Rodeway Inn Near Maingate Knott's

I’ve stayed here for the last six months, 28 days at a time, and the hotel has come a long way. I agree with many of the older reviews. The staff, Sam, Tom, and Andy, always treat me with respect, the cleaning service is great, and the grounds are clean. I’m starting to see some families stay here, too. I think the city of Buena Park is to blame for some of the issues. They make management leave the doors open during the day, so anyone can walk in. I’ve also seen staff out in the parking lot several times a day picking up trash. Guests who empty their cars and throw trash in the lot are disrespectful to everyone.

We had to buy candles, a new blanket, and pillowcases just to get through the night. We left for home at 7 am, five hours before checkout, and couldn’t get out of there fast enough. The price didn’t matter at that point because the rooms felt unhealthy. The first room reeked of pungent urine and smoke, so badly it made us want to vomit. At the desk, we got another room that smelled like smoke covered up with ammonia, which was awful for our noses. The carpet was stained and disgusting. After reading other reviews, we learned the mattresses, more like box springs, reportedly get flipped over even when they’ve been peed or bled on. Do not go here.

I rarely complain because I’ve worked in customer service, but this room was beyond disgusting. It took more than 40 minutes to check in, including 20 minutes before the man at the desk even acknowledged us. Our non-smoking room smelled of mildew and cigarettes. The window had no lock or screen, so there was nothing stopping someone from getting in. When I sat on the bed, the flat sheet immediately folded back and exposed a disgusting yellow mattress. The smoke detector was coming off the wall, there were several holes in the wall, and a bobby pin was holding up the air vent. I called to ask for another room, but the man was incredibly rude and said there was nothing he could do since I’d sat on the bed. After I complained about the window, he showed up with a screen without knocking or warning me, then said I could go elsewhere if I didn’t like it.

The hotel’s setting and surrounding area were horrible for a family stay. The parking lot was flooded, and there were homeless people everywhere. Before check-in, while sitting in the car, I saw several homeless people pass through, and some used the hotel’s front hose to shower. There were also a lot of sketchy people around. I saw two men, one white and one Hispanic, walking between cars and looking inside them. I wouldn’t recommend the area at all. This review isn’t about the establishment itself. The management, especially Sam at the front desk, was phenomenal.