Ponca Motel

The room smelled disgusting, and the photos on Booking.com made it look much nicer than it was. After I complained at the front desk, all they said was to contact the third-party company, followed by an “okay.” Nobody offered another room. I asked for a refund and got the runaround, then asked to speak with the manager. I was told he wasn’t on the clock, but he was apparently able to reply to the third party and deny what happened. This was awful service. The place didn’t feel safe or clean, and I wouldn’t stay here.

I had to go back to my car to contact Expedia and request a refund, because I couldn’t remain in the room for more than ten minutes without vomiting. I returned the key to the front office and asked for my money back, explaining that I couldn’t stay without a guarantee of health and safety. They refused. I sent Expedia Support a few photos and am sharing them here too. They show the run-down building, filthy walls and floor, damaged, marked-up “kitchen” appliances, and torn, poorly patched areas of the ceiling and walls. The bathroom was so disgusting I couldn’t stay long enough to photograph it; there was one bath towel on the rack that looked like it had cleaned at least five car engines. The parking lot looked as if it hadn’t been paved since the War of 1812. Expedia should vet its vendors. This place felt unlivable, and I think the Dept of Health should condemn it and the building should be demolished. If you don’t mind filth and wasting money, stay here. Otherwise, there are plenty of places that won’t put your health at risk. I can’t believe the positive reviews are genuine; they have to be paid shills. The replies to negative reviews are rude and insulting instead of showing humility or taking responsibility.

My daughter and I were stuck here for five miserable nights because we’d paid in advance for a non-refundable booking. If I’d seen room 112 beforehand, I wouldn’t have booked it, especially at $100 a night. We were probably paying about $75 too much per night. I didn’t mind the age of the place or the limited parking, but I felt very unsafe. We blocked the door with chairs and bought our own sheets, towels, and flip-flops. This isn’t somewhere I’d recommend for women or families. The room was dirty all over. After ten minutes, our socks were black on the soles. The bathroom had a tiny window and no others were in the room. The toilet was so close to the wall that you had to sit sideways, and getting to the very dirty shower meant stepping over it. The light above the bed didn’t work, the door was warped and hard to close, and the TV’s cable setup meant no live TV. There were people sitting outside their doors in the evening who made us uneasy. The sheets were dirty, with fresh stains and several hairs under the top sheet. When I asked for replacements, they brought clean sheets that were still stained, though at least without the fresh stains and bits of solid material on the originals. I can’t believe how many stars people have given this place.

For $100, this was the worst hotel and location I’ve ever stayed at. The beds were painfully uncomfortable, and the air conditioner was filthy.