Americas Best Value Inn Winston-Salem, NC

We were nervous about booking here because of the rumors and reviews, but my boyfriend and I were pleasantly surprised. We've been having a rough time lately and staying in hotels, so being on a tight budget, we wish we'd tried this place sooner and saved some money. Check-in was easy, and our room on the 8th floor was spacious with a decent-sized bathroom. The bed was fluffy and we slept really well. I'm picky about hotel rooms and not easy to please, but I was happy with our stay and thought it was a great deal. The listing said breakfast was free, though unfortunately there wasn't any.

The room looked renovated at first, but once we turned on the lights, the curtains were hanging off the window. We found a dead roach in the bathroom, and the bed had moldy mattresses. The smell was awful inside, like mildew and garbage in the lobby, and stepping outside didn't get us away from the weed odor across the property. The only working elevator had cockroaches crawling around in it. We couldn't believe the place was still operating. At check-in, the front desk attendant looked disheveled and unprofessional, like he'd just come in from the street, and didn't inspire confidence. I've never seen a hotel like this. Save yourself the nightmare and book somewhere else. This felt like a health hazard.

The room I was first given reeked of smoke, and the walls and ceiling were yellowed with stains. I asked to switch rooms, but the next one had roaches on the wall and dirty sheets. The bed looked like it had been made with used linens. They also tried not to give me a refund. This place looks nothing like the photos and was the most disgusting hotel I've ever been in. Only stay if you want to share your vacation room with roaches.

I spent a couple of weeks here, and Manager Frank was consistently kind, polite, and helpful. We had groceries but only a small mini fridge, so we asked if another one might be available. Frank worked with his team and got us a fridge twice the size, which I learned had been used in their break room. His whole team went out of their way to help, including Sam and Mr. Ashraf. I saw them treat other customers that way too. They were friendly, respectful, and clearly appreciated their guests. I'd stay again, five out of five.