Ratons Peak Inn

For $80 including tax, we got a pretty good place to sleep for seven hours on the drive home. The room smelled fresh and clean, and the beds were clean, soft, and comfortable, though my stepdaughter called hers squishy and I’d have preferred it firmer. We arrived around 11:45 p.m. and the woman at check-in greeted us with a smile and was courteous. It’s a single-level motel where the doors open to the parking lot, but the door had both a lock and a chain. The bathroom is dated and the tub faucet leaked a bit. Still, the cold A/C and an easy overnight stop worked well for us.

The location is about the only thing this place has going for it, with plenty of other hotels nearby. At 4 a.m. I had to wake the overnight worker, who couldn’t find my reservation and seemed annoyed that I was there. The room smelled terrible, bugs flew around when I turned on the lights, and there was hair on the pillow. Everything felt old, and many things were broken. The drain was clogged, and I nearly lost a ring in the uncovered sink drain. I called the front desk at least 15 times about the posted 10 a.m. late checkout and nobody answered once. I know it’s a budget motel and you get what you pay for, but this was awful. I ended up going across the street to another hotel for the rest of my stay. This is another guest lost because of really poor service. I couldn’t have been more disappointed. The owners clearly don’t seem to care about hospitality or looking after guests. This place should be condemned.

I’ve never seen a hotel this filthy. Don’t throw your money away. The toilet feels like it might drop through the floor or into the room next door, and the problems just keep coming.

The old-fashioned touches were fun, especially the cute lamps and pink bathroom decor, and Mike was super awesome. We had a great stay, and checking in was really easy. The price for the night was very low, too.