Super 8 by Wyndham South Bend

We’re on a cross-country road trip with our cat and chose this place because it was pet-friendly and within our budget. Even with low expectations, it fell short. We were told the whole hotel was smoke-free, but the room reeked of cigarettes, like people had been smoking in it just before we arrived. The bathroom ceiling had a hole filled with what looked like black mold. After twelve hours of driving, we were hoping for a decent night's sleep. Instead, the bed was the stiffest we’ve ever laid on, and the pillows were flat, worn, and lumpy. When I got up early for coffee, I found an already-used filter and old grounds in the room's coffee maker. Please take this as a warning if you’re considering staying here.

The first impression wasn’t good: the sheets were old and stained, and there was hair on the bedding. The pool was out of service, too. We would’ve laughed it off if the area hadn’t been sold out. I told the front desk about it, and they offered a discount and sent someone right away to remake the room. They did a good job then, but the stay still started badly.

We stopped here around midnight rather than drive all the way back to Illinois. At 2 a.m., we found a roach in the room. I told the front desk in the morning, and they acted like it was normal and showed no concern or offered a discount. The manager hung up on me while I was explaining the bug problem. We’ll never stay at any Super 8 again.

Things went badly from the start. My booking clearly said the room slept five, but at arrival I was told those rooms were sold out. Then they assigned me a room that already had someone in it. I walked in while he was sleeping, which startled both of us. Staff at the desk insisted the room was empty, even though I’d just met its occupant. In the next room, someone else’s dirty laundry was still in a drawer. Breakfast was another letdown: the so-called hot meal was a waffle maker and frozen eggs I had to heat in a dirty microwave. At least the air conditioning worked and the water was clear.