Rodeway Inn Convention Center

We got in at midnight and left by 7 a.m., but it felt costly for what we got. The neighborhood wasn’t great, and on a walk around the block with my service animal I counted five syringes on the ground. They could have been for insulin, but I doubt it. The hotel itself wasn’t terrible, just not very good for what we paid or the location. The shower and bathroom were nice, the bed was comfortable, and a pizza place was close enough for delivery.

The smell was horrid, and the place was very dirty. The stairs up to the second level were steep, about 25 steps, and the railing didn’t feel safe. The owners kept walking around the parking lot, and every time we went to our car they were right there watching what we were doing. It felt very creepy. After doing the finger test, we were pretty sure there was a two-way mirror in our room, so we covered it with a towel. I don’t recommend this hotel, especially for people with children.

We were put in a smoking room even though the Tripadvisor listing where we booked didn’t say it was one. The manager had a smug “got you” attitude, insisted it was posted online, and said nothing could be done. He also claimed all the rooms were full, despite only a few cars being in the lot. The room was a typical discount, no-frills motel room, but didn’t look very clean and smelled strongly of old cigarette smoke. We found mysterious brown spots on the bedsheet and immediately put it on the floor. In the bathroom, the toilet refilled very noisily for several minutes after each flush, a problem at night. There was a dirty-looking rubber mat in the shower, supposedly to prevent slips, and I didn’t want my bare feet touching it. I can’t recommend this hotel.

It was affordable and only about five minutes from downtown, with a central spot near the MAX line. Despite being close to a busy street, the room was really quiet. The heating and AC unit made a racket when it kicked in, though I’ve heard worse, and at least there was a thermostat. Check-in was okay, but the owner looked visibly annoyed that I’d disturbed his quiet by arriving late, even though I’d left a note with my reservation saying I’d get there around 10 pm. I also wish there had been a microwave in the room for a late-night snack, instead of just a fridge.