AmericInn by Wyndham Maquoketa

They've doubled the prices, but the place keeps going downhill. The staff are rude now, and the rooms are just okay, so don't count on extra toilet paper or Kleenex. The hot tub has been broken for years, and the pool is so cold they don't heat it anymore. Breakfast used to be good, but when they know there'll be a lot of people, they make less.

We'd stay again. The room was nice and clean, the beds were good, and the staff were really helpful and friendly. There isn't much to choose from here, though, and a few things could use attention: the shower body wash was empty, the bathroom fan needs cleaning, and the light fixtures need dusting. We only had half a roll of toilet paper, but the front desk gave me more when I asked. That's why I landed on 4 out of 5, even after reading mixed reviews about the staff, rooms, and beds.

The next room wasn't much better: stained bedding, piles of dead flies on the windowsill, and a bathroom door that couldn't open all the way because it hit the shower curtain rod. There weren't any towels when we went to the pool, either. In our first room, there was trash on the floor, and when we turned on the heater, something started burning and the smoke detectors went off. I called the desk, and staff came down and could smell the burnt odor, though I'd already turned the heater off. I basically had to beg to be moved. The place is pretty outdated, and there seemed to be just one staff member working. It wasn't a great stay, though I've had worse. We travel with kids, and this is the only place in town with a pool.

The owners were nice, but the hotel itself was just okay. Don't make the free breakfast the reason you book. There was an egg patty, Twinkies and Hostess cupcakes with the bread and bagels, and the bagels were hard. The cupcakes and Twinkies were way past their date. We ended up going to the Kwik Star next door.