Clarion Inn Ormond Beach at Destination Daytona

We skipped breakfast because the place felt like it needed a health department inspection. We used to stay here often, but since new management took over, the property has become unsanitary. Roaches are taking over. There’s food and staining that looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in months. The washer and dryer are rusted, with trash all around. Furniture is stained and has grime stuck to it, and the toilet hasn’t been properly cleaned. Food buildup and crumbs on the stove seem to be attracting roaches that swarm at night. The regular rooms aren’t any better: a couple of months ago, we complained about smells and a bathroom that hadn’t been cleaned or vacuumed. Being short-staffed isn’t an excuse when we hear staff say management overworks them for little pay. Check the photos in our TripAdvisor review.

The location works well for events on the property, but that’s the only thing this hotel has going for it. This was our third stay for a local event, and we won’t be back. The first two visits weren’t great either, but we could put up with it for a couple of nights. This time the room reeked of musty marijuana as soon as we opened the door. The bed was only a full, smaller than its frame, and the single lousy curtain meant no privacy if we wanted natural light. There was just one awful fan light, and the fan died on our second morning. The bathroom was unpleasant, with body lotion in the shower instead of body wash. The furniture looked pieced together from Goodwill. We could hear everything next door. When our neighbor sneezed, I felt like calling out “bless you,” and his morning coughing woke us up. On top of that, something bit me in the night.

For $129 a night, this place needs a thorough cleaning and overhaul. We had a late checkout for noon, yet room service tried to open our door at 10:41 without knocking first. Luckily, the latch was on, so they couldn’t get in. Honestly, I would’ve been better off sleeping in my truck. The staff were friendly and attentive, but the room was musty because the AC had been off. There were two roaches, one in the bathroom and one by the front door. The couches were filthy and grimy, the whole place smelled dusty and musty, and there were bits of dry dog food in the closet. The elevator sounded like it might give out any second, and the only ice machine was on the third floor. It was also noisy. The Harley Davidson dealer next door had bikes revving early in the morning, and trucks idled all night at the Loves truck stop outside our bedroom window.

We were here for the Daytona 500. The room was great and clean, the staff were friendly and attentive, and breakfast was hot and really good each morning. There’s live music in the attached pub on weekends. Highly recommend!