Studio 6 Albuquerque, NM - North

I was in the office when a woman came in to ask if her room was ready. They said about 20 minutes, and she was fine with that. She'd read reviews and wasn't sure whether to stay, so I told her I'd been here about a month and that if anything was wrong in the room or with the property, she could go to Angie, the manager, who'd take care of it. I've seen the staff cleaning rooms, and they get them ready for the next person. I know management and staff care about people's stays. I've known Angie and some of the staff for years, including from other hotels where they worked. If I'd known she was here, I wouldn't have gone to intown suits. That's another story, though. I'm in my 60s with my boyfriend, and we've always been happy here. Angie was manager at a couple of other hotels where I stayed, and she was very helpful to both of us. I walk to the store day or night. There may have been problems here before, but not anymore. The rooms are fine, just middle-class, and that's all I need. Things may have been out of hand at one time, but they're getting straightened out. That takes time, and a caring manager and staff make the difference. I told the woman that people can turn molehills into mountains and that she should give it a try before judging from reviews. If you're looking for a Beverly Hills type hotel, why come to a middle-class place? Even at the price of a Beverly Hills hotel like Hampton Inn or the Hilton, I'd still stay here. She stayed another night, was very nice, took me to the store and things, and was glad she'd stayed instead of relying on the reviews. I'm not saying everything is perfect, but the rooms and area are fine, and good management makes all the difference. I wouldn't stay anywhere else. Thank you, Tammy Lopez.

I wouldn't stay here again, even if I had to sleep on the sidewalk. My room was missing basic things I'd expect even at a Motel 6. The hotplate was dead, only seven TV channels worked, there were no dishes, and the shower didn't work, just the tub faucet. The bathtub faucet itself was falling apart. The mattress was a tiny twin, old and stained, and the wooden cabinets were rotting and coming apart. The area felt very unsafe, with lots of drug activity. One room had a camera, and people who looked involved in crime were coming in and out throughout the night. From my past experience on the streets in Chicago, it looked like a trap dorm. On the upside, law enforcement was around. I saw three patrol cars go by during the evening. The staff and management seemed pleasant and were doing their best within a terrible place. The motel is in a “good” part of Albuquerque outside Bear Canyon, but the establishment doesn't live up to it.

We only stayed about five minutes. Cockroaches were crawling around, the room smelled like cigarettes despite our nonsmoking reservation, and there was stuff all over the bed. We left and cancelled the reservation.

I got to the front office to check in and was handed a few tiny papers. The receptionist said she'd be back in a few minutes and told me to fill them out. When I asked what they were, she gave me attitude. I later found out there was a $100 deposit that wasn't listed on hotel.com or any reservation site. The hotel was run down, disgustingly dirty, and in a very sketchy area, with mold everywhere. When I asked for another room, I was told there weren't any and I could clean the dirt myself. They gave me bleach-free disinfectant and a small stack of paper towels. There were no kitchenette dishes, the coffee pot was moldy, and the stove didn't work. The microwave was blown up, literally, but they replaced it with one that wasn't usable either. I was arriving from out of state and didn't know there was a time limit for checking in. The receptionist said it was in the fine print, but I couldn't find it. My reservation was cancelled and I was charged a no-show fee. I called as I was turning into the parking lot to find out what happened. There'd been no communication before the cancellation or fee. After I asked what was going on, she reversed the reservation. All of it was a terrible experience.