Express Inn Leesville Ft Johnson

By the middle of week two, things had settled down: the do not disturb sign was being respected, the roaches mostly avoided me, and the key card worked. As Army hotels go, I’d give it two stars. I’ve stayed in worse, but also much, much better. The stay was eventful from the start. My company booked a block for about 40 of us a couple of weeks before travel. About a week before check-in, I called to request a feather-free room, and the woman who answered kindly said that was no problem. I arrived earlier than most because I was driving. The first key cards didn’t work, and on the second try they only worked after three to five swipes. The smell of feet wrapped in month-old bacon also felt pretty normal for a place we called an “Army Hotel.” My room had dirty carpets and drapes, broken bathroom tiles, and a toilet that wouldn’t work because the water line was turned off. I turned it on, waited to see if anything leaked, and it seemed fine, so the repair person had probably forgotten to switch it back on. The white towels and linens should be checked for stains. Some looked like they belonged on the set of “Dexter.” I was working 12-hour shifts with an hour drive each way, so I wasn’t in the room much, but I still counted seven dead cockroaches in four days. On the fifth or sixth morning, the toilet started making a loud, front-row opera kind of noise, which was the last straw. The front desk woman was very nice and helpful when I asked to move, and I got a new room with a big tub. With that much wildlife around, though, the tub just showed off all the critters stuck at the bottom. At least the new room’s AC worked. I hadn’t noticed the first room’s AC was failing. The key-making machine was out, so the desk had to let me in for the first couple of days. That may be why my door was locked open when I got back from a shift on the first night. After that I put up the do not disturb sign, but was still “delighted” to find my towels had been changed anyway. I’d probably stay again if the overpass was full and all the park benches were taken.

The staff were the one redeeming part, but not enough to make up for the stay. My sheets and pillows were stained, the TV and coffee maker didn’t work, and the refrigerator froze all my food. The Wi-Fi was unpredictable, so if you’re here for work, bring your own. The coffee was often cold, though that wasn’t the staff’s fault. At $112 a day, this is a ridiculous price for what you get. It’s one of the worst places I’ve stayed, and I’ve stayed in some awful ones.

Coming back to Leesville, LA for the military was a joy, but finding a clean and safe place for my family was hard. This facility felt run down, with little pride in cleanliness or hospitality. We asked several times to have the room cleaned, and they refused, even after we explained that our animals were put away and wouldn’t bother anyone. I can’t recommend this place. They need to take more pride in it and make sure the workers clean. Hospitality matters.

I remember this place from when it was brand new, so seeing it now was really disappointing. My stay felt unsafe and uncomfortable, and I’ll never come back. The outside needs serious landscaping and cleanup. The building looks worn, rusty, and stained. After checking in and unloading my car, I noticed slats had been removed from the privacy fence to make access to the bar next door, which is basically behind a questionable neighboring hotel or motel. It was unnerving to come back at night and park by that opening instead of in a well-lit spot out front. The staff were helpful up to a point. The lobby carpet smelled musty, like there may have been a flood at some point. There’s no elevator to the second floor, and I never got a straight answer about whether the pool was open. I couldn’t find its entrance anyway. In my room, the fridge froze anything I put in it. The AC was cold but loud and dated. The keys worked maybe two out of the four days. The tub was scratched and rough on my feet. The TV was ridiculous: it didn’t work when I checked in, and when I asked for help I got an audible sigh. The fix was temporary, then the TV lost signal every 20 to 25 minutes. The remote never worked for me, so I had to use the buttons on the TV to turn it off and back on and adjust the volume every time. I ended up using my phone to watch anything without interruptions.