Traveler's Hotel

It’s an old building with potential, but it needs an owner who cares enough to make guests comfortable. There was no heat, and it was freezing. My sheets had stains, dirty underwear, and food bits, and both beds were broken and sagged in the middle. The room was very dirty, with no housekeeping or clean linen. The maintenance person was kind, but I believe only he and the owner work there. There was no fridge or microwave, and the washer and dryer don’t work. After 9 p.m. you’re locked inside and can’t leave and come back, and there are no phones in the rooms. I wish I had something better to say. Maybe the owner needs a mentor or an investor, I don’t know.

If you’re on a tight budget or arriving in Salinas late by Greyhound or local transit, this may be an okay option. Otherwise, I’d look around, and I’d book directly with the hotel to avoid unexpected fees. My first visit was in 2011, and a later stay was quite different, so I lowered my rating. On the first trip, my friend and I had reserved for two adults but were told our room had only one bed and no bath. We didn’t want to share a bed, so paid another $22 for a room with two beds. We each had a shoulder bag and rolling suitcase and carried them up three flights of stairs. The room was clean and spacious, with comfortable beds, and we had a relaxing night. Service was helpful. The sink for washing hands and face was oddly in the bedroom, while the bathroom floor was very slick and I couldn’t get hot water no matter how long I waited. We came to Salinas on Greyhound, and the hotel was just a couple blocks away. It was also near public transit, the Steinbeck Center, Maya Cinemas, and restaurants. There was a cafe by the office, but we went to First Awakenings across the street instead. In 2013, I arrived just before midnight and a drunk attendant let me in, slowly took my payment, and didn’t check my booking. I was alone, so I had a single room with a shared bathroom. Its doors were wide open, and I didn’t realize until my second trip to the nearest one that it was assigned to the ladies. The room was clean and serviceable. Since the attendant hadn’t checked the booking, the booking site marked me as a no-show and kept the booking fee. A phone call to the site got it sorted out.

This was the worst place I’ve stayed. There was no AC, heater, private bathroom, or hot water, and the dirty, old room was cold enough that we could barely sleep. The Wi-Fi didn’t work, and there wasn’t enough mattress for us. We booked online, then the man at the hotel said there was only one bed and wanted another $25 for a second. He was an older Indian man who couldn’t understand English well. Do not go here.

The reception was a mess, and the place felt scary. Guests are allowed to smoke inside, so it stinks, and the bed was uncomfortable. Worst hotel I’ve ever stayed at.