Red Roof Inn Cedar Rapids

Update: after staying here a few times, I have to drop my rating from 4 to 1. Bed bugs. Ick! Before that, we had a good night here. Our third-floor room was bigger than I expected, clean and comfortable, and the heater warmed it up quickly. The bathroom and towels were clean, the water got nice and hot, and there wasn’t much noise unless someone slammed a door. Staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was basic, but a lot of cheaper hotels don’t provide any. The place could use a few minor repairs.

The next morning my refund still hadn’t shown up on my card. When I called the “hotel,” they said it could take 7-10 business days, then the woman told me I was lying about the bugs and how dirty the room was. I checked in, went up to the third floor, and found an elevator that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in months. The carpet outside smelled of mold and was filthy. My room had no number on the door, dead bugs on the floor, and an unclean bathroom. I went back downstairs and demanded a refund; they said they’d put it back on my card. Unbelievable. It may be pet friendly, but I wouldn’t let my pet put a paw on the property. Disgusting, I wouldn’t stay there.

I’ve stayed here four times this past year and each stay has been fine, so I don’t really understand the poor reviews. Manager Cheryl was especially kind and polite on my first visit, and the housekeeping staff are usually cheerful and in good humor. I’ve almost choked laughing at some of the front desk antics while checking in. Sure, the outside could use work, but the worst I’ve seen was them redoing the second-floor walkway. My rooms have always been clean, and the beds comfy, especially the inside rooms on the third floor. The Wi-Fi was stable enough for me to play online games on my computer. That’s been my experience all four times.

For the price, I got what I expected: a clean room and a comfortable bed. The hallways felt a little creepy, and the cleaning crew were interesting, to say the least. The “continental breakfast” was a pretty poor spread, just waffles and bread with a toaster. Maybe I caught it on a bad day, and it could be better, but at that price I didn’t complain.