Cypress Inn Motel By OYO West Monroe I-20

The location mattered to me, but nearly everything else was about as bad as it gets. Wall sockets were coming loose, the bathroom wasn’t inviting, the toilet seat didn’t fit, and the chair was too low for the table. Still, the fridge worked, the microwave was clean and functional, and the AC cooled the room, even though it was very loud. Be aware that they require a $40 cash deposit, and the owner or manager really checks the room at checkout.

We booked two rooms for a long weekend through booking.com and asked if they could be next to each other. Instead, I got a message saying the reservation had been canceled and the money couldn’t be refunded. I was confused, since we hadn’t asked to cancel and booking.com still showed the booking as confirmed. Their response was basically, “Sorry.” I called the Oyo help desk, which wasn’t helpful. They had to contact the front desk and then told me the hotel said it was canceled because “price was too low.” I’m stunned. The hotel had set the price, then canceled without emailing, calling, or texting us. I suspect I only got a message because I’d made the request. What would they have done if we’d arrived with the kids after a nine-hour drive? I had to find another hotel, and strangely, the canceled room was listed online at a higher price. Shady and sneaky.

I had a paid reservation, but they told me no room was available. Then I checked the booking agency’s website, where they were claiming a room was available. They didn’t want to refund me, and I still haven’t gotten my money back. It feels like a scam.

The beds were kind of comfortable, which was about the only thing that worked for me, though I can’t speak for the other beds. The rooms looked sketchy, the bathrooms were gross, the sheets were stained, and the doors didn’t feel safe. Worse, there was no hot water. The window unit, the only source of air, ran for just 10-minute stretches, so I was sweating most of the night. I couldn’t shower in the morning, and now the rest of my trip will be uncomfortable and smelly. I paid $60 here after staying in a pretty nice hotel for $70, and the difference was incredible. There are other hotels nearby for maybe $10 more that you really should choose. I asked for a partial refund, $20 at most, since a shower was part of what I paid for, but they said no. This should be your absolute last option. Hope you don’t have to stay here.