Motel 6-Fayetteville, AR

We left a day early because we didn’t feel safe, and the whole stay was incredibly stressful. We’d been displaced by the tornado, with a tree in our roof, and then had to deal with rude treatment, a shower that dripped and looked awful, and a parking lot full of people who seemed drunk, high, or were acting erratically. Police were there constantly for drunk people trying to get into rooms. The pool wasn’t open and didn’t look likely to open soon. I asked that our room not be cleaned because we had a lot of things inside and wanted some privacy. After I kept asking for the manager’s card, ASBIN finally gave it to me, but repeatedly said I could leave if I wanted privacy. He also told me, “if you want privacy you can check out now,” even though I’d paid for a week. The housekeeper burst the door open without knocking or announcing herself, nearly breaking the hook lock and scaring my kids badly. After ASBIN realized I was calling the manager, he called our room and said, on the manager’s instructions, they wouldn’t come in, but we had to leave on checkout day and couldn’t come back. Then someone removed all the towels and toilet paper from our room.

It’s a very run-down place, with lots of broken things and parts falling apart. The toilets feel like they might tip when you sit on them, and the walls and floors look as if they’ve never been bleached or mopped. For a dirt-cheap motel, you expect some of that, but they’re now claiming it’s newly renovated even though it still looks neglected and nothing seems to have been repaired or replaced.

There were holes in the walls, about an inch of space around the door for insects, and the TV didn’t work. The tub had plaster patches all over it. We got a same-day refund and left within five minutes of checking in. The clerk was friendly, which was the one good thing.

I stayed for three weeks, and it was quiet the whole time. For the price, I was happy to find a room that was as clean as you’d hope. The desk gave me space to put in serious computer hours, and the internet was the fastest I’ve ever had at a hotel. It could handle the big virtual interface I use for work, though it slowed down between 5 and 7 p.m. before picking back up. The staff were nice and willing to work with me, even though I booked through a third party. I didn’t run into the crime, roaches, bed bugs, or bad attitudes that some negative reviewers mentioned. I cooked and kept the fridge stocked, so I guess I got lucky.