Motel 6 Costa Mesa, CA

My three-day reservation was cancelled by email at 6 PM, even though I’d confirmed I was coming. At 5 PM they called to check, and I said I’d arrive at 9 that night. The man on the phone was rude and said he’d cancel if I wasn’t there within an hour. I asked him not to and assured him I’d make it by 9. He agreed, but the cancellation email still came an hour later. Terrible management and employees. Do not stay here!

This was the worst hotel stay I’ve had, from budget places to high-end ones. We booked Motel 6 in Costa Mesa, CA for seven days, Wednesday to Wednesday, but the rooms smelled strongly. The second room had the same odor as the first, so we left the door open for hours trying to clear it. On Saturday, February 14, we planned to go to Las Vegas for three days. My wife asked the front desk about checking out early and getting a refund. She was told we could, but the amount would be $217, $30 less than expected. When I asked why it didn’t match what I’d paid, the employee said that was the only refund and the missing $30 wasn’t his responsibility. Then he checked us out right away, even though my wife had only asked about the refund and hadn’t confirmed checkout. He also refused to let me speak with a manager, saying he was the only person I could deal with. We had to accept a situation that wasn’t handled properly.

We couldn’t sleep in the room, so we tried to rest in our car instead. The battery died overnight, and now I’m waiting until 8 a.m. for help because nobody is available overnight. After everything else, it’s been exhausting and stressful. We were shifted between three rooms during check-in. Two were still dirty and clearly hadn’t been cleaned or cleared. The last was supposedly ready, but there were spiderwebs in the corners, a live roach, and a strong cigarette smell in a non-smoking room. Towels had hair on them, the shower fixtures were corroded and heavily stained with water marks, and a big rust patch on the tub exposed the metal underneath. There were questionable stains on the walls and dirt and buildup in the ceiling corners. I don’t expect luxury from a Motel 6, but basic cleanliness, pest control, and a smoke-free non-smoking room should be expected. This location missed every one of those. I can’t recommend it until management takes responsibility and brings the property up to standard. It was the worst motel experience I’ve had, and one of the most chaotic nights of my life.

Victor, one of the managers, was welcoming and really cool with us. He had a good attitude, gave us great customer service, and helped get us a room ASAP. The room was clean, the fridge was clean, there were no funky smells, and the AC was GOOD. We’ll be back.