Centerstone Inn & Suites

We stayed in room 135, and the bed was so comfortable. The place looked and smelled clean, and there wasn't smoke drifting down the hall from the smoking rooms like at most hotels. The staff were really friendly and helpful, too. The photos don't do this place justice. It was one of the best hotels on our road trip, and if we were staying in Illinois longer, we'd stay here the whole time without a second thought. Stay here if you're ever in Carlyle, Illinois. You won't be disappointed.

The room had one king bed with blood on the sheets, which was a huge problem for me. We were supposed to get two beds and a pullout couch, but that's not what we got. Paying $130 a night and not receiving what I was promised was really disappointing, and I wouldn't recommend staying here. There was hair in the tub and around the toilet, then a big roach crawled out from behind the door. Getting to the room was an ordeal and not what we'd been told. I called back to speak with the manager, but the only issue was that they don't speak English. LMAO :)

At checkout around 6 the next morning, neither manager was there, so we dealt with a very kind employee. She was in tears, saying she'd been left alone all night even though she'd only started four days earlier. She'd been working since 6 the previous morning and was handling upset guests while the owners were at home. That felt cruel, and what Raj and Pam did seemed illegal. We never met Raj, and after dealing with Pam, I can't fathom how the place is still open. We'd booked because of the triathlon, but were greeted at reception with a hastily written note saying there was no hot water. If we'd known before arriving, we'd have demanded a refund and booked outside Carlyle, even with an hour's drive each way. Pam had called an hour before check-in to confirm the reservation and said nothing, despite the hot water having been off for a week and likely to stay that way for the rest of the month. When I raised it, she said, “sometimes these things slip my mind”. They offered a 20% refund to our already-charged card sometime the following week, but said it could take a while because they didn't know how to process it. Why charge the full amount upfront? The pool shown on the website was closed, half full of black stagnant water. Our room had three dead cockroaches on the floor, a pile of dirty used towels in the bathroom, and filthy carpet with dog hair, dirt, and food on it. Dust and dirt covered every surface. We learned the owners had taken over a couple of weeks earlier, after the previous owners left, and opened despite the place not being ready for guests: no gas or hot water, and facilities that were dirty or broken. An employee said they opened because a large group had booked months earlier for a local wedding and the triathlon was coming up. It seemed greedy and unethical. A family with a disabled son had booked an accessible room but were told there wasn't one for them. An employee also saw Pam knowingly double-book rooms over the phone while not telling guests about the hot water. When we first checked out, the new employee didn't know how to print a receipt or other paperwork, which was understandable since nobody had shown her. We came back after the triathlon to ask the manager for a receipt and written confirmation of a partial refund. She didn't know how to print anything either. I worried I'd never get the money back unless I asked for a check then and there. After some back and forth, I left with one and deposited it right away to make sure it wouldn't bounce. Management was rude, unhelpful, and dishonest throughout.

Breakfast was enough for me, with a waffle maker, toast, pastries, coffee, and juice. The room seemed clean, and the AC worked. It was the cheapest hotel around, so I was happy enough for the price, but probably wouldn't stay again. There was a possibly moldy smell. The AC filter was caked over, so I cleaned it myself, and that could have been the source. I put a Febreze vent clip on the unit, which fixed the smell. The beds were stiff, which I like, but the pillows felt like they were stuffed with nothing and were uncomfortable. The quilted comforter smelled musty, so I set it aside.