Travelodge By Wyndham Alachua

The couple who helped me were pleasant and came to assist with the TV, though its remote only changed channels. It wouldn’t turn the TV on or off or adjust the volume, which I could only do manually. The bathroom was disgusting: the shower seemed uncleaned for months and felt slimy underfoot, with a rubber mat I wouldn’t want to touch, let alone stand on. The cloth curtain was stiff with orange mold, the toilet had black mold where water runs into the bowl, and there was more orange mold and mildew around the sink drain. The hair dryer plug was split along the seam, which I think is considered an electrical hazard. I had to sign that I don’t smoke, but the room already smelled like a stale ashtray mixed with mold. On the phone, the man told me three men had been in the room before me. Yuck. I need a bleach shower now. For your own good, I highly recommend the hotel next door.

For the price, the room was decent enough, with a good-sized fridge and a small microwave. The sheets smelled clean, but there was no extra bedding, and whatever had been on the bed needed to be stripped and cleaned before fresh sheets could be used. I found no bedbugs in my room, though it looked unused for a while, and there was a soured bottle of chocolate milk in the trash. There was no mattress cover. We heard there was evidence of bedbugs, some dead and some alive in certain rooms. Management and the buy guys said most of those found were dead, which made me wonder why housekeeping didn’t vacuum them up. The manager was rude and unaccommodating, trying every way to get us to stay without spending money. I wouldn’t return. I hope the hotel gets back on track.

We never got room cleaning during our stay, and there was just one trash can. The bathroom and the walls by the sink had stains when we arrived. Breakfast was supposedly continental, but the trays had rotting apples and oranges that looked like they’d been there for days. Then checkout came and staff suddenly wanted us out quickly to “clean the rooms.” As our family of seven, including two children, was leaving and checking we hadn’t forgotten anything or left too much mess, a staff member knocked loudly and argued with us even though we were already going. He cursed us out in front of our kids and called us cheap for choosing the hotel. The owner came out, saw the staff member continuing to curse and argue, and did nothing to stop him. The low price may appeal to some, but the rude staff, uncleaned rooms, and unhygienic “amenities” can ruin a vacation. Don’t waste your time or money here.

Traveling alone as a woman, I appreciated being given a room right above the office. It was thoughtful and helped me feel safe. The motel is older, but I felt they did the best they could with what they had. It was clean and safe, the staff were super friendly, and the price was hard to beat. There was a microwave, fridge, coffee pot with coffee, and continental breakfast. I’d recommend it to anyone on a budget. The tub could have been cleaner, so I gave it four stars.