Days Inn by Wyndham Melbourne

I felt ashamed to have spent even one night here, and I warn American patriots against giving this hotel their hard-earned dollars. I’m a born-and-raised American with 16 years in the military and three deployments to four different Middle Eastern countries, and I can’t agree with this business model. Check-in was through what was basically an ATM, with a live video link to a person I described as Hindu. I asked why check-in was handled through an “ATM Machine,” but the clerk didn’t answer. Customer service all runs through that machine: I paid for the room and got my receipt and key card from it. Later, when I couldn’t connect to the hotel Wi-Fi, I brought my laptop to the front desk and still had to get help through the machine, from another person I described as Hindu. This isn’t a racist issue, but I don’t think people thousands of miles away, in another time zone, should handle local hotel problems. The chain is trying to save money by outsourcing customer service, and in the hotel business I don’t think that’s smart.

The Nextap kiosk made check-in incredibly easy, and Sherry made the welcome feel special. She was so warm and lovely. It was a seamless, friendly start to my stay, and it felt great to be treated so well right at the door.

The owner came up to the front and got me checked in early, speeding things along. He’s a wonderful man, and I can see why he has such a great staff. Everything exceeded expectations, with no complaints from me. Ten out of ten. I’d definitely stay here again and recommend the property to others.

Update, second day: I’m in my third room now. I refused to sleep in another crunchy bed, so they moved me again. The sheets looked clean at first, but I kept waking up itchy and found translucent bugs on both beds and crawling on the nightstand. I wish I could post the video, but I have a picture. Someone’s used bar of soap was also left in the shower. When I complained, a staff member said some people arrive dirty and bring things in, and they can’t be responsible for everything. They moved me to a nearby room, had a maid give it a quick tidy, and put someone new in there within a few hours. I didn’t see fresh sheets or anything going in or out, so it seems like they aren’t changing things in the rooms. I couldn’t find bugs or stains in my current room, but there was dried food stuck in the mini fridge and what looked like someone’s dried booger smeared on the wall by the bed. I don’t trust the cleaning, so I bought sheets and bug spray at Walmart. Four days left, hopefully no more updates. Staff don’t care. Check-in wasn’t like at a normal hotel. People appeared on a TV screen from somewhere else, checked me in, and a kiosk dispensed my receipt and key cards. The first room smelled bad and had nasty, crunchy stains on the sheets. They didn’t change them, just made the bed. They changed my room, but the sheets were dirty again, though not crunchy, and bugs were crawling around. I’ve got five days left here.