Quality Inn on Lake Placid Lake Placid

We used to love coming here. For ten years, we stayed several times a year while finishing the Adirondack 46, and last year the Lakeside House was another great stay with our dog. This visit felt like a disappointment at an old favorite. I thought I’d booked the Lakeside, but we ended up in a mediocre room in the main building. The shower was the worst I’ve had in a hotel, with every joint leaking, and the door’s security bar was barely attached to the wall. Staff came across as indifferent. They said the Lakehouse had no rooms, though it looked empty both nights. Maybe they’re short-staffed and trying to keep guests in fewer buildings, but it was still frustrating. I hope they get things together, though next time we’ll look at other places too. They also charged a $50 pet fee. That’s a lot compared with the $15 fee at the Quality Inn Albany, where I’m staying tonight.

The pool and hot tub were a lot of fun, and neither was crowded when I went. Breakfast was the usual continental kind. It’s a cozy place with no surprises, and you get what you pay for. The man at the front desk impressed me by stopping what he was doing to get us into our room early. I’d consider staying again when I’m nearby.

We never stayed, but they still wouldn’t refund us. We’d booked a pet-friendly room through Priceline and prepaid for our dog, yet on arrival they wanted another $50 per night for our six-pound dog. Then they told us to wait until the 4 p.m. check-in time. While we waited in the parking lot, a family rushed out of a room gagging, with a plunger in hand after a toilet overflow. Weeds about two feet tall surrounded the room doors. At 4 p.m. we were told the cleaners hadn’t shown up and our room wasn’t ready. We asked to cancel, and the desk gave us a handwritten note saying it wasn’t ready at check-in. We found another hotel, but Quality Inn still won’t refund us. The rooms and staff seem consistently disgusting based on the reviews below. Stay away.

I needed somewhere to stay after my Air BNB ended on 12/21, so I spent three nights here with my two dogs in the little roadside building at the front. The room was clean, though dated: some rust on the front door and wallpaper lifting at the seams. One bed was too soft, the other was fine. The $50 fee for the stay seems cheap and normal to me. Plenty of places charge it per night, and I’ve paid $100 at Marriott. In December, Main St was too far to walk, so I drove a little way and parked for free on Saranac Rd by the Coffee House, about a hundred yards from Main st. My biggest issue was the noise from the room above us. We were on the first floor, and at least one kid upstairs ran around constantly. There were three other open rooms on our level. It sounded like a pogo stick or basketball overhead, and with my TV off I could hear their conversation. The front desk service varied. The young man who was there sometimes seemed unenthusiastic but was efficient. When I returned to get my key card re-coded, the woman working gave me extra dog treats. I say extra because the guy hadn’t given me any at check-in, though it seems guests with dogs usually get a treat bag.