Super 8 by Wyndham Charleston/Sikeston East MO

There was no hot water through the night or the following day, so I couldn’t even shower. That’s a big part of what you pay for in a hotel. I told the morning desk clerk, but got no refund offer or contact details for management. All she said was that it happens often.

We left about 20 minutes after checking in because I didn’t feel safe staying there. My family and I hadn’t planned to drive home, but after leaving Gatlinburg at 4 p.m. Saturday, we drove through rain and fog and got home around 7:30 Sunday morning, exhausted. I’d hoped to take the kids somewhere nearby Sunday, but the drive made that impossible. I asked the front desk about our concerns and told them we were leaving. If there’s security footage, it should show that. I guess the clerk lied when saying we stayed. I’m still being charged $173.84. The lobby smelled of marijuana, and the rooms I’d requested as non-smoking reeked of smoke. The place didn’t match the pictures: the room was filthy, brown stuff was dripping down the walls, and there was crud by the bed. I wouldn’t put my head on those pillows or let my kids use them. The bathroom door wouldn’t close, and one building’s main entrance opened without a key. We chose not to stay because the rooms were so nasty. After my review, management said they took concerns seriously, but I still had no refund after several messages. I added photos and more details. I said the Better Business Bureau would hear about it, hoping for a resolution. Over two months, I called on different days and at different times and left messages, but couldn’t reach anyone in charge. The owners haven’t returned my calls and are refusing to refund me. All I know is somebody said I’d stayed there, and now I’m stuck with the charge.

We needed a night’s rest during a long drive and booked on the road for ourselves and our dog. The building is old, the rooms dated, and the location is wedged between a truck stop and the freeway. There was trash around the property, and stale smoke and other odors hung in the rooms and hallway. Still, our room was decent, with a compact fridge, table, chairs, and a big TV, and it did the job for the night. If this location is typical, I’m not sure I’d choose Super 8 again.

The AC is lousy, and the tub doesn’t drain when you shower, so you end up standing in dirty water. The hotel also charges more than once, then argues even when you show them the money came out of your bank account. If you push back, they cancel your reservation and keep the money. Booking through an app like Wyndham Rewards can be misleading too, since it lists amenities the hotel doesn’t have. This place is a mess with money, and I’d go a few miles up the road instead, like I did.