Campbell Inn

The front desk staff were prompt, attentive, and polite. I didn’t interact with anyone else during my two days there. The room was fairly clean, though there were someone else’s hairs in the tub. It was very hot when we arrived, and the AC smelled awful whenever it kicked on. The odor faded, then returned each time, so I wondered if it had once been a smoking room. There weren’t any outlets by the nightstands, and the desk lamp was unplugged. Its only outlet was behind the TV console, where both sockets were already in use. The coffee maker came with two packets, but both were decaf. The bed wasn’t comfortable. There was peeling paint, marks and small holes from furniture hitting the walls, and a badly finished crawlspace access panel in the room. At $160 a night before fees, it didn’t feel worth the price, though it was the only nearby hotel with vacancies. I wouldn’t call it a three-star hotel. It was within walking distance, had lots of parking, and at least I didn’t get bed bugs.

The room did what we needed, and the price was fair for the area we wanted. The front desk was especially helpful when we arrived after 1 a.m. The only downside was the ice machine. It was hard to locate, and once I found it, the strong smell of urine put me off.

There was a dead rat in our room, and when we reported it, staff actually accused us of planting it. There’s an open, forest-lined field behind the hotel and ivy along the front, where rats are known to live. Who drives around with dead rats for this? It’s insane. The staff were rude, and they also kept our deposit. When I called, they claimed there was damage but couldn’t say what it was. They told me the manager was out of the country for a month and the woman at the desk who kept the deposit was supposedly off until tomorrow. This is completely unacceptable.

For about half what downtown rooms cost, you’re just blocks from the Pruneyard and lots of restaurants and shops. The grounds are well kept, with tropical landscaping, and the parking lots are well lit with plenty of spaces midweek. I parked a 25-foot Sprinter van without any trouble. The front desk was friendly and quick. The location and price are hard to beat, though the room decor is a little dated. I only wish the TV were bigger and newer, with outlets at or beside the nightstands.