MainStay Suites Cotulla

The beds were really comfortable, and housekeeping kept the rooms clean. Check-in was easy, and the front desk clerks were nice. No complaints from me, I’ll stay here again.

For what it costs, it’s not a bad place to stay. The beds are comfortable and there’s a kitchenette. I’m grateful for the waffles and milk each morning, lol. But the property needs a lot of work. I’ve managed properties for over 30 years, and every room needs a maintenance check. The carpets should come out and be replaced with tile. My first room had no TV; the second had a broken blow dryer. My windows were coated in black film, and one wipe left my white rag filthy. The rooms could be cleaned better, too. I found old Skittles and a potato chip under the bed. The staff are nice, but they seem unprofessional and lazy. Employees keep leaving the building unattended to pick up friends and family, and I had to warn arriving guests that the employee had just left. It feels like a hangout. I hear the F word repeatedly in conversations by the elevator, and people either stand around or leave. There’s no cleaning or organizing. The outdoor patio and pool are a mess, and they don’t use the game room with its pool table, TV, and dartboard. The ice machines and laundry weren’t working either. Maybe the owner doesn’t care, or it’s a family-run hotel without much interest in managing it. Property managers should remember: if you have time to lean, you have time to clean. It’s still an okay place to stay, but it needs staff who work hard and care.

Breakfast was okay, but the rest of the room was a mess. The sofa bed was stained, the shower curtain was dirty, the toilet had urine buildup, and even the towels looked stained and unclean. I waited for fresh towels that never arrived, so I had to buy my own. The sheets were ripped, and the pillows looked like stuffed pillowcases. There were cigarette burns in the curtains, and the pool was dirty and full of bugs and ants. We booked it so the kids would have something to do. I took pictures of everything. We should’ve paid extra for the last hotel we stayed at.

My receipt showed I’d paid, and I’d checked in and followed the instructions, but two women came out as I was leaving to wave me down. They said the payment confirmation wasn’t in their system. Even after I showed my receipt, one kept saying the employee hadn’t processed it properly. That’s their issue, not mine. Guests shouldn’t be harassed or told they failed to pay because an employee made a mistake. They need better payment training and communication. The sink was clogged, and the sheets were dirty, too.