Del Rio Hotel O near Mesa Downtown

We paid almost $300 for two nights at Del Rio Lodge, then were asked for a $40 deposit before we had even seen the room. For that price, I expected basic cleanliness and upkeep. There was nothing to suggest they had put even $4 toward either. The room made me feel sick. The pillowcase looked moldy, and underneath it was a blood stain. We took it off and left the room so I could get fresh air before throwing up. The bathroom had hair in the tub, stained towels, what looked like mold or mildew along the seams, splatters on the walls, and corners that seemed not to have seen cleaning products since the early 2000s. Elsewhere, there was wall damage, loose cables, debris on the furniture, marks that looked like water damage, a grimy stove, and an oven with a damaged heating element that seemed one spark away from a fire department training video. On our way back from trying to find food, a man who clearly stays at the property asked where he could find meth. It was off the property, but that was the last straw. We saw him walk back into the lodge with a brown paper bag. We felt unsafe, not just uncomfortable. Booking.com refused to refund us even after we sent photos and explained what happened, so we were stuck with the bill for a room we couldn't stay in. Del Rio Lodge is unsanitary, poorly maintained, and nowhere near acceptable for paying guests. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, even as a joke. It needs a full inspection and overhaul before hosting guests again. Until then, stay somewhere else.

The Indian men working there were nice, though they have to follow the manager's lead. My family and I kept to ourselves, stayed quiet, kept things clean, and never had a guest over without checking in first. We were there because I was trying to get by and barely making it, and Lisa made things even harder. The owner, Mr. Lee, and his wife, who I believe is Linda, were good people. His sister Lisa, the manager, made the place toxic and uninhabitable. They also own Chandler Inn. The Attorney General needs to investigate Del Rio. We stayed about a month or a month and a half. Mr. Lee was nice and his wife was sweet, but Lisa was a nightmare. She seemed to make up prices on the spot, and I think the place should be audited because she may be pocketing money. Most receipts I asked for were handwritten. The nice Indian man who checked us in called Lisa that night and got approval for a weekly room. After we paid, we were told housekeeping needed about 20 minutes to prepare the room. More than an hour later, we were told housekeeping wasn't there and we'd have to clean it ourselves. It was unprofessional to make us clean someone else's mess so we could sleep. Since it was nighttime and we'd already paid, we couldn't get a refund. We used their towels to clean, then Lisa wanted to charge us for those towels, refused to provide more for the rest of our stay, and wanted $5 for a stack of cleaning towels. They also charged a cleaning fee when there was no one to clean the room. I checked in with my service dog, and the sign said service dogs were welcome and cats weren't allowed. We made sure the staff knew. About two days later, Lisa saw me walking the dog and told me I couldn't have him there without introducing herself. I said the manager had already approved it. She said she was the manager and didn't know about the dog. I reminded her she'd approved our stay by phone and the man who checked us in knew. When we went to the office to pay for our second week, she said she wouldn't rent us the room again at the weekly rate, which would make the week more expensive. When I called to discuss it, she hung up and wouldn't answer again. I went down to the office, but she stayed in the back and wouldn't address it. When she finally did, she talked over me, cut me off, then walked away as soon as she finished speaking instead of letting me respond. She was always rude and acted like she was right, even though English isn't her first language and she may not fully understand what you're saying. Lisa drives a white or cream Lexus, Mr. Lee a white Toyota soccer van, and Linda an older truck. If you can stay somewhere else, please do.

After booking online, I arrived, parked, and tried to check in, but nobody answered at the window. I rang the doorbell dozens of times and called the booking agent, who also tried to confirm with the property, but got no answer. The agent told me to find another hotel. The property refused my refund, and I'm still getting the runaround when I call. Customer service is awful. Don't stay here. Worst hotel I've experienced.

The room itself was okay, and it was one of the so-called upgraded rooms, but the hotel was run down and there were no towels until day three, after I asked. They'd sold our room and said we'd have to pay double for an “upgraded” room to stay there. It took an hour of back and forth, including Expedia contacting them, before they gave us a room without charging extra. Deposits were cash only, which would be fine if the front desk had been staffed. When we tried to check out at 7 a.m., no one was there to return our deposit. We waited THREE HOURS for someone to show up.