the night and drove four hours home because another night here felt worse than the drive. We camp often and aren't fussy, but this was the worst hotel we've ever stayed in. The room was freezing, with no comforter or extra blankets and too few pillows. The bed was broken, painfully uncomfortable, and banged against the wall. There was no bathroom fan, so the smell filled the unit. We hadn't realized the pool was outdoors, which was no good in mid-January. They also expected us to eat breakfast in the public lobby, and a man inspected the room before we could leave. Even though we'd cleaned, they gave us grief about the deposit. The staff weren't welcoming. They treated us as if we were repeat troublemakers, though we weren't.

I checked out without spending a night, even though I lost the room charge. The stale cigarette smell made my airway hurt after just five minutes, and I couldn't sleep there. It seemed people had smoked in the room before it was designated non-smoking. Getting in had been easy, and the lobby and bright hallway were tidy. The room itself was another story: the bare floor was dirty, with splatter on the wall and caked onto the floor. The sheets looked new, the fridge was clean, and the coffee maker was nice. I didn't try the TV. Checking out was easy and there was no trouble.

The window was cracked and letting hot air in, the air conditioner made odd noises, and the door connecting to the next room wouldn't lock. We arrived late and just wanted to sleep, but the room kept presenting problems. Staff dealt with some of our concerns, though they made us feel like we were bothering them. I definitely wouldn't recommend staying here.

The owner really cares about the business and goes out of his way to make guests comfortable. He was a gem, and the service was awesome. Our room was clean, too. One note for anyone visiting Chatham: the water tastes like pool water everywhere in town, not just at this hotel, so bring your own bottled water.