Estero Bay Motel

At $160 a night, this place was outrageous. You’d catch fewer diseases camping in a sewer drain. The room smelled so awful I nearly fell over. The carpet was filthy and covered with big black stains. The bedspreads looked stained and felt grimy. Mold covered the shower, sink, and toilet, and the mirror was streaked with what looked like toothpaste spit from previous guests. There was only one square of toilet paper left, stuck to the tube. The furniture was all broken, though the filth nearly distracted me from that. The sheets had been changed, but it seemed like no one had ever cleaned the place. This went way beyond an oversight. The Health Department needed to make an emergency visit. The office had a huge hole in its ceiling, with torn wires hanging out. The floors were uneven, with jagged broken tiles sticking up, and the counters were cluttered with dusty junk. When we got back late, our keys didn’t work. We woke the owner, who spent about half an hour trying to rekey them before asking us to lift him into the room through the window. Since this was a big hassle and we weren’t sure the door lock worked, we asked for a discount so we could move all our things into our locked car. He refused and acted as if we were inconveniencing him, but offered a full refund if we left right then, in the middle of the night. He seemed to think we’d rather pay full price than leave the squalid room. He was wrong. We took the refund and slept in the car, which was much better than staying another second. Who knows what else we might have found. He also said he couldn’t give us a discount because the owner wouldn’t allow it, but apparently he could give us a full refund without asking permission. Most likely he was lying about that too.

The room felt like an insulated refrigerator, with hardly any bedding or rugs. Its windows were wide open when I arrived, and it was a chilling 30 degrees inside. The heater didn’t work, so I slept freezing and woke up sick. The towels smelled of mildew, the table lamp socket was crooked, and wires stuck out of the walls. It seemed clear to me that the owner takes no pride in the motel, and the place wasn’t conducive to health, well-being, or fun. Spend $50 more and there are much nicer options nearby. This was by far the worst motel I’ve ever stayed in.

We come here every time we take a family vacation. It’s a cute, convenient hotel with very nice staff, and perfect for sleeping and keeping your things safe while the beach is within walking distance. Our family suite had three beds, which worked great for four adults and two toddlers. The only downside was having to ask for towels each day, but they were remodeling, so that was understandable.

We felt safe here, and it was a few days before New Year’s Eve when we made the reservation. The affordable price, friendly staff, and walk to the beach are why I gave it three stars. But the room wasn’t clean, everything was dusty, and there was no closet or anywhere to hang clothes. If you stay, don’t expect too much.