Travelodge by Wyndham Fargo

The way checkout was handled was invasive and awkward. I had completed online checkout for 11am, and we had already told the hotel twice that we were leaving then. Still, a worker called the room to ask if we were leaving at 11, and at 10:20 a housekeeper walked in while my partner and I were having coffee in bed. We had to tell her we were still there, with 40 minutes left before checkout. It felt rude and unprofessional. The room and building were in rough shape too. The property looked old, rusty, and uncared for. Hair was stuck to the blankets, including a whole clump we only saw when we got into bed, so I used a comforter from my car instead. The bathroom had mold on the shower curtain and a stain at the top that looked like blood. The shower didn't work because the lever was broken. When I called the front desk, the response was just, "no problem, thanks for letting us know," even though I expected a working shower for $70 a night. Our key stopped working twice, and we had to get a worker to let us in. They did apologize the second time. This whole weekend was the worst and weirdest hotel experience I've had. It felt like a run-down motel worth around $30 a night, but I paid $250 for three nights. The hotel and room need to be much better for that price. I'm not coming back, though at least it's an absurd story.

The room was affordable, fairly quiet, and the staff were friendly. The location is good, though there are lots of nearby hotels to choose from. Still, I've stayed here back when it was a Comfort Inn, and it was definitely nicer then. The new flooring and air conditioner are there, but the walls look like they haven't been painted in years, which might help with the smell. It was the mustiest hotel room we've ever had, beyond just an old cigarette odor. There wasn't even a coffee maker in the room, something I've never seen before.

For a quick work trip, this was a pleasant surprise. The desk in the room made late work easier, the Wi-Fi was reliable, and the bed was really comfortable for a mid-range hotel. Check-in took less than 3 minutes. Staff were polite without hovering, and I liked grabbing breakfast to go. I'll book again if work brings me back to Fargo.

I picked the Travelodge because it cost less, so I wasn't expecting much, but it suited me perfectly. The room was spacious with a comfortable mattress, and the whole building was very clean. Even near the freeway, my room was exceptionally quiet. Breakfast was simple, but welcome, and the staff were warm and friendly.