Lakeside Motel

The price is good, they don't need a card to hold the room, and my cash deposit was returned. That's about where the positives end. The people weren't welcoming, though they did let us arrive a day early. The room was terribly outdated and dirty, with a lumpy bed, awful carpet, and a huge spot where the floor sank. Everything smelled damp and old. The shower barely had any pressure, and the little warm water there was took 10-15 minutes to heat up. I wouldn't take my shoes off in there. The mini fridge and microwave looked mismatched and secondhand. I wish I'd tried the similarly priced Sand and Sage, or gone anywhere else.

I called two weeks ahead hoping to book three nights, but the front desk said they'd take my name and number and call back two days before my dates. Their reason was that guests sometimes extend their stay, so they couldn't tell if the room would be available. Waiting until just before arrival to find out if I'd have lodging seemed ridiculous, especially in the summer tourism season. I didn't want to risk having my supposed reservation bumped, so I said I'd book somewhere else. Poor form. The reviews made me think this might be a diamond in the rough, but that guess was wrong. Don't book here.

The owners were more than fair when I lived there about six years ago. They even gave me a day or two to get the rent sorted out, though they didn't have to. The room had a comfortable queen bed and a flat-screen TV on a swivel mount. The shower was a little cramped, but the water was hot. For the price, you couldn't ask for more.

After our apartment flooded, we needed somewhere affordable in a hurry, and Lakeside worked out well. We got two full-size beds and a kitchenette for a very fair price. The two people who checked me in were lovely and so nice. It was quiet, and I felt safe with my two kids, which mattered a lot. Looks can be deceiving. They're really nice there, and I'd gladly recommend it.