Americas Best Value Inn Marion, NC

Good prices, a clean room, and helpful service from a very nice man. I’ve stayed here without a single problem.

My mom and I both got really sick while we were there, and our dogs were throwing up. Maybe it was the moldy bathroom, or who knows what drugs had been in there. The place felt sketchy, the pool was black, stagnant water that smelled awful, and I saw two cockroaches. I have pictures, though I don’t know how to post them here. Even the smoke detector was orange with residue in our non-smoking room. The owner was incredibly rude, with no customer service skills. He forced his way in to “check our floors,” then insisted we leave the next day so he could clean them, even though I’d brought my own vacuum. There’s a reason it’s so cheap. I’d spend $15 more a night at the place across the road.

The room felt sketchy, and the “pool” was black, stagnant water with the worst smell I’ve ever encountered. I saw two cockroaches, and my mom and I felt very sick while we were there. Our dogs got worms. It was supposed to be a non-smoking room, but the smoke detector was orange from residue. The bathroom door wouldn’t close properly, and the chain lock wasn’t installed right, so it couldn’t latch. The owner Mike was extremely rude and had no customer service skills. He forced his way in to “check our floors,” then demanded we let him clean them the next day, even though I’d brought my own vacuum. To be clear in reply to the owner, I’m not upset that you wanted to clean the room. I’m upset that you didn’t ask and demanded entry.

The bed was really comfortable, and I got decent sleep despite the loud AC and its clicking in the middle of the night. The property was quiet, with maybe three or four cars there, and I didn’t need to look for ice or vending machines since I had ice in my cooler. Still, this is an older motel that needs a lot of care. The person I dealt with didn’t seem very hospitable, and next time I’m in the area I’ll most likely find somewhere else. I know running a small motel is a lot of work, so I try to give places the benefit of the doubt. A family member of mine runs one in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico. I booked online through the parent company, Sonesta, a couple of weeks before my trip. I clearly remember making the reservation and seeing it on the Sonesta website, but when I went to find the details last week, there was nothing in my email. I called the motel and was told the booking had been cancelled. I don’t know how, since I hadn’t cancelled it. The man took my details and said there’d be a room ready when I arrived. I picked America's Best Value because it accepted pets, and nearly all the other pet-friendly places I checked were already booked. When I arrived Friday afternoon, the office was empty and the lobby door was locked. A sign said to use the wall phone, but it didn’t work and sounded unplugged. A man came over from the room block a moment later. I told him I was checking in and gave my name through the glass. He asked for my ID and credit card, then passed a clipboard with a small slip of paper through the drawer for me to read and sign. We barely spoke. He gave me the total and mentioned a $50 deposit because I had my dog. I was expecting the pet fee and understood the deposit. I paid and got only the credit card machine slip. When I asked if the $50 was refundable, he said yes. Then I got my keys and drove round back to the room. There was a musty smell with a strong cigarette odor, which I notice because I don’t smoke. The AC was quite loud. I checked the bed and room for bugs and didn’t see any. There was hair in the sink and tub, and the counter didn’t look properly wiped down, so I sprayed everything heavily with my Odorban to help with the smell. I also found the phone in a bedside drawer, along with what looked like two TUMS. I usually unplug the phone to avoid random calls. The alarm clock beside the TV seemed unplugged because its display was blank, and I left it alone. The lamps and ceiling looked dusty, I wasn’t sure the wall smoke detector worked, and the bathroom vent fan didn’t work. At checkout, no one was in the office, so I called the motel from my phone. I asked for an itemized bill, but was told there wasn’t one. All I got was the card slip with the total, with no breakdown of taxes, fees, or other charges. I asked again about the $50 deposit and how long the refund would take. This time I was told I hadn’t been charged it. I handed over my keys and headed home.