Rodeway Inn & Suites Ontario

For a short stay, the price was great, and the lot can fit a CMV. I also liked the breakfast variety and used my voucher to make egg McMuffin sandwiches. The cranberry juice was great, but the mini banana nut and lemon poppyseed muffins were stale. It took a maze to find breakfast, and the kitchen guy seemed irritated with me even though I’d just walked in. The check-in and checkout clerks were much more pleasant. My new room was really compact, though clean apart from the bed skirt, which needs washing, and the pillows, which had a lingering smell. I’d gone into a room that was clearly occupied and had no idea if someone was in the bathroom. That scared me. I had to climb the stairs in the cold and frost, with possible ice on the steps and railings. I didn’t want to carry my luggage back down to get another key, so I waited for the clerk to bring it and make sure the room was clear. There are lots of businesses nearby, though I left before 8 a.m. and didn’t get to visit any.

The room was a little small, but it was nice for the price. I’ve used Expedia for over 20 years, so I get good discounts and don’t know the regular rate. Still, it felt worth every dime, especially with that breakfast. The breakfast bar manager was pleasant, and the buffet was clean, fully stocked, and had plenty to choose from.

I booked and paid for my stay through Agoda before arriving. At check-in, the woman asked for my card for a $50 incidental fee. I specifically checked that this was all she was charging, and she said yes. The next day I saw an unauthorized $391 transaction. I went to the desk, but they told me to wait until the following day. When I came back that evening, the man agreed the charge was unauthorized and said he’d fixed it, with my money due back within a few hours or by the next morning. It’s been several days and nothing has come back. On top of the $391, they also took another $50, which was all they should have taken in the first place.

As a Choice member, this was my first stay at a Rodeway Inn. I’d already seen a lot of negative reviews on Google and the Choice App, so I wasn’t expecting much. The room was better than I expected, and the motel had a complimentary breakfast, pool, and fitness room, which most motels don’t offer. Still, be careful in the neighborhood. Some tenants were arguing and fighting right outside my room around midnight. I tried calling the front desk, but nobody answered.