Budget Inn Tarboro

The bathroom was the one decent part: the toilet and shower worked, and the tub, floors, and toilet were clean apart from cigarette burns on the tub rim. The carpet was clean enough that we were comfortable without socks. The mini fridge was spotless, too. The beds were comfortable and the locks seemed updated, but the room needed a serious scrub and more upkeep. My daughter and I arrived at 2 a.m. Sunday, paying $80 for two beds so we could get some rest. The main light switch didn't work, one lamp bulb was out and seemed shorted, and the bathroom had no light of its own. A bare lamp plugged in behind the fridge was the only bathroom lighting. The AC/heater and bathroom vent were coated in black dust, and the vent didn't work. Outlets by the sink, plugs, and switches didn't work either. There were cigarette burns on the bedding, and the room smelled strongly of smoke. The bedside table had a sticky film, as did the headboards, cabinets, desk, and door handles. We avoided the cabinets because they had little bugs and tobacco inside. There was no fire alarm, either, it had been removed or ripped down by another guest. Then, at 8 a.m., the woman working there let herself in with a master key card to ask if we were staying another night. We'd been there only six hours, and I watched her write that down. We had blocked the door with a chair and shoes. She startled us badly while we were finally sleeping well, and it felt like a violation of our privacy. We left after she barged in. $80 for six hours, and I want that money back. It wasn't worth it.

The location's handy, right by the highway, somewhere to eat, and a gas station. The bed and shower were okay, and the price is low, so you get what you pay for. The place may have a bit of an odd smell, and the Wi-Fi was really bad.

The woman in charge was responsive and sorted out some of the problems, but the rooms need better cleaning and service. My room wasn't very clean, the lamps had no bulbs, and the bathroom had no toilet paper. The towels were small and a little stained. I booked a room at this Budget Inn in Tarboro, and it does live up to the “Budget” part as a cheap hotel. The photos on the website don't show what it's really like.

The staff were friendly and worked really hard, and the maintenance guy was great. We stayed more than a week and any problem was handled right away. When another room's AC quit on a 97-degree day, they had a replacement installed in under twenty minutes. The room was fantastic for about half what nearby hotels charged.