Motel 6 Billings, MT - North

On a wet, rainy day I canceled another reservation after being told I could check in at 8:30 AM. When I arrived, they said early check-in would cost an extra $50. After I pointed out nobody had told me that, I was told a room would be ready at 10. I came back around noon, and another employee said I'd have to pay $20. I couldn't cancel my reservation. The employees were extremely rude and unprofessional, and told me to leave after I called the situation b.s. I didn't threaten the business. I said I'd report what I considered fraudulent activity to Motel 6. The room was as bare-bones as it gets. Looking at other rooms being cleaned, I wondered if they were being used to house homeless people. Maybe that's the only reason this motel is still open. Avoid it. I feel sorry for anyone associated with that employee, and wish I'd recorded our conversation to show what happened.

The one person at the front desk seemed kind and patient, but completely overwhelmed, and the place felt scary. When I came back from getting food, there were cop cars everywhere with flashing lights. The top floor had broken windows, and it looked like people had vomited out of them. The whole building smelled like marijuana smoke, with families and kids wandering around. There was laundry piled up everywhere, and nobody to wash or fold it. Around 9 PM the desk worker brought us a handful of towels straight from the dryer. The towels and sheets were all stained, some dark gray and some pink. We had no blankets, bedspread, towels, or toilet paper when we arrived. The room itself was reasonably clean and had no smell. The linoleum was worn through in spots, the furniture was beat up, and the air conditioner made an awful noise, though it did keep us cool. The rooms were cheap and there was no dog fee. If you're broke, traveling with dogs, and desperate, you could stay here. Otherwise, keep driving.

The staff are nice and there's no pet fee, which is about all I can praise. The back half of the hotel is dirty, with creepy hallways and smelly corridors. There are roaches and bed bugs, the pool is closed, the Wi-Fi doesn't work, and the washer and dryer are out of order. The shower is bad, and doors slam regularly, though it can be kind of quiet otherwise. Rooms are small and run-down, but it seems like they're trying to fix things. The location isn't good. Mostly you get a semi-comfortable bed and cable TV, with coffee available sometimes. Definitely wouldn't be my first choice.

I stayed here for work and had a terrible experience. Neighbors had cops banging on their door and yelling "search warrant," and I saw what seemed like prostitution and drug sales at the hotel. There were tweakers around, and things got broken into at night. The manager seemed shady. The plumbing and laundry facilities didn't work, and there were burns in the blankets and sheets, as well as cockroaches and mice. An inspector even shut the place down for a while because repairs were needed. I requested a refund and never got it. Worst motel and staff I've dealt with.