Studio 6 - East Syracuse, NY – Airport

The rooms were clean and nicer than some of the other budget, pet-friendly hotels near Carrier Circle and the airport. But the way management treated us made an already difficult situation much worse. We were moving because my spouse and I were escaping a domestic violence situation involving an ex-partner who was stalking us. We had sold our home and needed somewhere to stay for 21 days, the maximum allowed, while we handled lawyers, a private investigator, police, and getting our belongings into storage. We had one dog and one cat with us. A few days into our stay, staff inspected our room and threatened to make us leave. Later, as I was heading out to do some light shopping, the man at the front desk told me, “it's a hotel, not a home,” and said they would inspect because we were bringing in belongings to sort into storage totes. I shouldn't have had to explain that I was doing my best while being stalked and trying to sort my things in the middle of a hotel lobby. We stayed up all night sorting and then made repeated trips to the storage unit as soon as it became available, just before the holidays. My spouse got COVID shortly before we were due to move on. He's not physically disabled like I am, but he was sick and moving more slowly, so we checked out at 3 PM. I paid extra for that late checkout. A few days later, we came back hoping to stay a night or two before leaving the area, since our other accommodation hadn't worked out and we had liked this hotel. They told us we were permanently banned because we supposedly had three pets and had checked out late. We had one dog and one cat. If staff truly thought we had broken the pet policy, you'd think they would have removed us when they inspected the room and threatened to do so. My signed, dated copy of the policy was on the nightstand. We did have three carriers: an easy-access one I used to feed the cat so our dog couldn't get her food, and her proper travel carrier, along with the dog's carrier. I feel they treated the three carriers as false proof that we had three pets. Management was very unprofessional, and it felt like they were pushing out people who were already down on their luck. Staff were rude and showed little understanding. During the day, the lobby staff seemed nosy about who was coming and going and what they were doing. If I'm paying for a room and not breaking any laws or rules, I shouldn't be harassed or threatened.

The bed was very firm, and the new bedding was thin. The room and shower were clean, so it was about what I'd expect for the price. There was no mini fridge, even though one was advertised, and the only toiletries were two tiny bars of soap unless you bought more from the vending machine. At least ice from the machine was free. The photos showing three pillows on each bed were misleading for us: our king had three small ones, and when we asked for another, we were told none were available.

There wasn't a microwave in the room, though there is one in the foyer. Aside from that, the room was cleaner and nicer than I expected, and the bathroom was in good shape too. The main area and hallways smelled clean when we arrived. I stayed one night and found it a safe, clean place.

For an overnight stop, it was fine and good value. The room, sheets, and bathroom were clean. There was still a cigarette smell in our non-smoking room, which could put some people off, though part of the window opens to let in air.