Motel 6 Visalia, CA

The room was fairly clean, but the bed and pillows weren’t very comfortable. It’s a generic motel, with no coffee maker or blow dryer in the room. The shower head was broken, and I had to call the office because the room phone didn’t work. Freeway noise was moderate. The people upstairs jumped around, moved furniture, and pounded all night.

There was a tiny table with nowhere to put anything, a small bathroom vanity, and I had to set my curling iron on the floor. The closet was open with no door and only three hangers. We also heard a lot of noise from nearby rooms. We paid a $60 cash deposit, and before checkout we took out the garbage, made the bed, and cleaned up. After checking the room, she said it smelled like smoke. We don’t smoke, but she still kept the deposit. It felt like a scam, and I suspect she simply kept our $60. Do not recommend.

The room itself was decent, and if you happen to have $60 cash on you, it may be a reasonable deal. But they should tell guests about the cash deposit before arrival. We had booked a room and only found out at the desk that a $60 deposit was required in cash. They wouldn’t take a credit card, saying cash was easier. There was no mention of this on the website or in the rules. We rarely carry cash, so after a long drive we spent about 45 minutes looking for an ATM in Visalia and paid a $4 fee. I’ve stayed at more Motel 6 locations than I can count and never had anyone demand cash. Worst check-in ever.

The front desk staff were really friendly. We got clean rooms because they were cleaned every day, though that meant no sleeping in.