The King's Motel

The owner told me that other hotels didn’t have coffee pots in their rooms either because of plumbing issues, but my coworkers had one at a motel up the street. There wasn’t a coffee pot in my room or anywhere in the office, and there wasn’t even a vending machine. I also wouldn’t have paid more for less if I’d known the advertised breakfast wasn’t available. Free breakfast was promised all over the internet and on the scrolling marquee on the hotel sign, but there was no breakfast. The door looked like it had been kicked in before and seemed like it could be pushed in with little effort.

Inside was fairly clean, but our room was tiny, with damaged walls and a bathroom fan hanging loose in the wall and not working. The thermostat was blocked by the headboard, and the air conditioner was almost hidden beside one of the beds. We booked two queens, but got one double and one queen. Breakfast was cold cereal, toast, and Costco muffins. One of my coworkers found mold on her muffin. Outside was kind of gross, too. We found an old pair of boxers beside the building.

I showed up at 10:40 p.m. on a Thursday for my pre-booked room, but the lobby was locked and pitch-black, with the open sign turned off. A sign below it said they were open until 11. I called four times and got no answer. Thanks for almost making me sleep in my car. Luckily another hotel in town had a room. I’ll call tomorrow to make sure you don’t charge my credit card. Very unprofessional. Complete bull$##+.

I’ve been staying here for over 10 years as a traveling salesman and I like the place, though losing the hot breakfast was hard. My main gripe is with motels across St. Paul, not this one in particular. How can they charge $110 plus tax in a small town? I’m considering staying in Two Hills at my old $79 rate, then getting up early to drive into town.