Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Tuscumbia/Muscle Shoals

The room's pull-down blind was torn at the top and broken, so I mentioned it to the desk clerk when we checked out. Apart from that, the place was clean and quiet, the bed was comfortable, and everything in the bathroom worked fine with good pressure and hot water. We had a mini fridge, microwave, and single-cup coffee maker, and everyone we spoke with on staff was very nice. The area seemed safe, and breakfast was decent, with hot eggs and sausage, raisin bran and fruit loops, muffins, sliced bread and a toaster, yogurt, apple and orange juice, 2% milk, and coffee. The automatic pancake maker was the coolest part, press a button and it makes two pancakes. I wish there'd been fruit, but luckily I'd brought fresh sliced pineapple. We hadn't stayed at a Microtel Inn before and didn't realize how small “micro” meant. It was the tiniest hotel room we've ever had, with a queen bed rather than a king and a tiny TV. The outdoor pool was tiny too, though it was closed for winter. For the price, it was quite nice for a night or two. We only stayed one night, but for a longer stay I'd personally choose somewhere bigger or book a double queen room.

The front desk attendant was great, though I wish I'd remembered his name. What made this a poor stay was the black and brown mold in the bathroom, what looked like beard or dog hair, and a strong mildew smell. The parking lot also looked like a junkyard, with broken-down, trashy-looking areas and outlets held together with spray foam and tape. I'm not judging the residents' vehicles. I could have put up with the sketchy lot since I only planned to sleep there, but the mold ruined the experience.

Houston, the maintenance guy, was really kind and helpful. The property was clean, we felt safe, and online check-in made arrival easy since I didn't have to fill anything out again. The AC and heat worked well. The sheets were rough rather than soft and easy to move around in, and there weren't outlets on one side of the bed, so we had to charge our things on the counter. The internet was so bad I ended up using my phone data. I'd stay again because the process was good.

There were dozens of bugs in our room, not just one or two. The property knew there was a problem but put us in the room anyway, and on a sold-out night we were told to take it or leave it. The tub was broken and the shower wouldn't drain. Staff agreed the room should never have been sold, but there was no manager available to offer a solution or compensation. Stay away!