First State Inn

The room was clean, with hot water, a working TV, microwave, and fridge. The smell was a bit weird, the Wi-Fi was trash, and there were some tweakers outside. Given the price, that seemed typical to me.

The room’s a little dated and isn’t fancy, but it was clean and the bed was comfortable. It’s still much better than many chain hotels. The staff are super friendly, and if I’m in Dover again, I know where I’ll stay.

Laine alone deserves 10 stars. We left my husband's medicine bag in the room and only realized hours later, so we drove back expecting little chance of getting it. Laine, the maid, had found it and kept it safe. She was about to take it to the office after finishing our room when we returned. The rest of the place didn't impress: stained furniture, a hard slanted bed that was tough to sleep on, and loud music from other guests after midnight. I also felt kind of unsafe.

There's a 24-hour McDonald's next door, with a Wendy's and gas station on the other side. First State Inn is reasonably priced, and you can choose a smoking or non-smoking room. All rooms have mini fridges, though only some have microwaves. They do change the sheets, and I hope the bedspread gets washed too. You can ask for cleaning spray if you'd like to redo the tub, counters, or anything else. It's a decent place, and I've never really had a problem staying here.