Motel 6 Modesto, CA - Downtown

There were no apologies or explanation after the unit beside us caught fire, and nobody from the hotel checked on us. They made us leave the next day and wouldn't let us rebook. I think they knew what they had done and wanted us gone before we caught on. A worker staying there also had a dog that attacked our 16-year-old little dog and knocked us over. There were plenty of tweakers around, too. They hustled me out of $700 by saying the night auditor had accidentally canceled the reservation, then making us pay again. I never got the money back. I'd stay away until new management takes over.

I wouldn't recommend this place. The sheets didn't look like the pictures, the floors felt sticky and dirty, and the towels were extremely thin. Roaches were crawling along the hallway carpet. The center rooms were especially unpleasant because smoking is allowed there, and the AC pulled the smoke smell in all day. The dryer didn't dry our clothes; I told the desk and they never returned the money. At check-in, he first gave me a key to a room that was already occupied, then moved me. When I asked for a spare key after forgetting mine at another location, he tried to charge $5 for a keycard that costs three cents. The manager was supposedly never available, even though they live on site.

A cheap, comfortable stop for the night. The room was clean and the bed was super comfy. There wasn't a kettle or percolator, but they had free coffee at reception and a Denny's three minutes down the road.

The front desk guy was nice and told me the liquor store next door sold toothbrushes for $2.70 when I asked because I'd lost or forgotten mine. The motel was out of toothbrushes and didn't have shampoo or anything besides soap, which felt a little ridiculous. Most Motel 6s would have a toothbrush, and I guess that's part of why this place was three dollars cheaper than other options. I was in Modesto for a few days starting a job, and stayed because it was a great deal, two miles from work, while I still had a place in Sacramento. There's gated parking, locked from midnight to 6 AM. A homeless guy was camped right next to the place, but hey, he's got to sleep somewhere too. Good value, though you shouldn't expect luxury or much service.