Econo Lodge Killeen near Fort Hood

The one nice surprise was a spotted house gecko that seemed happy to eat insects. At least I didn't see roaches in this room. Everything else was awful. The floor was the only clean part; towels and covers were stained, the walls had who knows what on them, and the paint looked questionable. The shower looked like it had been repurposed several times, and the furniture seemed overdue for replacement by about a decade. The smoke detector was disconnected and didn't work. This is not somewhere I'd stay again. They should have health inspectors come and shut it down.

I booked through Price Line a few hours before arriving, then got there around five minutes before 10 pm. The reception doors were locked, nobody was inside, and no one answered when I called from the window phone. I waited for several minutes, then had to book another hotel and wasn't refunded. The listing had said only a few rooms were left, but the parking lot was empty except for my vehicle and one other. Something doesn't seem right. Don't book or stay there.

I stayed a week in a smoking room, and the service was awful. The advertised free breakfast was unappealing on the one morning they opened: half a bowl of corn flakes, about half a cup from the coffee dispenser, no juice, and cold, moist bread that seemed like it had come from the freezer. Room service wasn't offered by anyone. There was only a three-hour window for towel exchange, and I once waited half a day because smoking and non-smoking laundry was handled separately and there were so few towels. On day five I handed in my bed covers to be exchanged, but they weren't coming back until the next day, so I slept without bedding. I found an online rate and tried to pay online for the discount, but was told I'd have to move my belongings and wait until 3 pm to check in. I ended up paying more. I've had better hospitality in a county jail than at this CHOICE HOTEL. If you enjoy being treated badly, this may be your spot. Anyone wanting a comfortable place after work or vacation for themselves or family should avoid it. I have photos of the dining room locked at 6:30 am. Choice Hotels have fallen far from their franchise standards.

For what I paid, the stay felt like fair value. The breakfast was lacking, but I could buy my own milk for cereal, and it finishes at 8 am, which is too early for me anyway. The walls and floors could have been cleaner, though I figured I could take care of that myself for this price. I gave it a try despite the reviews, and didn't see or hear any of the crickets people mentioned.