Econo Lodge Athens I-65

The office had a great atmosphere, and I never felt like I was bothering anyone when I needed something. If you need help, Kelly or Liz are the ones to ask. They're the best and always happy to help.

Check-in and check-out both went smoothly, and it was a great value for the area. The room was comfortable and clean, the location was convenient, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I had a pleasant stay at Econolodge Athens Alabama and would definitely come back when visiting Athens.

It's cheap, and there are plenty of places to eat and gas stations within walking distance. Otherwise, this isn't the greatest place for a family. I work out of town a lot and have stayed in some pretty sketchy motels, and this one ranks right up there with those.

The few things that worked were the TV, AC, and power plugs on the one nightstand. No bed bugs, surprisingly, and the front desk lady was very nice. Everything else made for one of the worst rooms I've stayed in, and I stay in a lot. I'd requested a first-floor room because I have bad knees and can't manage stairs, especially with bags, and I knew the place didn't have an elevator. The woman at the desk was taking forever with the guest ahead of me. I'd already had a long day and had hoped to stay in Huntsville, but Clarion point, which is very nice, had tripled its prices because of a ball game. So I drove half an hour out of Huntsville for a room. The desk clerk said no bottom-floor rooms were available and they'd been sold out for a week. If I'd known, I'd have stayed somewhere else. I'm also a platinum choice rewards member, supposedly with perks like making rooms available when they're booked out. I wasn't given my platinum rewards member gift or offered extra points at check-in. So much for those perks. I parked by room 206 and had to go up the stairs. People were smoking pot in the parking lot. Inside, the room was dingy and dark, the drapes hung halfway down, the desk drawer was broken, and there was no desk chair. There was a king bed but just one nightstand. I'd asked for non-smoking, but the room stank of stale smoke. The comforter had cigarette burns, the sheets had black stains, and there was a crusty stain at the top of the bed. There were only three pillows instead of the usual four or five for a king. The security latch was missing its bolt. The bed popped whenever I moved. I pulled the desk up to the end of the bed to finish my work, but it was crusty. The bathtub had all kinds of stains. Wi-Fi wouldn't work, and when I called the desk I was told it was my device, not their Wi-Fi. I had to use hotspots to finish my work, and I put towels over the bed stains so I could sleep. This fleabag motel charges $90 to $100 for what is at best a $40 room. Clark Howard said on the radio just last week that branded hotels no longer live up to certain standards, since most if not all are privately owned franchises. This motel is a prime example of an owner putting profit over substance and money over guests' comfort and safety. Avoid it. I will from now on. It has earned its two-star rating.