Bama Inn

What a mess. They couldn’t find my reservation at check-in, so I had to pay the walk-up rate. The ceiling was missing tiles, the tub was covered in cigarette burns, the TV reception was terrible, and the microwave didn’t work. At 5 p.m. there were no bath towels, hand towels, or washcloths in the room. Some finally arrived at 7. It seemed like weekly rentals were going on, and it was loud all night. One of the worst places I’ve ever encountered.

Police were there all night. I saw someone kick in a door, there were roaches everywhere, and my friend got tased.

We only stayed because it was late and we were stuck. By the next day, we’d checked out and found a much better place for about the same price and in the same location. The room smelled of mold and misery, and there were cigarette burns and holes in everything, even the lampshades and towels. The “king” bed was barely queen-sized and had just one pillow. The tub wasn’t big enough for a toddler, the shower head was broken, and there was no hot water. We booked through a hotel site, and I honestly think they’d stop listing this place if they knew how bad it was. It looked like it hadn’t been updated since the ’80s, but I tried not to judge by appearances. The quality makes no sense for the price and location, unless the owners simply don’t care and are selfish.

We booked a smoking room more than a month ahead through Revolut for $51 including taxes. At check-in, the woman at the desk looked at us like we were trash and said it wasn’t her problem, that only a non-smoking room was available for $69, and we could take it or leave it. We paid extra for something we hadn’t asked for, then found ourselves in what felt like a crime scene furnished as a room. It was disgustingly dirty, with sticky surfaces, an overpowering smell, and strange stains on the sheets. We got one towel for three people in Alabama in summer. Outside, there were lots of drunk people, possibly people on drugs, and a general feeling that we might get robbed or worse that night. This felt like a health hazard, not a motel. It should be shut down by health authorities and fumigated. If you care about your health, sanity, or basic dignity, don’t even slow down near Bama Inn.