Best Western Moreno Hotel & Suites

We’d stayed at the Moreno Valley Best Western off and on for two or three years, and considered ourselves loyal customers. The staff and generous breakfast had seemed good, though the $100 card deposit was oddly more than a one-night room cost. Then, over the past few months, our service started getting worse, apparently after hotel staff changed. First, my friend’s deposit was reduced by a $25 charge. When I called for him, the man at the desk, who looked Middle Eastern, said we had “stolen an iron.” I immediately disputed that, and the fee was returned a few days later. That accusation made us nervous on our next booking, a few weeks afterward. We were torn between the hotel’s familiar comfort and the stress of dealing with management over charges, and even filmed the room like we were documenting an apartment move-in. Then it happened again, twice. Best Western charged another $30, and management didn’t answer our many calls. We were sent to corporate, where they gave us a claim ticket number. Our trust in this hotel’s management is gone. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve taken part of other guests’ deposits too, with a false accusation or no explanation.

We stayed two nights, using our own blankets, pillows and towels, but I was charged $20 for stained sheets that we didn’t stain. I also lost my deposit and was billed for the final night even though we left early. I checked out a day ahead of schedule because ICE had surrounded the hotel and blocked the entrance and exit, making me late for work. On top of that, someone at the hotel was selling drugs and offered them to my 16-year-old child. I was charged for leaving early and for the sheets, and didn’t get my deposit back.

The room was clean, and the staff were helpful and friendly. Maintenance staff spoke limited English but were still very helpful. We had an interior courtyard room, so freeway noise wasn’t an issue. For a night on a motorcycle trip with the guys, it would have done the job. My wife didn’t complain, but this was below what we expected and where we usually stay. Our first room smelled strongly of cigarette smoke, with spray that didn’t cover it. The second was very musty, and the air conditioner rattled. The decor was bare, the tub’s porcelain was rusting through, and there was hair in the drain. The bath drain was broken, though I got it to drain. I should have booked a king instead of double beds. The hotel is old and being remodeled. We haven’t tested the mattresses yet, but we don’t plan to stay here again.

There were four of us, but the room had only two towels. When I asked housekeeping for two more, they said they didn’t have enough and that every room only gets two. The non-smoking room also had a very strong cigarette smell, and the bathroom smelled oddly moldy. I reported the clogged bathroom drain early in the morning as we left and was told it would be handled. Back around 3 p.m., no one had come. Housekeeping said they’d take care of it right away, but after dinner it still hadn’t been fixed. I called the desk. The receptionist was really nice, but seemed to be alone all day. She couldn’t get anyone upstairs, and though she found a plunger, she said I’d have to pick it up myself because she was alone. The rooms are okay if you just need somewhere to crash, but the customer service was poor, mostly because they didn’t have enough staff.