Travelodge by Wyndham Evanston

The air conditioner worked, and the bedding looked clean, but the thin pillows made sleeping uncomfortable. There were clean white towels, though the black washcloths were dirty and stained. The room’s power setup looked unsafe: a power strip was strapped to the headboard, and the TV and other electronics used an old, dirty-looking strip taped to the wall with a piece of metal pipe tape. The fridge, microwave, and coffee maker shared an extension cord secured above the wall heater. The carpet looked new, but the furniture was mismatched, old, stained, or damaged. The outside door was extremely hard to unlock with the key card, and I noticed the neighboring room had a different type of lock. In the bathroom, the door was warped and damaged, with an old brass-colored handle outside and a new silver one inside. Trim was missing, the frame had rust stains, and there may have been water damage on the wall beside the tub. The grout around the tub was dirty and broken. The tub’s soap dish was an old toilet paper holder, and multi-use shampoo and soap dispensers were attached to the shower wall. Travel lodge Motel, disgusting and dangerous.

The rooms were clean, if a little dated, and the floors were lumpy, but it wasn’t a big deal. We faced the freeway and heard the traffic, though it didn’t keep us from sleeping well. I appreciated the desk agent and the care put into the continental breakfast room. I’d stay here again.

The room was comfortable, with plenty of pillows and towels, and there was even a Roku to stream on. The owners seem to have put a lot of care into fixing up the hotel, with thoughtful little touches in the room. Staff were friendly, and the easy interstate access made this a convenient stop on our trip. Great value for a low-key budget hotel.

I’m here right now, and the staff have been really friendly. The room is a good size and has a fridge, microwave, and complimentary snack tray. As a smoker, I was glad to get a smoking room. There are lots of food options nearby, the rates are great, and I’m impressed with the place, especially for the price. I travel for work and stay in hotels often. Great job, staff.