Daisy Motel

The beds were really hard, and the room came with just one sample-size bottle of soap. No toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, or bars of soap. For $100 for one night, I expected more. I’ve paid $70 elsewhere and gotten softer beds and more supplies. I’m glad this was only a one-night stay. If I come back to town, I’ll stay somewhere else.

We came through on a trip to the Diamond Mines, and my wife and I stayed here with our kids. We’re a bi-racial cpl, and we were treated no differently. The rooms were clean and had been remodeled, with a small flat-screen TV and Direct TV, and the beds were comfortable. It’s a nice place with a warm, rustic feel, and the Owners were fantastic, courteous, and very helpful. They made us feel welcome right away and showed they value their customers. I’d happily recommend staying here if you’re passing through or heading to the Diamond Mines, and even taking a detour to see the beautiful lake.

The pictures on the website look old, and after this stay I wouldn’t let a dog stay in these rooms. My family and I were there this past weekend. My grandson had bedbug bites all over his back, and I had a few on my neck and shoulders. I have pictures of bedbugs in the mattress and of one we picked off my sheets. I’ve started the process of reporting it to the health department. The room was supposed to be cleaned, but we found dirt and candy under the chairs and table. The sink wouldn’t drain, and the toilet was stopped up and had to be plunged several times to flush. The light above the table was coming down from the ceiling. When I told the manager, he denied they could possibly have bedbugs because they send their sheets out. He was very unwilling to offer any compensation. I’m very dissatisfied and disappointed with the staff and the hotel conditions.

The room was neat and very clean, and it had a small flat-screen TV. But Highway 70 traffic was noisy, and a dog barked constantly overnight and into the early morning. The bathroom stool didn’t work properly. I called the day after check-in about having housekeeping fix it, and was told they’d stop by if needed. The website promotes daily housekeeping, but there isn’t any unless you request it. There were no bathroom outlets, rusty shower plumbing, and just one pull-string light above the mirror. In the living and bed area, there was nowhere to set my laptop and the lighting was poor: one lamp, plus an overhead fan and light that was burned out and could only be reached by standing on a chair. Make sure you don’t mix up Marina lodging with the Daisy Motel. They have the same owners but are in different locations. There’s no onsite personnel at the Daisy Motel in Kirby AR, so after my 12-hour drive I had to find the Self Creek Lodge facility to check in and get my room number. They charged my card 2 days before checkout. That may be legal, but it’s not typical of my past hotel stays or my current stays at Best Western Okaloosa Island Fl and EconoLodge. I’ll stay elsewhere next time.