Motel 6 Waterloo, IA

We arrived shortly after 11 p.m. and found the entrance locked, with nobody around to check us in. The place seemed completely deserted. A woman with a black eye came out and said she hadn't seen staff working there for days. So much for “We'll leave the light on for you.” We had to get a refund through hotels.com and find somewhere else to stay. It felt like the place was being run by ghosts. Beware.

The desk staff were lovely, but this place really needs work. Other guests were loud and inconsiderate, so I couldn't get a quiet night's sleep.

Sid and Lacey, thank you both for showing so much compassion and respect to me and my son during a really difficult situation. Your kindness helped put my mind at ease when I needed it. Huge kudos to you guys! Robyn Kuykendall, Cory Beebe, Frankie and Willie

The room and motel were filthy, and we left after an hour. I complained and checked out right away, but only got two of the three nights refunded. The place smelled of Marijuana despite signs saying not to smoke on the grounds. Some long-term residents yelled through the walls, smoked dope, and let their dogs bark. There were also illegal activities around the property. Much of the praise here seems to come from permanent residents, which is worth keeping in mind. To me, a place has to be a hotel or an apartment complex, not both. In my room, the bathroom light flickered, the entry switch cut power to the bedside outlets, and the freezer had about 12 inches of ice. The door bottom was wet from what looked like years of dog piss, with heavy scratches from dogs on the door and walls. A dog had chewed off the bathtub spigot. This place needs to be shut down.