The Frisco Inn

The only thing going for this place is the location. I rarely complain or leave reviews, but this stay was awful. The staff were rude and no help at all. I asked for a refund at the desk and was brushed off without even being offered another room. When I pointed out the broken toilet seat, they first called me a liar, then admitted they knew it was broken and had forgotten to replace it. Getting to my room meant climbing four very steep flights of stairs, something the misleading photos never prepared me for, while stepping around strange stains in the hallway. The door handle was broken and taped together. Inside, there were stains everywhere, even on the bed; the main light didn’t work, and there were holes in the wall. The couch was stained too. The toilet seat was split in half, and the toilet still had the previous guest’s urine in it. The tiles were filthy and the room felt unhygienic.

We found the hotel on Booking.com. The manager matched the price we’d seen on the spot, but the room was so old and dirty it felt like a prison. We asked to move and got a better room, though it was still very dirty, including the couch and mattress, and the blinds didn’t work.

The location is great, which helps make the stay worthwhile. The receptionists were welcoming, friendly and accommodating. Inside, though, it was very hot with only a tiny fan, and the rooms smelled odd even though they looked clean. The double bed was two small mattresses pushed together, which was annoying, and the shower water was lukewarm to cold with no way to heat it up. Depending on the room, you’ll have to climb a couple of sets of very steep stairs.

Sweet baby Jesus, my stay at the Frisco Inn was something else. The staff were extremely nice, and the location is hard to beat, just three blocks from the central station. Still, the price really wasn’t worth it. I’ve stayed in all sorts of places as a broke student and an almost-broke professional, and unless you absolutely need a bed by the station for one night, I’d keep looking. The photos were wildly misleading. I know hotel pictures usually look better than the real thing, but the room didn’t even seem half as good as it did online. The carpet looked like someone had tried to bleach a crime scene and was filthy. The whole place felt shabby and run down, with slapdash repairs: outlets sticking out, electrical wires coming from the wall and covered in masking tape, lukewarm water, and dirty walls. The stairs were almost funny, they’re so narrow that only a third to half of your foot fits on most steps. I get that these old buildings weren’t made to be hotels, so it didn’t bother me too much, but big suitcases would be tough to carry up. Nights can also be loud from the bar downstairs and the usual city centre commotion, though you’d expect that from the location. If you stay, don’t say you weren’t warned. To the people running the hotel, either fix it to match the photos or take new ones that show what it’s actually like. Charging for one thing and providing another feels disingenuous.