Motel 6 Salem, OR - Expo Center

I booked and paid in full about a month ahead for a family trip to the state fair with my little kids. When I arrived just after 10 p.m., they told me they had no room for me. The employee said reservations aren't guaranteed, and if you haven't already paid they don't hold a room. I showed him the receipt proving I'd paid, but he still said there was no room, while actively checking someone else into the last one. I understand the desk employee was following policy, but giving away rooms that guests reserved and paid for is a poor policy. Knowing my booking isn't actually guaranteed, I won't book Motel 6 again.

You get what you pay for. The key straps never work, and the mattresses aren't comfortable. It's okay for a single night, though the place seems noisy through the night.

The bathroom and shower still weren't cleaned when we raised it with the front desk. She said she'd tell housekeeping but didn't try to resolve it. We left, then called corporate. They contacted the property, which suddenly told them housekeeping would be sent right away to clean the shower. We'd already gone by then. Why didn't she send anyone when I called from the room an hour earlier, the first time? We paid $96 and couldn't even shower because the previous guest's shaved hair was dried all over the tub and walls. Disgusting. This place has gone downhill fast. If your choice is staying here or in your car, choose the car. I'm sure it'd be cleaner.

Our only bright spot was the night staff, steven. We had to park beside the pool because there was no parking, and they told us to pull as close to the wall as possible since people drive really fast through there. I'd booked specifically for the pool, then got word just before my trip that it was closed, too late to find another hotel. The room was supposedly cleaned but wasn't, with mold on the window sills. The vending machine was empty, the beds felt like plywood, and the A/C stopped working after running at first, so the room got really hot. We could only get one key card at check-in because the machine wasn't working, then our key quit at 1:30 a.m. on the second night and we had to call night staff for replacements. Not a good experience overall.