FairBridge Inn Express

I booked the room for an employee, who called as soon as he checked in to say it was filthy. The photos made it clear why he refused to stay. Thick dust and grime covered the AC and other surfaces, there was dirt everywhere, and what looked like dried vomit showed up in several places, including the tub. Someone had even put a bath towel over the edge where the mess was. The bed was covered in white specks and debris, maybe from the ceiling, maybe something else. The room showed shocking neglect. When my employee asked for a refund, the hotel refused and told him to contact Expedia. Expedia dragged things out for over a month before denying the refund because the hotel said he had checked in. American Express also denied the dispute, since the hotel argued the room wasn’t canceled in advance, though we couldn’t have known beforehand how filthy and unsanitary it would be. The photos say plenty. One star is generous, and the whole mess was a headache. Stay far away for the sake of your health.

The room was charged when I booked it through tripit.com, but the desk person, who I believe was the owner, said my card had been declined. We’d also requested an accessible room and weren’t given one. I had a valid handicap parking permit and tried to use an accessible space, but the owner said it was reserved for the supposedly occupied accessible rooms on the first floor. When I said that violated the American w Disabilities Act, he threatened to call the police because I’d used a “bad word.” I felt like I was camping with a bed, though the bed itself was clean and comfortable. There were huge gaps around the door jambs, and disgusting bugs got into the room. You can’t enter the lobby unless someone buzzes you in, so you have to wait for someone to let you through. I plan to call the Health Department of Massachusetts and file a complaint. Calling this motel a one-star disaster feels generous.

The damp, dark, dirty feel of the place made me stop at the entrance. The smell stayed in my nose for hours. My boyfriend had booked after we got last-minute tickets to Tanglewood, and I’d assumed the room price was high because of the timing. Once we pulled up, I read the reviews, went to the door, and refused to cross the threshold. Inside, the bed seemed to sag in the middle, the walls had spackle marks, and the lampshades were crooked. It reminded me of motels on crime shows. I’m seriously concerned the health department should be called.

I’m immunocompromised, and so is my mother, whose primary caregiver I am. We could die if either of us gets sick, so I always wear a COVID mask in public. At check-in, the glass doors to the front office were locked. A creepy, sketchy man came up out of nowhere and demanded to know why I had a mask on. I explained that it was medically necessary for both of us, but he kept calling it weird, strange, and suspicious, and repeatedly asked if I was going to shoot up the place. That felt like medical discrimination. The room was also disgusting. I brought a UV black light flashlight, and the pictures show how dirty it was. The handles, doorknobs, switches, microwave, refrigerator, and bathroom surfaces were all filthy. I’m worried I might get sick from being in that room, especially with both my mother and me immunocompromised. It was a terrible experience.