Days Inn Long Island/Copiague

The room smelled strongly of smoke once the fragrance they had sprayed wore off, especially when the heat or fan was running. I complained at the desk and asked to move, but was told nothing could be done until I spoke with the manager in the morning. He got aggressive enough to scare me, so I called the police. They smelled the smoke too and took my side. They also spoke with the desk worker, who agreed to a partial refund. Later, when I went down to ask about it, the worker hid in the back and ignored my calls. The front desk woman was rude, though friendly at first, and lied about things including room availability. In the morning she gave me a small refund, then seemed to try to lock me out after the police left. Luckily, the cleaning lady let me back in. I don't even want to hear this place's name again. A holiday stay here was horrible. The area was noisy at night, staff smoked near the customer parking, the fridge was dirty, the smoke detector was missing, and there were holes in the walls. It should be called Crackhouse Inn. I learned the hard way to read all the reviews, and I'm suspicious of the positive ones.

The most alarming thing was the bathroom hair dryer. It was plugged into the mains beside the sink, had no hold button, and stayed on. Its wall holder was loose, and sparks flew when I picked it up. I unplugged it right away. My first reaction was to drop it, and I think I could have been electrocuted if I had. That setup is dangerous, and the dryer should be installed in the room, away from the sink. Please be careful. The room was meant to be non-smoking, but cigarette odor lingered on the walls and bedding, and the extra blanket had several cigarette burns. I was also shocked that they copied my ID and credit card, since that isn't allowed under Europe's data protection laws. When I asked for more towels, I was told housekeeping was closed. It's called red roof now. I know NY is expensive, but it's hard to understand how they get away with such poor service. It may be the cheapest place around, but after this experience I doubt I'd stay again.

I needed somewhere at the last minute because of a medical issue, and she was friendly and accommodating. I've already booked another stay. For the price, the hotel did what I needed, and I found the room clean after checking under the sheets and mattress, since I'm a clean freak. The bathrooms and jacuzzi smelled of bleach. There was a mini fridge and microwave too. Breakfast could use more choices, maybe muffins or bagels, though breakfast wasn't why I booked the hotel.

I've stayed here twice and felt fine bringing my 10 year old daughter both times. It's a decent motel for the price: clean, well lit, mostly quiet, and it feels safe. The staff are pleasant, and my room had a microwave, mini fridge, clean sheets, and towels. The room wasn't the prettiest I've seen, but I slept comfortably and had a good shower with hot water and good pressure. The continental breakfast was a nice extra for an affordable place. Make your own waffles are worth having.