OYO Palm Leaf Motel

I stayed two weeks, though I needed somewhere for seven months, and I found a cleaner, cheaper house for those rates. The owners are friendly when you're paying their expensive rate, but they start acting up if you book cheaper prices online, where you can save up to $80. The quality doesn't justify the cost. Lighting was poor, the beds sagged in the middle from wear, and the owner even said he'd put me in the worst rooms at the back if I kept getting cheap rates. There were bed bugs, leftover food in the fridge, and after room service the room smelled like someone had smoked in it. My luggage was moved for no reason when it wasn't in the way. I also saw a cleaning lady drinking a beer behind the rooms. The room was always very hot because they'd come in and shut off the AC to save electricity. I guess they think they're the only place around.

What stayed with me was the family who own and run the place. They work hard, treat people respectfully, and I found them charming. The owner's mother(?) was at the desk Sunday morning and was quite nice when spoken to with respect and dignity. I suspect Grandma doesn't suffer fools gladly. I'm a 51-year-old man and didn't want to risk her wrath. The motel is dated, but that has its charm. The room took me back to the places I stayed before 1985, with the Bible still in one of three nightstand drawers and only the flat-screen TV giving away that it wasn't 50 years ago. The room was huge by today's standards, with three queen beds, three stuffed chairs, and an ottoman. Everything worked, including the remote, and the sheets and bedspreads were clean. I did spot a few 3/8-inch holes in the bedspreads, but each one had been cut around the burnt edge and hand-sewn shut. You can see they're working hard to make old rooms presentable, putting what they have back into the motel. I was so impressed by how clean it was, right down to the vacuuming under the tables and beds, that I tipped the longtime cleaning lady while she was still on her rounds. It had just been cleaned before my 1:30 pm check-in, smelled good, and the bathroom was clean and supplied. It's a budget motel along US Route 1, and I came away pleasantly surprised. I had a wonderful time and got to show my rather-young-for-my-age kids a bit of an America that no longer exists. Same time next year. 2024 update: Still love this place. Same great family, who care about the community and work hard. It's a local institution with customers across multiple generations, and the owners embrace that responsibility. Worthy of your business.

The only real issue was the temperamental AC, though we did get it working. Our neighbors were a little loud, but that was okay. The family running the motel were super nice. We had a spacious room with three beds, three stuffed chairs, and an ottoman. It was dated, with little imperfections, but nothing was dirty, and for its age and price it was excellent. They'd just cleaned it before we arrived, and it even smelled clean. The TV was fine, the remote worked, and the Bible was still in the drawer. Without the flat screen, it could have been 1962. Best place to stay in that area.

This family-run motel has been so good to me and my kids while we have to be here. The room is clean and really big, and housekeeping is great. I love her energy and how she cleans our room while we're gone. It's quiet here, unlike some places nearby, and it works for a night or even several months if you need it.