FairBridge Inn Express, Monroe City

The grounds looked neglected, with trash scattered around the parking lot, and the property itself was in poor shape. The Fairbridge Inn in Monroe City, Missouri, left me with one of my worst hotel stays. The desk clerk was hostile and rude, and charged me $60 for my certified service dog. Service animals aren’t subject to pet fees under the Americans with Disabilities Act, so that charge was unacceptable. Either the hotel is ignoring the law or taking advantage of guests. I’d skip this place. Even in a small town like Monroe City, there are cleaner and more professional options. The Fairbridge Inn is a disgrace to hospitality.

The room itself was fine for getting a comfortable night's sleep, and I found the stay acceptable, though my wife didn’t. We knew it wasn’t an IHG, Hilton, or Marriott, but the condition is close to the line between respectable and cheap and rundown. The entry and stairs struck us as dirty, smelly, and disgusting. Recent reviews were awful, but what we wanted was a decent place to sleep, and we got that. The breakfast, though, was laughable. Why even bother?

Housekeeping had left the room clean, but it was in general disrepair and needs maintenance. The bathroom ceiling tiles were poorly cut around the fan, and some were sagging. There was rust on the bathroom door frame, and the window had a large crack in its bottom-left corner.

The carpets were stained in the hall and nasty around the ice machine. The machine itself was dirty and seemed to be leaking, with damp-looking throw rugs spread in front and around it. We didn’t use it. We also skipped the free breakfast because I couldn’t imagine what the prep area was like. The lobby was hot and musty, with a dirty smell and a hint of body odor. A man who looked like he’d just rolled out of bed greeted us. The room was hot and musty too. The AC took forever to cool it and barely got cold, even on its coldest setting, and the smell lingered. By the end of day two, my wife’s lotion and hair products had made it more bearable. The toilet took ages to refill because the stopper wouldn’t seal properly. Caulk around the sink looked like a toddler had finger-painted it. If you’re after another musty, outdated, garbage hotel, this is the place. Book at your own risk. Funny enough, there’s a sign behind the desk showing great Booking.com reviews. Hahaha.