Sands Motel

There was mold on the shower ceiling, the bathtub was dirty when we arrived, and the towels had stains. The workers treated us terribly. The only entertainment was TV, with no Wi-Fi, and bullet holes in some doors made the place feel unsafe. I definitely wouldn’t recommend it. 🤢🤮

I was scared to even sit on the bed, let alone sleep in it. The first room was disgusting, visibly dirty, and smelled like pot, though that smell didn’t bother me. I wondered if it was a crack motel. They moved me to another room, which they apparently thought was better, but it still wasn’t clean by my standards. There were wall stains and burn marks on the blankets. Don’t stay unless you’re broke. It cost $110 for two nights, and when I left she kept $10, saying it was for cleaning. I told her that’s what the cleaners should earn, $10 a day, since they weren’t doing a good job. I clean for a living, and housekeeping needs to do better.

They’ve renovated recently, and the place looks much better than most of the one-star reviews from a year or more ago. It’s a good pick if you’re on a budget. The rooms aren’t top quality, but they’re clean, the bedding smells good, and there were no stains. The price feels fair for what you get, and the staff are nice.

I’m here now because I’m working nearby. The rooms are clean and nice for a motel, but I’m giving it three stars because the office controls the heat. You can’t adjust it in your own room, and with Illinois being so cold, people should be able to set the heat themselves.