Super 8 by Wyndham Chandler Phoenix

I work-travel often and have stayed everywhere from budget motels to high-end hotels. I know not every property will be perfect, but my recent stay at the Super 8 was far below even basic hospitality standards. I understand a budget hotel won't be perfect, but this was absurd. The first thing I noticed was how dirty the room was. The sticky, grimy floor had food bits, hair, and dead bugs stuck to it, and it clearly hadn't been swept or vacuumed for a while. Chunks of flooring were missing, exposing dirt and debris. In the bathroom, there was visible mold around the shower, loose electrical wires hanging above the shower head, and a rusty towel rack that barely worked. That's a serious hygiene and safety concern, not a minor oversight. The AC unit was coated in what looked like years of dust and maybe mold. It smelled musty when turned on, which made me worry about the air quality, especially for guests with allergies or breathing sensitivities. The back door, which should have required a key card, was broken and left open access from outside. I question how the property passed health and safety inspections and would urge the local health department to check whether it meets even basic lodging standards. The condition of the hotel raises real concerns about guests' health and safety, so I can't recommend it unless major improvements are made. My only positive experience was leaving after 15 minutes, and the front desk woman was very professional. I got a full refund without a hassle.

I didn't expect much from a Super 8, but I still wouldn't stay here. The first room had a toilet that didn't work, so I asked to switch. The next room also had a broken toilet, and the overpowering cleaner smell triggered my asthma. The linens were itchy and stained, so I left and found another room elsewhere. They charged $125 and didn't refund any of it. That's an absurd amount for rooms like these. The front desk person was sweet and understanding, though.

The room smelled awful, and after a few hours of broken sleep we were awake for the rest of the night because of the noise. We left as fast as we could. Please don't book this place. We arrived after 10 PM and checked in through Expedia, where the photos looked fine and breakfast was listed as included. We were told breakfast had been cancelled a long time ago and that none of the exterior doors locked. Random people wandered the halls. Between midnight and 6am, we heard people talking in the hallway at least half a dozen times, and the doors did little to block the sound. The room's plank vinyl floor was sticky, just like the hallway floor. Furniture looked secondhand, and a key card stuck to the dresser so badly that we had to use another card to pry it up. There was a hole in the bathroom floor, and when we wiped water, the tissue came away with about a dozen hairs and black grime. Sheets were stained and didn't look like the property site's picture. Both remotes were filthy and couldn't adjust the volume or turn off the TV. The bathroom counters were stained, there was crap on the back of the bathroom door, and the smell was disgusting. There was a drawer of irons and a hairdryer, but I wouldn't touch any of them.

I booked several nights through Priceline and thought I'd read all the details, but missed the required deposit. At check-in, the woman explained clearly that the $150 refundable deposit was for damage, smoking in the room, or undisclosed pets. The room was clean but worn, which seemed fair for the rate. As a smoker, I was glad to get a ground-floor room with a sliding door that opened onto a nearby vacant lot. The night before checkout, I asked how to extend my stay and was told to book it, then check with the Front Desk in the morning. I booked and paid through Priceline. In the morning, I was told another $150 deposit was needed for the new reservation. If I didn't pay it again, I'd forfeit the first night's payment for cancelling, so we left. When I asked about the first deposit, they said every new reservation required one. A week later, I called about getting my deposit back. They refused, claiming someone had smoked in the room and that there were "stains." Nobody smoked in there. The only mark I knew of was a few tiny blood specks on a pillowcase. It felt like they'd made up a reason to keep my money. If you have to stay there, photograph everything when you arrive and get everything in writing. Our cheap hotel ended up costing over $100 a night. I went in again to deal with it, and a woman who wouldn't give her name asked, "What makes you think you're getting a refund?" She hadn't recognized me at first, then brought up smoking and the blood. She said she wasn't returning my deposit and was calling the police. She did call, so I left, knowing this civil matter was a waste of time.