Parkway Inn

The rate was low, and the motel looked okay from outside, but the room was dark, damaged, and very outdated. It was missing drawers and had only one towel per person. The shower curtain was dirty, and the bathroom door wouldn't close because the threshold was broken. There were several cockroaches in the room. Outside, children ran in front of the room, and people were noisy and smoking pot. The AC pulled that smell inside and made a lot of noise. The exterior advertised continental breakfast, but the front desk said they had stopped serving it.

I just needed somewhere to sleep for one night in Fresno, and the stay turned out better than I'd expected for the area. The neighborhood seemed a little rough, but the hotel courtyard is gated and there's private security keeping watch. The staff were kind and accommodating, including with a last-minute late checkout. It seemed family owned. There was also a very friendly, well-fed-looking cat hanging around the office. A good stay overall.

For a motel costing $50 or less, the room was clean enough, though dated, and the bed was quite firm. I checked it for bugs before bringing in our things and didn't find any. The TV was very old, but I didn't care and never turned it on. At night the location felt questionable, with random people hanging around. They didn't hurt anyone, but I stayed alert. Around 4:30 a.m. I woke to someone banging on the neighbors' door and windows. It was a little frightening, but nothing came of it. Fine if you just need a place to sleep.

They promptly refunded our money without any trouble, which was the one good thing. The rest was a waste of time, and this place shouldn't cost $50 a night. People outside looked like they were dealing drugs, but against my better judgment we went to the room anyway. There was dirt and filth everywhere, stains on the carpet, and I'm certain the linens hadn't been changed since the last guest. Roaches crawling all over the walls were the worst part. To me, if they aren't afraid of light or people, they've probably been there a long time. I can't believe there's no option for zero stars. Be aware of this place.