Extended Stay America Select Suites - Austin - Northwest - Lakeline Mall

I was hopeful when I booked based on the pictures, but was seriously disappointed that I couldn't stay in the room I'd reserved. The women at the front desk were nice and cordial, and when I was in a hurry they did their best to get me checked in quickly. The first room smelled strongly of smoke even though I'd booked a non-smoking room because I was traveling with my daughter. The young woman at the desk was accommodating and moved us. But the second room was much worse. It had a strong chemical smell and roaches everywhere. When I turned on the bathroom light, at least 6-7 were crawling over the counter and sink. Two more came out when I lifted the hand towel. An exterminator then came in to spray chemicals while my daughter and I, and our belongings, were still in the room. That's when I decided we couldn't stay there, especially with my daughter. I've tried to get a refund without success. The person I first spoke to was kind and friendly, then I stopped hearing from the hotel. They should update the pictures to show what the place really looks like, or at least warn families with children that it may not be safe to sleep there.

The staff were extremely nice, but the owners need to do better. I stayed eight days, and housekeeping isn't free for stays under 14 days. There's nothing in the room, no pots, pans, cups, anything, and you have to pay for extras like towels and bed linen. My room was filthy. The carpet was so dirty that the bottoms of my white socks turned black. The space under the sink was nasty, bathroom tile was coming up, and there was mold on the shower walls. The walls looked as if old food had been left on them, and I had to spray air freshener to cover the musty smell. I included photos of just a few of the unacceptable spots.

Gina is why I keep coming back to this hotel. She makes the place feel like family, always welcoming us with a smile, a laugh, and that warm southern hospitality. During a really hard time for me and my family, she was so kind and accommodating. After a long day, when the dryer wasn’t working, she even washed, dried, and folded my laundry herself. It brought me to tears. That felt like real care.

There’s no elevator, breakfast, coffee, vending, or laundry room here, and the front desk shuts behind a big metal door at a certain hour. The entrance, though, stays unlocked and open all night. The whole place smelled awful and badly needs cleaning, paint, new carpet, and furniture. I also think it needs on-site security for the parking lot and to keep homeless people away. It seemed like the property hosted more homeless people than anyone else. My room was filthy: sticky bathroom floor, dirty carpet, a medical tag stuck to the tub, dead roaches in the kitchen light, and a disgusting microwave. I didn’t want to touch anything. They only give you two towels and one roll of toilet paper at a time.