Super 8 by Wyndham Mineral Wells

The rooms are clean and comfortable, with lovely flooring, and the price was great. The hotel is close to stores and restaurants, and they’ve added new outdoor lights for safety and security. It’s worth the money, though obviously it isn’t the Ritz Carlton. I first got the only accessible room available on the ground floor. Its walk-in shower wasn’t what I’d pictured from the TV ads, but it’s a good setup for someone using a wheelchair or walker, with a large shower and a seat. When a regular downstairs non-smoking single opened up, they moved me, and that room was great. The front desk team was prompt and fantastic. They’re working hard on updates, and my understanding is that the ownership is fairly new. If you’ve stayed here before and need a room, give it another try.

When I checked out, nobody inspected the room, and I left expecting to get my full $35 deposit back. Three days later, only $24 was returned. I called, and the employee said a washcloth and towel were missing, so I’d been charged for them. No one mentioned anything before the charge, or even called to ask about the items. I can’t imagine wanting a used washcloth that’s been through who knows what. They told me at checkout that returning the deposit could take up to five business days. Any missing items should have been noticed during an inspection before guests leave. It’s very convenient for the motel to take part of a deposit and then claim laundry went missing. That’s what happened to me, and it feels like stealing from the guests who keep the business going. If you stay here, pay the deposit in cash and ask for it back at checkout so you don’t get scammed.

The front desk staff understood why we were concerned and issued a refund. A family member has respiratory problems and began coughing and needed medication after just a few minutes in the room. It was marked nonsmoking, but something in there bothered us, and we didn’t want to risk an ER visit in the middle of the night. I also noticed peeling paint in several spots. The bed springs were easy to feel when sitting on the mattress. The walls were thin, too. With the door and window shut, outside sounds came through clearly, even a mockingbird, but hearing a normal conversation in the next room clearly was worse.

I found more than 50 dead and live bugs on the floor when I entered the room. The floor AC unit was propped up with a can of sweet corn and a wooden block, which might explain it. I’d asked for a second-floor room to avoid this kind of problem, but they wouldn’t give me one. Super 8 usually has a decent reputation, but this location didn’t live up to it.