Econo Lodge Emporia

Traveling with my four children after an all-night drive, I went to check in just after midnight and asked how early I could get a room. The owner took my information and checked me in, but didn't explain the dates or say when checkout would be. I thought she was letting us in early as a courtesy. Instead, she recorded our check-in as the 20th, even though we arrived after midnight on Sunday the 21st. On the morning of the 22nd she called and said we had to leave. I showed her my reservation, but she said it didn't matter because I'd checked in after midnight. She insisted she'd already told me the checkout date, though she'd only asked for my information. Her spouse joined the conversation, and they both yelled at me. When I asked them to stop, they yelled that they weren't yelling. He started slapping his hands together angrily, so I said I'd check out. I was trying to understand the situation politely, but didn't stay to argue. The hotel wasn't very nice anyway. Be careful if you arrive early, ask questions even if she seems upset, and have her show you the dates after check-in. The Wi-Fi didn't work either. Breakfast was honey buns, Hostess cakes, waffles, and coffee, so don't expect much if you don't want sugar in the morning.

The area was dark, and the pool was closed. Less than two hours after checking in, we found a bed bug when we went to bed. We politely asked to check out and get a refund, but they said bed bugs were impossible and claimed my photo wasn't of their sheets. Our card still shows a charge. This wasn't a good place to stop for a night's rest after a full day of driving.

The room was cramped and dirty, with hair on the pillows and in the bathroom. The bathroom was so small that the door barely cleared the toilet. I had to squeeze between the toilet and wall to shut it. I had reserved several days, but when I said I'd be leaving early, they refused to refund the unused nights. They justified it by charging triple the advertised room rate. Trust me, don't stay here.

We could bike to the Unbound starting line on quiet residential streets with little traffic, so the location worked really well for our four-day gravel race trip. The room was spacious, the bed was great, and the service was awesome. It was a perfect place for the adventure, and I'd stay again.