Motel 6 Salem, VA

The motel is in rough shape, though the rooms were clean and the location was great. It was relatively quiet, and the pet policy is great since there's no charge. We slept okay in the end and appreciated the price. I should mention our experience was colored by a stay at M6 in Tuscaloosa, which was very nice.

The bathroom was so filthy my dogs wouldn’t go in. Soap buildup was caked on thick enough to scrape with a fingernail, and water from the leaking mini fridge was running onto the floor. The TV didn’t work either, and the room door was standing open when I arrived, which felt odd. I’m used to choosing Motel 6 when I travel with my dogs because it’s convenient, and I don’t expect anything fancy. But staff knocked around 9 to make sure I’d be out by 11. I hurried to answer, only to be told checkout was at 11. The whole stay was strange and unpleasant. I’d never book there again.

Roaches in the room, stained towels, and a disgusting tub made me worry about using the toilet and catching something. The smoke smell in the smoking room was unbearable. I sprayed Lysol around the whole room, and it immediately seemed better, which made it feel like the place hadn’t been cleaned much. Even the fridge and microwave were dirty. Don’t book here. Spend more if you can.

The location is handy, with a gas station and wing place across the road and Walmart just down the street. Service was decent, too. At $44 before tax, you get what you pay for, and the room had the basics: a fridge, microwave, TV, bed, shower, and towels. There wasn’t much beyond that, and the room was pretty beat up. A light was out, the bathroom door had a hole that looked punched in, and there were stains on the wall, holes in the chairs, and several cigarette burns in the blanket. The chairs were rough-looking but surprisingly comfortable. There was no phone in the room. I was by myself for one night, so it worked. With my fiancée or kids, I’d definitely choose another place. I’d rate it 3/5.