The Palms Motel

The location is central, with Mississippi Ave’s trendy spots and good food really close by. It’s no more than three stops from the Moda center, and Overlook park is a short walk away. In my opinion, it has the best view of the city and Willamette River. It’s a friendly, family-run place with plenty of parking. Stop in, say hi, smell the roses, and stay a night or two. You won’t be disappointed.

This affordable, clean motel is right by the max line, and the owner is very kind. I’m staying here because plumbing work at my house means my water will be shut off for about three weeks. I work 12-hour night shifts at a hospital and need somewhere quiet to sleep during the day. This place is perfect for that, and the price is manageable.

Some basics worked: the toilet was clean and stocked with paper, and there was running water. But the motel felt run down and dirty, with a musty smell that’s hard to describe. I couldn’t tell whether the stains were permanent and disinfected or just hadn’t been cleaned. It looked and felt like a place where movie serial killers might hide out. I took a chance on it because my wife wasn’t traveling and I thought I could save money since I didn’t need amenities. That was a mistake. I didn’t trust the bed, so I slept in a T-shirt and sweats and put a clean shirt over the pillow. Even so, for the first time in my life, I woke up with my eyes almost swollen shut after they’d been itching all night. People at the show I went to the next day asked what had happened to my face. I interacted twice with an older Indian gentleman in the office. My main impression was that he seemed unhappy to deal with me, and probably anyone else.

The carpet was sticky, the walls were paper-thin, and the rooms had a strange layout. There were bugs and just two tiny pillows, about the size of your hand. The front desk guy acted suspicious about my credit card and had me write the full number on paper. Other people there seemed sketchy, too. It’s one of the most disgusting hotels I’ve stayed in, worse than California hotel rooms. You get what you pay for, I guess, but find somewhere else.