Budget Inn

For $60 a night, the top floor room was worth every penny. We slept well, and it was quiet. The room was huge, the bathroom very clean and newly remodeled, and all the appliances worked. The AC blew cold and strong, and we appreciated the giant wall-mounted LED TV. The family who checked me in, an old-school Chinese family, worked very hard to keep the place safe and clean. They were friendly, and check-in was easy. The free parking lot was brightly lit, with cameras everywhere, so we felt very secure. There's no breakfast, but the office has a microwave and filtered water machine. The location is convenient, right by the freeway and near haircuts, laundry, shops, banks, and McDonald's. If you want a quiet, clean, secure stay at a good price, I'd give El Monte Budget Inn five stars. Jonathan and Joanne Martin, room 218.

The roaches were the worst part. They came out day and night, including in the sink and tub. I'd turn off the bathroom light, wait an hour, then switch it back on and watch them scatter in every direction. My socks looked like I'd been walking outside after just one night, and the floor was unbelievably filthy. The room is worth maybe $20 a night, not the $60-$70 they charge. The smoke detector didn't work either, so if there were a fire I'd have to wait for the sprinklers. I wouldn't recommend staying until they clean this place up. See the photos I uploaded.

The room was basically just somewhere to sleep, and I didn't find anything wrong with it. Staff were polite and security seemed friendly. After checkout, we realized we'd left my niece's Harry Potter wand from Universal in the room. Many thanks to the front desk for finding it and calling me, so we could turn back and pick it up before getting too far out of town.

The maids were rude, the tub was dirty, and the AC didn't work. There was blood on the headboard, and the block felt sketchy, with prostitutes outside the doors of their rooms. The place was full of hidden cameras. At least there weren't any bedbugs.