Studio City Universal Apartments

All I could smell was urine and cigarettes. I’ve stayed at much better hotels elsewhere for the same price, and this place needs to be torn down and rebuilt. I initially thought the woman was nice, but she was very rude. When I asked for air freshener because the smell was horrible, she accused me of smoking inside. I don’t smoke and I’m allergic to secondhand smoke. Stay somewhere else for a few more bucks.

My single room at "Universal Inn" cost $80, and it wasn’t worth it. Google maps listed $50 a night, but even that’s too much for this dump. It was like a dim jail cell, with stained sheets and sticky carpet. The back window wouldn’t lock, so I propped it shut with my comb. There was a gap in the front window, and a huge moth got in. The hot water ran out ten minutes into my shower, and the curtain let water all over the bathroom. The soap was clearly from "Mandalay Bay Resorts and Casino." I guess that’s not bad, but it was weird. Everything about the motel is ugly. The receptionist wouldn’t take credit, but there was an ATM right beside him where you could withdraw cash for a $3.50 fee. Spend a little more and go elsewhere.

We left and found another place, and then the receptionist cancelled our Booking reservation even though we had already paid. We never got a refund. You also have to pay in cash, and the man behind the reception window made no effort to explain anything. The room was filthy and smelled bad, with a hole in the wall and a bathroom and toilet with no door. The window wouldn't close properly, with half of it apparently replaced by a piece of wood. I didn't feel safe there, and highway traffic was easy to hear. For a place like this, it was way too expensive. Don't go.

There were lots of homeless people around the parking area, and I never felt comfortable here. The room smelled of cigarettes, one light didn't work, and there wasn't even a garbage can. The window was broken, as was the room's locked door, which looked as if someone had forced it. We were looking for a cheap stay, but it wasn't worth what we paid. Unwelcoming place. Stay away.