Super 8 by Wyndham Durham/University Area NC

The location isn't downtown or close to anything special, and I know some people consider the area unsafe. I didn't get that impression. I was out walking much of the night and met perfectly nice people, shop owners, and a delicious taco truck in the parking lot. Its prices were excellent, and the menu had drinks and more choices than other places in town. There are also plenty of 24-hour options and some great boutique shops nearby, including a shop in the next plaza with some of the prettiest prom and quinceañera dresses I've seen for teenagers, even compared with the big stores. The hotel was fairly quiet, and most guests seemed to be working people. Don't expect million-dollar views or 1,000-count sheets, but for the price, I haven't seen a better hotel anywhere in the Triangle. The water pressure and shower were a 15 on a scale of 1 to 10. What stood out most was how the staff treated me. Customer service is often lacking these days, and staff at other basic hotels have been rude and condescending. Whether I'm paying $68 at the Super 8 or $230 at the Marriot, I expect the same respect. Being poor doesn't make it okay to treat someone badly, apply different rules, or fail to provide what the room description promises. I've run into plenty of awful practices aimed at people who can't afford luxury hotels in recent years. This family-run business doesn't have the resources for a $10 million renovation like a big chain, but the three staff members I dealt with treated me like a paying guest. The cleaners, owners, and front desk clerk were friendly, willing to answer questions, and clearly trying hard to make the rooms as good as they could. They're not perfect or shiny, but this was the best hotel experience I've had in several recent stays. I was happier here than at the updated, amenity-heavy Wingate near a major airport. There were generous towels, coffee, soap, shampoo, cups, and garbage bags, with plenty extra. Other places often don't provide decent towels or toiletries, even at $90 or $125, and may not leave enough toilet paper, soap, or garbage bags for the night. Here, the TV was great, there was a microwave and a large mini fridge, and the heater and AC kept the temperature just right. Breakfast was only coffee and a small muffin, but the muffin was delicious and hit the spot. It had to be homemade or from a gourmet bakery, because it beat the fake eggs, bacon, or waffles served at nearby hotels. Those little efforts to keep guests comfortable and deliver what's promised are what make this place shine, especially when so many people seem dissatisfied with everything.

The key card failed when we got back from dinner, and it took a while to find an employee so we could get back in. We had planned to stay three nights but left after just one. The only good thing was that we didn't see any bugs. Burn marks on the sheets made me realize this was the wrong choice. There were more on the bed cover, which I used to block the gap under the door at night and keep hallway smoke out of the room.

My brother stayed here on April 26th 2025, and the place was filthy. The microwave they gave him was so dirty it shouldn't have been in a room at all. It needed to be replaced, but after he complained, the manager argued instead of offering to replace it. They ended up cleaning it, which wasn't enough. A room should be checked before it's rented out. There were roaches too, and the customer service was awful. The manager needs to be fired or go back for training. This place needs to be closed down.

My daughter's room was awful too: black mold on the ceiling, a completely broken bathroom door, and a burned-out hair dryer with exposed wires. There was food on the walls, blood on a pillowcase, and other gross stuff on the walls in both rooms. I even saw a random guy walking through the parking lot swinging a wooden plank from a broken fence. It seemed like some people lived at the hotel instead of just staying a night or two. I got a refund for the first room, then they charged me again the next day without explaining why. Corporate support wouldn't help and didn't seem to care. Please don't stay here, especially with family. It's straight-up gross, and the people running it seem either incompetent or like they don't care. The place needs to be bulldozed and rebuilt under a different everything. I had two rooms right next to each other, and mine was the worst hotel room I've ever stayed in. The chemicals used in it made my lungs burn, and my chest still hurt three days later. I found out they'd used an ozone machine because the hotel isn't smoke-free and the room had been heavily smoked in. There were cigarette burns everywhere, even on the sink, and everything was dirty. The area didn't feel good either. My door lock was missing screws, and another screw was so loose I could pull it out. The floor was sticky enough that I couldn't take my boots off. There were dead bugs everywhere, what I think was bug powder on the floors, and actual bugs inside the picture frame hanging on the wall. You've been warned.