Capital O Swan Inn Comstock Park

After a long night on the road, I tried to check in and found nobody there to hand over a key. I booked through Orbitz, and I hope I can get my money back.

I used the motel back when I lived and worked around Detroit, and I still go to the restaurant often. The rooms are roomy, modern, and clean, and the location feels safe and well kept in the suburban northwest, about five miles from Downtown Grand Rapids. The Swan is known as a business class motel, and its restaurant is a big draw. The food tastes fresh and flavorful, with a real home-cooked feel to the American menu, and the prices are reasonable. I like the prime rib and meat loaf, and Fridays bring an all-you-can-eat fried cod dinner.

I stayed here regularly for work a few years back. It was never anything special, just cheap and a step or two above a roach hotel. Now it's become deplorable. There are stains on the walls, food on the floors, and even needles left on the floor. I'd suggest the Radisson on Ann Street, or another higher-priced hotel.

The people hanging around outside were drunk much of the day, blasting awful music, tossing cans everywhere, and getting into fights and other drama. Management didn't seem to do anything or make them leave, and I felt unsafe. The restaurant was just as bad as the motel. Inside, the room was filthy, with stains on the walls, sheets, and elsewhere. The bathroom was worse, and things didn't work properly. The shower would suddenly switch to boiling hot water while I was using it, and I got burned. I'd feel safer on a park bench than paying to stay here. Avoid the whole building if you care about your health and safety.