Motel 6-Fresno, CA - Blackstone South

The staff were really nice, especially Yesli, who went out of her way to find me the best weekly rate. I did see a few roaches, though it wasn't enough to make a huge issue of it. The beds, on the other hand, were awful.

We stayed here for two weeks with my kids because we had nowhere else to go, and it was a horrible experience. The guests yelled day and night, which made the place feel like jail, and people could come and go through the gates. Our room had loads of bugs and flies, the plumbing was terrible, and they didn't clean every day. The lights went out daily, and neither the microwave nor the refrigerator worked properly. My daughter woke up on the first night with her eyes swollen shut. The pool was green and filthy, and they just poured bleach into it. Absolutely the worst stay, and I'd never stay at any Motel 6 again.

I was only there to sleep and shower, so the rough neighborhood didn't bother me much. The room was clean enough to sleep in, though I brought my own blanket and pillow and slept on top of my blanket, wrapped in it. There is a gate, but locals wait for someone to come or go and then walk or drive right through, so it can give a false sense of security. Sirens and loud residents also made sleep difficult.

The office staff were great, and the security guard seemed to keep things quiet and safe. No one was hanging around the halls or causing trouble. Our first room smelled strongly of human urine, and the replacement reeked of smoke despite being non-smoking. We were exhausted, so we aired it out and stayed. Some towels should be thrown away, and there was no shampoo. In the morning we noticed both smoke detectors were covered with plastic and a towel, and told the office because that's a safety issue. It's a cheap hotel, but you can tell they're trying to make it better and safer.