Zen Living Suites Extended Stay - Jacksonville - University Blvd

I’d give it zero stars if I could. The website said check-in was at 3, but when I arrived at 3:15 they couldn’t say when my room would be ready. I waited nearly two hours, then got a disgusting room with a stinky carpet, a filthy bathroom, and water leaking into the bathtub all night. None of the nice things on the website turned out to be true. Very disappointed. NEVER COMING BACK.

The room was depressingly awful: dirty, with no TV or Wi-Fi. A tissue was stuck in the broken door viewer, and there was dirt above the door. The door wasn’t hung properly and had missing insulation, which made me think the room hadn’t been cleaned well. I never saw maid service. A group of teens sat on the steps at all hours, making it hard to get to my room. People repeatedly knocked on my door or window, or ran past, waking me up. The cold AC was so loud it sounded like a wind storm all night. The bed was very uncomfortable, and the electrical sockets were broken, so my phone charger fell out. At least three rooms had large dogs barking at each other. This felt less like a hotel than an expensive refugee camp, without the charm.

The staff were nice and helpful from start to finish. I’d called a few days ahead with questions after seeing the reviews, and their answers made me feel better about the place. I explained how particular my mom is about cleanliness when we arrived, and they were willing to make changes if needed. We didn’t need any, but we inspected every inch of the room. We’d booked two nights and stayed one because we spent the last night with family. That had nothing to do with the hotel. For the price, it was fine, and better than some places at the same rate. Hope this helps! There was plenty to like: the beds were clean and comfortable, with no little critters when we lifted the sheets to check. The flat-screen TV worked, the Wi-Fi was great, and the bathroom sink was separate from the toilet and shower. Shower temperature and pressure were good, and the AC and heat worked perfectly. The room had a microwave and mini fridge, an outlet by the bed with USB ports, good lighting, and nice mirrors for selfies. There was coffee in the lobby, plus a few food spots such as Burger King, Taco bell, Dunkin Doughnuts, and gas stations a short walk away. A few things were missing or imperfect. They don’t serve breakfast, and the pool wasn’t in service. There was no hair dryer, the fridge had a burn mark inside, and the microwave was missing its glass plate. We had to go to the front desk for a TV remote. The bathroom fan had no switch, and the small in-room coffee machine had no pot. Renovations were happening on the opposite side of the building, so they didn’t bother us. The carpets had been vacuumed but definitely need a deep cleaning. I have asthma, and it was hard to breathe in the room unless we opened the door for fresh air. There was only someone at the desk from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., so outside those hours we couldn’t speak to a person in the building if there was a problem or for checkout.

I canceled my stay and got an emailed receipt showing a credit and a zero balance. But my account was charged for the reserved days plus one extra day. I haven’t been able to reach the motel, though I have all the paperwork. Some amenities weren’t working, and they wanted $75 in cash before I could get the rooms. This isn’t right.