Shale Lodge

The staff are very customer focused, and I've felt at home here. The neighborhood is clean, the parking lot is well lit, and I feel safe leaving my vehicle there. They've even driven me to and from the airport in the middle of the night for an early flight out of Hobbs. There are spacious rooms with comfortable beds and satellite TV. Breakfast is always on time and very good, and they provide three meals a day, including a packed lunch if you need one. They also do laundry for free, so my clothes get washed every week without a charge. For the money, this is the place.

I'm amazed this place has stayed open all these years. There's blood on the lighting plates, dirty towels stuffed into two closets, holes in the drywall, and a warped entry floor from rain. It smells like a moldy mop was used to clean, and there's a science experiment growing in the fridge from the last guest. Besides all that, it's just lovely.

The best thing is the location, with Walmart, Albertsons, and lots of restaurants just down the street. The rooms are a mixed bag: most are fine, but I've also seen one with a door that wouldn't lock, and others that looked like a drunken brawl had happened, with a broken desk barely standing and loose light fixtures without bulbs. Food quality changes from night to night. Sometimes it's good, other times I wouldn't feed it to my dogs. The juice from the machine is basically colored water. The sack lunches can have stale bread, and the sandwiches may be just two slices with a little peanut butter and jelly. Breakfast has no variety. I know times are tough, but the owners seem extremely cheap.

The staff make it feel welcoming. They learn your name and really try to make you comfortable, which adds to the value here, along with parking and being close to everything in town. For the price, the included meals and laundry are a big part of what makes this worthwhile. Dinner and breakfast change regularly, and you can sign up for a takeout lunch, which is ready the next morning. There's a laundry hamper, and the front office will wash what you bring them. I've not seen many places do that. If you're going to be in the area for a while, I'd recommend staying here.