Econo Lodge Newport

I went to pick up my 62-year-old friend, who was staying here with health problems and her service dog, and take her to the ER. We brought the dog with us. Newport hospital wanted to transport her to Corvallis, so we decided to take the dog to a kennel before checking out. It was Sunday, and she had paid through Tuesday morning, but the man wouldn’t refund any of the money. That’s a shabby way to treat a paying guest. This older woman deserved some compassion. I’d never stay somewhere like this.

I booked online, then drove over and found out I had to be 21 to check in. I wasn't 21, and nobody with me was either, so I asked for a refund. They refused. This motel is dirt cheap for a reason. I'll be disputing the charge with my bank.

The room was perfect, and the ocean view was wonderful. The front desk man welcomed us warmly, and they were happy to have both me and my sister with our professionally trained, certified service dogs. We'd had to cancel our Motel 6 reservation down the road because they insisted our service dogs were pets, even after we showed them the laws. This was my first time at an Econo Lodge, but we'll come back to Newport and stay here again. Hopefully we can get room 217.

The biggest issue was the deposit. They charge $150 at check-in instead of placing a hold, and it was the highest deposit I've ever paid, equal to two nights. At checkout I was told it would be refunded in a few days. Eight days later it still hadn't arrived. When I called, they said their account showed it had been sent. I said I couldn't see it in mine, and the guy replied, in the worst hospitality tone, “Well I guess you have to dispute it then.” I travel for work and have stayed in at least one hotel a week for six months. This was the only one that charged a room deposit while I still had a night left, and three days after the charge it was still not refunded. Check-in took about ten minutes. He took my card but hadn't charged the deposit, so I don't know why he needed it, unless he was writing down the details. Most places just check the name. When he handed it back, he told me to swipe it for the deposit. It felt off. The bed was uncomfortable, squeaky, and sagged into a sinkhole on one side. It was a spring mattress, and someone sitting there had left an impression. There were only two small, thin pillows. The bedspread and blanket felt rough, and the towels were small, thin, and scratchy. The outlets by the bed were too loose to plug in a phone charger. The room was small, with such a narrow gap between the bed and the media center/dresser that I had to turn my suitcase sideways. There was no A/C, and it got hotter than hot. The lights flickered, and a constant scratching in the wall sounded like a mouse. There was an incense-like smell, brown residue on a nightstand, black tar spots on the floor, and ants coming from the bathroom wall as soon as we checked in. This isn't a place I'd bring kids. The hairdryer was damaged and melted. My boyfriend told the front desk clerk, who offered a replacement, but I don't use hotel hairdryers and only wanted the damage reported. There's no room service or housekeeping until checkout. We left a trash bag outside our door for the dumpster in case housekeeping didn't take it, but someone moved it in front of another door. The laundry room is locked, so you have to ask staff to open it. It cost $3.50 total, though I needed an extra drying cycle. Behind the motel, the gravel road by the ocean-view rooms had someone living in a van. I'm not sure who it was or if it was them, but one night someone outside was yelling about a demon. The room was far from perfect, and I've stayed in much nicer hotels for less. The staff seemed like a family and were all nice. I had no bad interactions with them, but the quality you'd expect when paying for a room just isn't there by default. I wouldn't stay again. UPDATE: Don't stay here if you don't want to have to dispute the deposit. At checkout I was told to expect the money back in a few days, but after eight days there was still no refund. When I called, they insisted their account showed they had issued it. I told them it wasn't in my account, and the guy said, “Well I guess you have to dispute it then.” Either learn to manage a business or get out of it.