Aries Motel

The photos were part of the problem. We arrived at 11 AM because that was the check-in time on our reservation, but were told it was 3. When we returned at 3, a note on the door said to call a number and come back in an hour. The $200 damage deposit also came as a surprise on top of the $90, since I hadn’t seen it listed online. We asked for a non-smoking room, but ours clearly smelled of smoke. Upstairs guests stomped around and people next door were partying, so we couldn’t sleep.

I checked out after finding small bugs on the bathroom floor. I’d booked through Expedia expecting a kitchenette because the listing showed a picture of one; the manager was friendly at check-in, then showed me that the room I’d booked didn’t include it. I paid extra to upgrade, but even that room wasn’t really a kitchenette. It smelled of smoke, the single stovetop didn’t work, and there were holes in the sheets. It was noisy beside the highway, and the bed wasn’t very comfortable. The price was much lower than other hotels, but the standards were lower too.

I don’t usually leave one-star reviews, but this was a bad night. We arrived around midnight and the first room smelled awful. The bed and pillows looked dirty and stained, and the sheets and comforter had holes. After we complained, the man gave us another room that seemed a little better. We replaced all the bedding with our own and somehow got through the night. In the morning, the second room had no microwave turntable, and the coffee machine had no filter. We’d heard about the motel from a gas station worker’s friend, and choosing it was a terrible decision. At checkout, the man inspected everything as if it were a five-star hotel. I felt sorry for him. I wouldn’t spend money or lose sleep here when there are better hotels nearby or in Hinton.

The owner held a room for me after I called, and it was ready when I got into town three hours later. He was really friendly and accommodating. My kitchenette room was tidy, with working heat, good Wi-Fi, cable TV, basic cooking utensils, and plug-ins for a pickup truck. Great value, and I’ll come back when work brings me to Edson. I hadn’t stayed here for work since 2008.