Merit Hotel & Suites

We only stayed one night, and even with the “Do not disturb” sign up, someone called at 9:30 in the morning to ask if we were there. As soon as we opened the door, there was a strong bleach smell. The floors, walls, and mirrors were dirty, and there were food crumbs and mouse droppings between the sofa bed mattress. I had to clean the floors so I and the kids could walk around.

The front desk guy was nice, and to be fair, I prefer a soft mattress, so maybe someone who likes a really firm bed would be fine here. But I’m lying awake with back pain because this bed is so uncomfortable. We came to check out hotels near our wedding venue, and I can’t see myself recommending this place to our guests. What’s the point of a room where you can’t sleep?

We found bed bugs during our stay last weekend. Management moved us to another room when we reported it, as they should have, but seemed indifferent about the problem. The rooms were dirty, and water leaked from the shower ceiling whenever someone upstairs showered. The hotel is run down overall and clearly needs updating, though we did expect some of that. Be aware.

My $100 deposit still hasn’t come back, 15 days and more than 10 calls later. I stayed on 9/13, then decided on 9/14 to add another night. They wouldn’t reuse the original deposit, so I had to pay a second $100 while the first was still pending. I was told the refund would take 2-3 days. I’ve contacted my bank, the hotel, and its corporate office, but the person answering only tells me to wait, and the GM is never available. My bank says the hotel hasn’t released the funds, but because it’s pending, I can’t dispute it. How do I get my money back from Comfort Inn and Suites? After I’d paid for the second night, they made us leave the room for about half an hour so it could be cleaned. I hadn’t planned for a double deposit and had to wait for my paycheck before paying the second one. They then kept me locked out of the same room for about three more hours until I paid. It’s confusing, but this was the worst hotel stay of my life. The place reeks of cleaner so badly it makes your eyes water and nose burn. I’ve stayed around Aberdeen, from La Quinta and Hampton Inn to Red Roof, Super 8, Days Inn, and Travelodge, and this was the worst motel service I’ve had. Take it from me, try one of those other hotels and save yourself a headache.