Red Lion Inn & Suites Everett

The staff's attention to guests impressed me. I asked the front desk for batteries around a shift change, and at first I thought the request might have been forgotten. When I came back to the lobby later, the new staff member knew my name, apologized for the wait, and said they'd bring them to my room after helping the guests checking in. That kind of communication between shifts was great to see. The hotel itself was clean, comfortable, and well run. There are a few small signs of everyday wear in busy areas, like scuffs, but nothing that affected my stay. Some of the negative reviews don't match what I experienced.

We arrived at 10:30 p.m. with our infant, after I had called at 6:30 to confirm that we could check in until midnight without making prior arrangements. I had booked a king accessibility suite for my family, but was first told there was no room because housekeeping hadn't cleaned all the rooms before leaving. My husband was then told they'd given the last room to someone who wasn't paying. After he and the front desk worker called the manager, we got a room at the rate I'd paid through the website. Nobody checked either of our IDs to confirm the booking or that we were over 21. We were also given conflicting explanations about why our room wasn't available. The room we got had two queen beds, which might have been fine if our infant didn't also need space in bed. No one told us it wasn't the room we'd requested. Later, I was told they didn't sell bottled water. When I bought something, the employee loudly said my room number several times while a male guest was in the room. As a young woman with an infant, I felt that was unsafe and unacceptable. I also had to get a plunger myself from the employee bathroom. In the morning I asked to speak to the manager, but the employee said they didn't know his number and that I should call the hotel. I called, and nobody answered. The manager needs to retrain housekeeping, the person who gave away our room, and the employee who announced my room number.

I trusted the Red Lion name and needed somewhere near the college for my child's sports event, but this place felt unsafe with my two small kids. We arrived late and had to get to bed, so there wasn't time to find another hotel. The parking lot was full of trash, and everyone I saw in the lobby looked homeless. Our room was filthy, with dirty-looking sheets, an alarmingly sticky floor, and beer caps on the windowsills. There was loud banging from the room above us. It's not family-friendly, and after reading earlier reviews about drug dealers and frightening people on the property, I was tempted to wake the kids and leave. Other reviews complain about dirty rooms, and the replies say they're working on the problem, but I saw no sign it had been fixed. The Red Lion name feels misleading here. I've stayed in better Motel 6s. In the morning, we came downstairs and found a shirtless homeless man sleeping on the office couch. I wish I'd read the reviews before booking.

The low price is why we've stayed at Red Lion three times, but the rooms are dirty. The floors aren't mopped, and nobody cleans under the beds. The sinks clog with food, even though the rooms have microwaves and fridges but no kitchen sinks. Service feels odd and sometimes shady, like staff are up to something. I've left missing random belongings, including a pair of shoes. Once, I put the lever on the metal latch in place and went to shower. When I came back, the molding around the latch looked damaged, as if someone had kicked it in. I've also seen what looked like views from inside rooms facing outward on screens in the camera room, where staff appear to watch and listen. If you wait at the front desk without ringing the bell or saying anything, someone comes out of there to help after a minute or so. They may offer good rates for longer stays, but if you stay too long, the boss seems to invent arguments to kick you out, often on a Friday when rates go up. Lock your things with latches and extra locks, leave someone in the room, and put cameras at the doors to see who's coming in. If you want to cheat room for a night, check it out. Honestly, the Motel 6 is probably better, or spend a little more for the waterfront hotel on Marineview drive.