La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fort Walton Beach

The room was clean, nice, and spacious, and breakfast was good, though the same items were served every day. They brought fresh towels daily but didn't change the sheets or make the bed. Service was very good, and I'd stay again if I were passing through.

The room was musty and moldy when I arrived, and with the air conditioning off, my allergies reacted right away. I checked in well after midnight and had meetings the next day, but the internet kept disconnecting every 5-10 minutes while I was using a VPN, so I couldn't get real work done. The TV was so small you had to sit on the edge of the bed to watch, and it was bolted in place so you couldn't adjust the angle. At checkout, the front desk was dealing with a customer arguing about the pet deposit while holding her dog. I waited 30 minutes, left my keycards, and asked them to mail the receipt. I'm still waiting for it. This is the worst hotel I've stayed in. I believed the reviews, and that's on me. LaQuinta used to be a good low-cost hotel, but after this stay I wouldn't stay at another one. One-star hotel.

For work I travel around the Southeast and stay in hotels most weekdays, keeping a list of places worth returning to. I try to stay under $80, and this one made the list even though it was 64 cents over budget. The rooms were very clean, service was prompt, and the continental breakfast was decent. Thanks, I'll come back when I'm in town overnight.

A German cockroach was crawling around this morning, confirming how neglected and dirty the room felt from the moment we arrived. The room felt unsafe and unsanitary, and it ruined the stay immediately. A hotel that can't manage basic cleanliness shouldn't be charging guests. Management should be embarrassed, and people should be warned. Save yourself the disgust and stay somewhere else.