Days Inn by Wyndham Monroe LA

I really enjoyed my time here. The room and property were clean, the staff were courteous and helpful, and there was good food nearby. It was a relaxing stay. Thanks to everyone.

The room itself was only moderately cheap, and we needed it for two nights, so I could usually have overlooked the other problems. But the payment issue wasn't okay. I prepaid through booking.com because a family member was covering the room while I visited after a death in the family. I work at a hotel and know those virtual cards cover room and tax, while guests provide a card for incidentals. At check-in I gave mine for incidentals only, as the desk agent also said. I checked my bank account right away and saw they'd charged my card for incidentals and room and tax, despite the prepaid booking. Before going to the room, I returned to the desk, explained it, and showed my booking.com receipt. The agent apologized and said she'd fix it. I didn't worry when it was still pending after checkout because I knew the refund could take time. But when I checked again, they'd finalized the charge for room and tax, releasing only the incidental hold. I deal with prepaids all the time at work. This isn't complicated. Having my money tied up and unusable for nearly a week is unacceptable, and now that it's posted, it could take two or three weeks to resolve if I'm lucky. I don't earn enough to have people do their jobs incorrectly and cost me money. Train your staff. The motel was lackluster too. It was relatively clean, but much of the building and interior was in disrepair. The door didn't seal properly, letting in cold air and every little noise. Being right off the highway was already noisy, and hearing people walking past outside made it worse. The bed frame creaked and popped with the slightest movement.

The bed and pillows were comfortable, the AC blew very cold, and I saw no signs of criminal activity, so the area seemed safe to me. Still, as a budget stay I had some complaints: weak shower pressure, oddly smelly towels, and thin sheets. I'd bring your own toiletries, snacks, and drinks.

As soon as I entered, there was a strong, unpleasant smell. It seemed like the carpet could have been wet and not dried fully, or perhaps hadn't been cleaned properly. I reported the odor, but nobody from the office got back to me.