The Pinewood Lodge

The location worked well for us, about a half-hour drive to Tawas Point State Park and several other beaches. The older couple at the desk were friendly and helpful, and late check-in wasn't an issue. It's pet-friendly, for $15 per pet, and the pool is open only from 4 to 8 pm. For the price, they offer what they can. Our room and bathroom were really clean. We opened the windows for a while, and there wasn't any bad smell in the room like some reviews mentioned. Breakfast is a very basic continental spread of cereal, coffee, tea, juice, and bagels. Don't get carried away by the negative reviews.

We turned around and left. The hallway carpet was dirty and there were other things that needed cleaning. Inside the room, it smelled like smoke, the sheets were stained and had several hairs on both beds, and the mattress and box springs were stained too. There was a coffee maker and a microwave, but that didn't make up for the condition. The pictures are misleading and seem to be from a while ago. As soon as you walk in, there's a strong musty smell. We were told there's a leak in the pool area, and they only run the filter when someone asks to swim. They allow pets, but I wouldn't let my dog stay here.

Our garden-view room looked out at woods, and both tubs had hair in them. There were dead flies all over the floors and cobwebs in the shower area. The motel needs a cleaning staff and some updates. When we finally went to bed very late, there was blood on the sheets. It was too late for us to drive safely, so we slept with the heat on and no covers. I didn't complain because I felt I wouldn't get anywhere with it. I would never stay here again.

The place felt creepy, smelled bad, was dirty, and seemed to have something broken everywhere. We were the only guests there during our weekend stay. The hot tub was broken, and the pool was open for only four hours across the two nights. The building door wasn't secure. The owners barely understood English, and the husband wasn't friendly. They left many hotel lights off, including in the lobby. Breakfast was a joke, with no coffee or juice, half-thawed frozen bagels, and old cereal. Don't stay here.