Days Inn Bismarck

The beds were so worn out and sagging that it felt like all the support was gone, and my back hurt in the morning. The room was unbearably hot, with an AC that barely worked, if it worked at all. You could hear everything through the walls, so relaxing or sleeping was impossible. The rooms were dirty and clearly hadn’t been cleaned properly before check-in. Everything felt old and decades out of date. The so-called TV upgrades looked rushed and DIY, with poor workmanship and exposed cables. This place is uncomfortable, badly maintained, and not worth the money. I’d strongly recommend staying somewhere else.

The room had a window into the indoor pool area, which seemed neat at first. But people were hanging around the pool late at night, and the noise carried right into our room and made sleep difficult. Both my mom and I developed allergy symptoms during the stay. We can’t say for sure what caused them, but they improved noticeably after checkout, so we wondered if something in the room, possibly the mold, was to blame. The bathroom had visible mold in the caulking around the tub, stained towels, and dried booger-like stuff and other stains on the walls. There was trash behind a cabinet, too, which made us feel the room hadn’t been cleaned well. Breakfast was offered, but most of the food wasn’t stocked. The “hot breakfast” costs $5, and the only free hot item is the self-serve waffle maker, whose area was dirty and poorly maintained. Check-in itself was quick and easy, but the room was a letdown. I’m fine with an older or dated hotel, but cleanliness, air quality, and a restful night matter, and this stay missed all three.

The managers were nice, but they were clearly overworked. The hotel needs repairs and updating. I still haven’t received the refund I was promised for the nights without a TV. I’ve called three times since checking out, and each time I’m told a note has been left for the manager to look into it. The TV finally arrived on the second evening, but my room was at the end of the hall where the hotel Wi-Fi didn’t reach well enough to stream the channels. I didn’t have anything to watch for my whole stay. I was there over United Tribes weekend this year. When I arrived, there was no TV and a dresser drawer was missing. I told the desk so I wouldn’t be charged for the damage. They already knew about the TV because they were replacing them in all the rooms. They offered a refund if I wanted to go elsewhere, but I decided to stay and was told I’d be at the top of the list for a TV the next day. Then I found hair in the sheets, some of it looking pubic, and asked for another room. They said they were booked and again offered checkout with a refund. I stayed, and a manager came to change my sheets even though he wasn’t working at the time. By late afternoon the next day there was still no TV. The management staff member said they were working on it and promised a $20 refund per night without one. The TV came that evening, but the Wi-Fi problem meant I still couldn’t watch the channels. At checkout, a worker said he’d leave a note for the manager and the refund would come within a few business days. When I mentioned I’d paid through a third party, he even took my card information to make sure I got the refund. I doubt I’ll ever see it.

Breakfast was a pleasant surprise. Someone was there to cook eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns to order, along with the usual bread, bagels, waffles, and other choices. The morning staff were so nice and polite. There’s also a steak and seafood restaurant right behind the hotel. Check-in took about 15-20 minutes, but everything else was great. The room was clean and had a huge smart TV. I’d definitely recommend this hotel.