HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof Austin

I booked a week here, 11/2-11/9, while relocating for a new job and looking for an affordable place until I found something better. The water was nearly always cold, with very little pressure. The room was filthy, with stained sheets and hair left on the shower walls and floor, while cigarette smoke filled the hallways and trash overflowed on every floor. I also found small roaches and some other odd creature that came up through the shower drain. The area felt alarming to me, with a lot of homelessness and what seemed like frequent drug activity around the hotel. The worst moment was when someone I took to be homeless approached my wife and asked what room she was staying in. It scared her, and was one reason I decided not to stay longer. I understand people may need to book somewhere affordable in tough times, but I didn’t feel this place was safe. Please be careful.

The rooms were a nice size, and the price was very good. It’s not a four-star place, but it’s still a good hotel, with useful conveniences and really good cleanliness.

The staff were surprisingly nice, and the low prices and working in-room amenities are what earned this place two stars. The rest of my stay was rough. Wood was rotting or peeling in a lot of spots, the stove top looked incredibly old and was rusted, and the shower handle was coming apart. The shower floor needs replacing. The toilet was so lopsided I wasn’t going to turn my phone for the picture, and the anti-break-in latch wasn’t secured to the frame. The stairs looked like people had peed and pooped on them. This was one of the worst motels I’ve stayed in. It may not be among the very worst in Austin, but I’d drive another mile or two and pay $40 more for somewhere safer and cleaner. The prices are extremely low, but having something stolen from your car or getting mugged could wipe out the savings. The place felt trashy in every sense, and I think anyone with some self-respect should stay somewhere else. If you’re traveling as a family, have a credit score over 720, a degree above a bachelor’s, a car that doesn’t need major repairs, recently changed your home smoke alarms, or only speeding and parking tickets on your record, this probably isn’t for you. It seems aimed at people who don’t care about those things. I won’t return, and I can’t recommend it if you care about your safety.

Very bad stay. The lift quit working, the shower pressure was far too strong, and the fridge acted like a freezer. There wasn’t a kitchenette, and the stove was ancient. Other Red Roof locations were much better.