Avalon Motel

The main reason we kept choosing Avalon was that my boyfriend could pay cash without leaving a card on file, and there usually wasn’t a deposit. At Red Roof Inn on the same street, we’d book through Booking.com for about $97, then pay a $50 deposit that came back roughly a week later. Avalon was listed at $60 when we first tried it, though later visits were usually $100-120. The last time, they even asked for a deposit, but let us pay it in cash and returned it the next morning. You can see why the cheaper price matters, because the rooms just aren’t on the same level as Red Roof Inn. The only reasons I’d choose Avalon are a $60 deal or not having a credit card. Holiday Inn might be better, but it won’t take our card, which is wild. At least Dunkin donuts is right next door. We go on Fridays and bring my boyfriend’s PlayStation so we can watch Netflix and chill. The problems in room 18 finally made us decide not to come back. It was the mustiest room, with smells of urine and cigarettes, black gunk in the sink, a dead main light switch, and no Wi-Fi connection. The guy also asked us for a deposit that time. We’d already noticed the difference on our first visit. Avalon’s rooms looked old and worn, and one time there was a mess in the sink. The cable wouldn’t work, there’s no smart TV for Netflix, and the Wi-Fi didn’t work at all in room 18. The shades let morning light in, people could be heard through the walls, and the room was chilly until the heat had time to warm it up. I grew up with that kind of cold room, so I actually prefer it. There’s no microwave, just a mini fridge. A couple of times each night we heard mice running by the bed or in the bathroom, and you might even see one. Red Roof Inn was a very different stay. It was clean and modern, warm enough in winter that we needed the AC to cool it down, and the shades kept the morning light out. The smart TV and Wi-Fi worked, we couldn’t hear other guests through the walls, and there were a microwave, fridge, and coffee maker.