Ramona Motel

Once I got past my first impression of the neighborhood, I checked in and found a tiny but comfortable room with no bugs. It had a bed, mini fridge, and small table, but no microwave or coffee maker. The AC worked well, and the room seemed to have been updated fairly recently. The other guests were a cool mix of people from around the world, mostly younger travelers on a budget. There’s a $150 deposit, which is returned if there’s no damage. I got mine back about four days later. It’s reasonably central for attractions and fine if you just need somewhere cheap to crash. Keep your expectations in line with the price.

The front desk woman was really friendly, and our room looked nice and was very clean. But the bed was unbelievably hard, with no give at all. Honestly, a carpeted floor might have been more comfortable. Someone in the next room was moaning and screaming all night, too. If you want a good night’s sleep, I’d stay somewhere else.

At least it gives you a place to sleep, but the room is tiny and there’s barely any floor space, even with double beds. The bed had springs I could feel, and you only get one little towel per person. Asking the front office for more won’t help, and the staff weren’t very nice. There’s no housekeeping, which I didn’t entirely mind because I’d worry about things being stolen. It’s in a lower-income area, so keep your belongings secure. The listing says Universal is 9 miles away, but getting to Universal Studios takes more like 30-40 minutes. Parking is poor, too. A small car is best, and even then you might not get a space next to the hotel. At least there were no bed bugs, which is why I gave it two stars instead of one. Good luck.

The bed and pillows were good, and the night clerk and morning maid were nice. The rest didn’t work for me. There’s no closet, no courtesy late wake-up, not even for an hour, and people regularly smoke in the rooms. They charge for the room plus a $150 deposit. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.