Sunset Inn

After nearly four months there, nobody had said a word to me about the TV. Then housekeeping broke it and tried to pin it on me. I don’t watch TV because I use my own computer monitor, and an old TV’s refresh rate doesn’t work for me. At 8 a.m. I was woken and told to pay $300 or they’d call the police and send me to jail. I asked why the deposit couldn’t cover it and even offered to buy a brand new TV, which was my mistake. They insisted on that particular model, discontinued for more than ten years, and said replacing it would cost at least $300. I called the police non-emergency line and spoke to a pro bono lawyer; they said it was civil unless I’d meant to cause damage. I got the heck out and will never, ever stay there again. I was working two jobs and had nowhere else to live but a hotel. Now I check that the TV works before taking any room. Roaches and mold were everywhere too. After checkout they tried to charge my debit card $200. They spray pesticides early in the morning while you’re trying to sleep, even if you’re allergic to pyrethroids. The free breakfast is a bowl of Cheerios, but you have to ask the desk for milk, and they only allow one bowl. I was threatened with being thrown out for taking a fork after breakfast.

I had to leave right away. I’d just moved here from AZ and was staying temporarily, but the room smelled of mildew, had roaches in the bathroom, spiders in the corners, and bugs in the mattress. Moving furniture revealed things left by previous guests and dirt that hadn’t been cleaned up. Staff were rude, had attitudes, and seemed very judgmental. When I reported issues, they weren’t accommodating and made the customer leave without a refund. They also seemed to look for any reason to keep the deposit. I didn’t feel the environment was safe for children, since all kinds of people were allowed to do illegal activity. I wouldn’t recommend the place at any price.

During my five months there, I had to clean my own room. The toilet often overflowed when I used it, and the second room was full of roaches. The Wi-Fi was very slow, around 5 megabits per second in some cases. My first room smelled like cigarettes despite being designated non-smoking, and the sheets had holes. I was moved after the power stopped working, then told the TV in that first room was broken. I don't watch TV and use a computer monitor instead, so I said it wasn't me. They threatened to call the police unless I paid $200 for an eight-year-old television. If I'd actually broken it, after that experience I still wouldn't have paid. I was also threatened with being kicked out for taking a spoon after breakfast hours. A housekeeper who quit told me they always keep your deposit and pay employees only $9 an hour. They act like this is an American hotel, but it felt grimy. They threatened to call the cops as soon as the issue was reported.

I was staying here for work in the area when a man knocked on my door and insisted on spraying insecticide in my room right away. I explained that I have a breathing problem and that they shouldn't spray while a guest is inside. He said it was a motel, not an apartment, and told me to get my things so they could spray.