Budget Host Inn Winchester

I got there at 10:30 pm, hours before the advertised 1:00 am check-in cutoff, but nobody answered despite my calling several times. Corporate couldn't reach anyone either. I wound up sleeping on the floor of my bus. Garbage hotel run by garbage people. Too bad zero stars isn't an option.

The room smelled awful as soon as we walked in, and when I brought it up, the office said there was nothing wrong and refused a refund. We ended up using the chair against the door because there was no deadbolt, only the card key. All night, people kept running down and back up the stairs in vehicles. At checkout, they inspected the room before returning my $20 cash deposit, which I'd had to pay ATM fees to get. This place felt unsafe, was very dirty, and had horrible service. I'd sleep in my car before coming back. We'd booked a king through Priceline for $77, but got two doubles instead. At the office we waited 25 minutes for someone to show up, and the man I tried to talk to didn't understand me. I ordered Snappy Pizza over the phone using the address, then later learned the number wasn't even the hotel's. My husband came, and my kids left to go home.

The door had gaps all around it, and we didn't feel safe or sleep at all. We spent much of the night in the car because it just didn't feel safe there. There was what looked like drug dealing and use in the parking lot, broken furniture, and the place was poorly maintained. I don't think the bedding was washed, or that they know how to clean. I'm surprised the health department hasn't shut it down. When we raised concerns, management acted as though she didn't speak English. The ice machine was broken, and the office fridge was full of strange food. If we'd known, we'd have driven through to the next town. I would never stay there again.

The place has been nicely renovated and the people were nice. The guests around us were loud and active, and we could hear them most of the night and early in the morning. I couldn't get the shower hot enough. My brother had a bath and said mineral buildup made the knob hard to turn, though he managed to loosen it better than I did. We didn't go to breakfast, so I can't comment on it.