Motel 6 Albuquerque I 40 East San Mateo

The morning coffee and danish in the lobby were a nice touch, and I enjoyed the chocolate mints on the pillows. They were delicious. The room was clean, quiet, and comfortable for a great price. Desk staff were super friendly and helpful, and the location right off 40 was really convenient. They're pet friendly, too. We didn't bring our pets, but I liked seeing other guests with theirs.

The price was right, and the hotel was central to everything we did, but I probably wouldn't stay again. The area felt a little sketchy, and I wish I'd looked into it more. We checked in at 10:00 pm, and the desk person was polite, though they made the keys incorrectly and we got locked out the next day. The advertised queen bed definitely wasn't a queen. The rooms have had some renovations, but they need more work. The couch had burn holes and was filthy along the sides. The furniture looked nice at first, so don't look too closely. The bathroom needed a much better clean. The toilet bowl seemed clean, but there was a definite old-pee smell. The shower didn't really get hot, though a small sign above the light switch said to leave the water running for 5 minutes.

The parking felt cramped for large vehicles or trailers, and there's only one way to get into the property from the main road. But I travel here every year and would definitely stay again. The place doesn't look like much from outside, though the rooms are reasonably clean and seem updated. Staff were friendly and helpful every time, and they came in daily to make the bed and bring more towels, which a lot of places don't do anymore. There's a booklet in the room with good local recommendations. You can get 10% off at the Denny's next door by showing your room key. They're very pet friendly, too.

The hotel's website photos are VERY misleading. Our first assigned room was dirty, honestly disgusting, and the front desk moved us when we called. Even the renovated room was dirty. The sheets smelled, the room smelled of smoke, the bathtub was stained, and the bathroom didn't look clean. The mini fridge made noise all night, the beds squeaked and were very hard, and plugs fell right out of all 3 outlets we tried. Outside, the location felt sketchy, with lots of homeless people around. We felt unsafe in the parking lot and worried about our car. We had a rough stay and weren't impressed by the care given to the rooms. I wouldn't recommend it to family or friends, especially anyone traveling alone or with children. Read reviews first to decide if this place fits your needs.