Econo Lodge Livingston Gateway to Yellowstone

We walked in without a booking, looking for somewhere pet-friendly for the night, and the front desk staff were really helpful. For all three of our cats it was only $30, while nearby places either wouldn't take cats or wanted another $150. Our room was clean and had no odor, with a hot shower, working TV, fridge, and microwave. The complimentary breakfast was pretty good for such an affordable place. It's not especially modern or fancy, but it was clean, felt safe, had useful amenities, and the service was good. Great value for the price.

I hardly ever leave a review, especially a bad one, and I'm usually easygoing. But paying nearly $300 made me expect a fairly nice hotel. I understand rates can be higher in the area, but this stay was hard to justify at that price. Outside, there were weeds and trash, and the hallway carpet looked old and heavily worn. Two lamps in the room didn't work, the TV remote was broken, and the TV only had basic coax cable, no HD. Breakfast wasn't ready on time, and I could smell smoke from another room. At $80 I wouldn't have minded as much. The one plus: hot coffee was available on tap.

We left. When we pulled back the sheets and mattress pad, there were more stains across the mattress, and the man who brought the balled-up sheets said he couldn't help us. We'd already found multiple blood stains on the sheets and pad while checking for bed bugs, though there weren't any bugs. The hallway smelled awful when we arrived, and the front desk said there was no other room. When we asked if someone could replace the bedding, the woman said she was working alone and might get to it if she had time. About ten minutes later, a man delivered just one set of sheets, crumpled rather than folded. It was late and we weren't sure we'd find anywhere else, but that was enough. It was the most disgusting room I've ever seen, and completely unsanitary.

Breakfast had a decent selection: yogurt, cream cheese, milk, bagels, muffins, and coffee. The serving space is quite small, especially during the first hour. The rooms themselves are spacious and have a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and TV, but the bathroom fittings are dated and need updating. There was an unpleasant smell when we entered, and the building exterior needs a lot of cosmetic work for its peeling and faded paint.