Garnet Inn & Suites, Morehead City near Atlantic Beach

The pool gate was locked when my daughter and I went to swim. One of the workers told me it was closed and wouldn't open until May, even though they advertise it as open April-October. Why advertise something that's not true? The room was nasty. The bathroom hadn't been swept, and you could see mess left on the floor by previous guests. The beds in room 138 had mold on them, too. The worker had a horrible attitude, headphones in, and didn't seem attentive. She took forever to bring breakfast, and the sausages were poorly cooked and hard as a brick. She was very rude to talk to. I booked here because I couldn't find anything available closer to where I wanted to be. Now I guess I know why they had rooms available. Save your money and choose somewhere else.

We spotted mold on the pillows through the covers as soon as we checked the room, plus stains on the bed covers. Gross. I asked the office for better pillows, and they brought more stained ones, though not as badly. If you need a cheap place for one night, it might be okay if you get fresh pillows, but it definitely isn't very clean. I tried to upload a photo of the pillow, but it didn't load.

We booked because the bright online photos made the place look clean and modern. The room felt like a renovation project abandoned halfway through. It smelled musty, like a wet basement mixed with an old gym bag, and the bathroom looked barely cleaned. There were visible stains on the toilet, hard water buildup on the sink and faucet, and grime on every surface. Towels and blankets were stained too, enough to make us wonder if that was the décor. The walls had suspicious black spots, the tiny TV looked ancient, and the AC seemed to be struggling. The website showed spotless rooms with bright bedding, but those photos must have been taken 20 years ago, somewhere else, or in a completely different hotel. We were exhausted from traveling by the time we realized how bad it was, and too tired to haul our bags somewhere else, so we stayed. “Survived” might be more accurate. Spend the extra money and stay elsewhere. This place is a lesson in bargain hotel regret. If mystery stains, questionable cleanliness, and wondering whether the room was last cleaned during the Obama administration sound good to you, maybe it's your spot. Otherwise, consider this a warning.

WORST PLACE I'VE EVER STAYED! The rooms were gross and clearly hadn't been cleaned. Crumbs were everywhere, and there were fries and food on the floor and inside the Air Conditioner. Everything was stained, nothing had been wiped down, and the bathroom was completely unclean. We decided to cancel and go elsewhere 50 minutes after booking, but they still charged for one night and refunded one night. Wouldn't recommend it.