Studio 6 Suites Lexington, Kentucky

I wouldn't recommend this “motel” unless you're absolutely desperate. The front desk admitted after I'd checked in that the room shouldn't have been available because the previous guest had left it as a biohazard. It was filthy and infested with bugs, and the manager didn't care. The bugs in the picture outside were what I swept out of the room with a broom I had to buy.

We ended up leaving and driving home because the place was so bad. When I explained why at checkout, the woman barely reacted, just asked for our room number and went back to her phone. The room smelled like urine when we walked in, and the toilet wasn't clean, so my husband had to scrub it. We bought cleaning supplies at Walmart, but the toilet paper holder was pulling out of the wall. There was trouble outside too. A woman first used the phone in our room without asking, then asked my daughter-in-law for a T-shirt and me for a cigarette. We got back from Kentucky Horse Park later and someone had parked in front of our room with rap music blasting. The windows vibrated, and the place smelled of pot. With the horse race in Lexington bringing what felt like a rough crowd around, we wish we'd checked out sooner. It's a nice community, so I'm surprised this hotel is nearby. Don't waste your money.

We couldn't stay the night and went back to our own home. My father-in-law had switched hotels for this visit, and regretted it as soon as he opened the room door. My fiancé and I usually spend the night with him when he visits, but this time the room made that impossible. There was chewed gum stuck to the nightstand, which we laughed off since the place already looked rough outside. Then the bed felt like springs with no mattress, and when I turned on the bathroom light, five huge cockroaches ran toward me. More were crawling by the toilet. While we gathered our things, I saw blood and other stains on the sheets, plus what looked like bed bug droppings. The free Wi-Fi barely got one bar, wouldn't load anything, and disconnected after about a minute despite having an access code. I know people want an affordable getaway, but I'd reconsider booking here. The Marriott across the street looks much nicer from outside and advertises great features.

The two women at the front desk were a real plus. They went out of their way to help and accommodate me. I liked the roomy bathroom and the table with two chairs, and housekeeping waited until 11 to knock, which worked well. There were three of us, and we had three towels and two washcloths. The sheets were clean, though the floor could've used a better sweep and mop. At check-in, the non-smoking room smelled of cigarette smoke, but after running the AC for several hours it cleared. I stayed a couple of days and would come back.