Krystall Hotel Pharr/McAllen

They take payment from your card at check-in and won't offer a refund, so be careful. The exterior got a stucco makeover a few years back and still looks all right, but indoors the lobby, dining space, and hallways are run down and dirty. The carpets look like they haven't been vacuumed in years. Rooms and bathrooms were unsanitary, with holes in the walls, and our supposed non-smoking room smelled smoked in.

We only came because our home had lost power, and we ended up leaving before spending the night. The first room smelled strongly of cigarettes, so we asked staff to move us. In the next one, there were bugs across the beds and walls, a blood stain on the sheets, and a dirty bathroom. It also had no lights because, we were told, the bulbs had been stolen. They wouldn't refund us so we could go somewhere better. The whole stay was awful. This is the worst hotel I've ever stayed in.

We were gone within an hour and took our business elsewhere. Although we call ahead before any hotel stay to check that things are in order, the person who answered was rude when confirming everything was available. In our room, neither the light nor the air conditioning worked. My husband cut himself on glass in the pool area and in the water. I'm frightened thinking my baby could have been hurt instead. There weren't even towels to dry off with. We won't spend money here again.

There was loud music and people drinking in the pool after hours, and the pool itself was nasty. The jacuzzi didn't work either. We switched rooms because the first had hair and stained sheets. Front desk staff were sloppy and rude, and we were told the gym was closed permanently because it was only for the owner's daughters. My family used to come when it was Travelodge and it was okay then, but now it's disgusting. Never staying again, and I don't recommend it.