San Juan Motel & Cabins

The only charming part of the property was the deer wandering through. The cabin, #10, was in rough shape: stained bedspread, awful old memory-foam mattress, and navy sheets that made it hard to tell if they were clean. The bathroom had no spot for toiletries or towels, the towel bar had been torn off the wall, and there was no hand soap. The toiletries were questionable too. Some unlabeled substance came in a clear plastic cup. The two bodywash bottles looked like a good brand, but with the third item a mystery, I didn't trust that the others were genuine. There was trash around the cabin and property, plus a big muddy hole to get around on the way to the porch. The stove looked dirty or rusty, and the ceiling above the bed was unfinished and being painted. The lobby smelled of body odor. The posted lobby hours said 7am to 10pm, but when I came to check out at 7:30am the front door was locked. The lights were on, so I knocked several times with no answer, went for coffee, and came back, but still nobody was there. I took pictures of the cabin to show I'd left it as I found it. As I drove out, I finally saw someone at the desk. When I asked why nobody had been there earlier, the man and woman just looked at me without answering. I asked for a receipt and how long the current owner had owned the place, since there was a for sale sign in the front window. They said 4-5 years. I said the place needed a lot of work, and again got no response. I hope the next owner cleans it up and fixes it.

There's lots of room in the two-bedroom cabin for us, our gear, and our big dog and his bed. The beds were clean and comfortable, and we had a front porch and a big lawn for walking the dog. It's only 5 minutes from town, with dispensaries and restaurants right across the street. The staff left us alone, which is how we like it. The cabin itself is an old log building, uneven floors and all. It had three beds, one bathroom, a small dining area, and several heating systems, though only one worked. The curtains were a bizarre mix, and only some actually covered the windows. Amenities were basic: mini fridge, coffee maker with those weird pre-filled filter bags, and a few basic towels. They even provide a cleaning rag with a pretty hilarious placard asking you to use it instead of their good towels. If you like old buildings, the cabins are awesome and funny. If you don't, maybe not. I'm giving it five stars even though it's seriously funky. I've stayed here on and off for at least 25 years, and it's still exactly the same experience. Predictability counts for a lot.

If you're used to primitive camping, think of this as a hard-sheltered campground with a private bathroom, and you probably won't be disappointed. It's affordable for the location, and you can walk to just about everything. My room was cozy and decent, though clearly due for upgrades. The walls are thin, as other reviews say, so there's plenty of noise. The rear window blind was partly broken and I had to cover it. A dying pine beetle crawled across the table, and I tossed it outside. It probably came in through the big gap near the bottom of the door. The bathtub had small paint spots, but the bathroom seemed fairly clean. There were specks of sand on the floor, probably tracked in by people returning from the river. I can't speak for other rooms.

The clerk was pleasant and helpful, but everything in our barely habitable room was old. There was a dirty, smelly cigarette ashtray right outside our door, and a cigarette hole in the bedspread. At least the refrigerator worked great. The window and door had large visible gaps, and the Wifi was useless. We got a better signal from the hotel across the street. The number they gave us rang without an answer, and the mailbox was full. Maybe the for-sale-by-owner situation doesn't help. We stayed so you don't have to. Not recommended.