Knights Inn - Bradenton

This has been converted into affordable apartments, so don't think of it as a budget motel. New management had only been in place for two weeks when I wrote this. There's construction underway to improve the property, and aside from potholes in the parking lot, the place is very well maintained.

We only stayed because we were desperate. It was disgusting. The beds were made, but everything else seemed dirty or broken: rusted lamps, only one usable plug, and filthy, stained curtains. Even the doors looked as if they hadn't been washed or painted in years. I didn't feel safe, and the rude patrons at the tiki bar down the hall didn't help. The discount mentioned online wasn't real.

I went to look at a monthly rental efficiency. The computer cards wouldn't open the doors, and from what I could see through the windows, I wouldn't call the units efficiencies or pay the requested rent for such a shoddy mess. The lobby, though, looked great, and the staff were very proficient and friendly.

Joe at the front desk turned me away despite my reservation and was very rude. He blamed the system and said I could pay for a suite instead of the king room I'd already paid for. He was no help, and his children were running around behind the desk. Other guests kept coming down because their keys weren't working, and all he said was that he'd call maintenance. The lobby was dirty and unkempt. I drove down the road to a much nicer Days Inn, where they honored the rate I was supposed to pay here.