Quality Inn & Suites Santee I-95

The bed was surprisingly comfortable, and the sheets looked and smelled clean. I was glad to park where my vehicle was highly visible, though someone approached me on the way to my room trying to sell what were obviously stolen Apple products. The room was okay, but its privacy curtains made it easy to see inside from outdoors. The bathroom door needed a hard push to close, and there was no exhaust fan, so leaving it open seemed best. I could clearly hear the next room’s conversations and TV through what seemed like a hollow connecting door. The older Heat/AC worked, but the temperature swung so much between cycles that I was either chilly or sweating. The TV was small, though I was mainly there to sleep and use it for background noise.

I’ve traveled on the East Coast of the US for 15+ years, and this was the worst lodging establishment I’ve ever been to. The room had a chair with some kind of white sticky substance across the bottom cushion. The bed springs shifted under me at night. The hairdryer couldn’t be turned off without unplugging it, and the socket sparked when I plugged it in, a fire hazard I feel I should have been warned about. I heard a man shouting that his room hadn’t been cleaned in a week. I can’t confirm that, but I don’t doubt it. The closest ice machine was broken, so I had to walk to the other side of the building. I checked in around 5 PM when no one else was there, but later my neighbors arrived. From about 9 PM to 6 AM, at least 5-10 people were coming and going by my door, shouting, crying baby, slamming doors, knocking, and pounding on walls. Someone must have called the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office. They arrived and announced themselves, but the noise didn’t change. The walls must be paper-thin. I barely slept, and those neighbors should have been removed. In the morning, a couple from a few doors down were checking whether it was safe for the wife to walk the 100 feet to the lobby. They’d heard the commotion too and confirmed they were concerned. The bathrooms by the main lobby, though quite a distance from it, were in bad shape. The faucets weren’t secured to the sinks, some sinks were broken, the floor was sticky, and the toilet paper dispensers were taped up. At least there was paper in the stalls.

We came back because the breakfast used to be great, but this time it seemed like cold leftovers from the day before. The place also looks like it has a new owner and isn’t being maintained. Whoever is doing the repairs seems to think great stuff fixes everything. We were told our receipt would be emailed, but four days later we were still waiting. We’d been happy with the room on previous stays.

Roaches were crawling around, and dead bugs were on the floor. One crawled up my Ma’s leg. The room looked rundown and abandoned, had an uncovered outlet, and was labeled smoke-free but had no fire alarm. There were no handicap options. No manager was on site, and they wouldn’t refund my $106. This was the worst experience ever, and I wouldn’t recommend it. I’ll report what happened, though I’m not sure anything is being done after reaching out to Choice Hotel. I want my money back and something for the inconvenience, not just points. Don’t waste your time or money. I’d give it negative stars if I could. Be warned.