When visitors book a hotel room, they hope for comfort, cleanliness, and convenience. These are natural and essential expectations that all guests have. However, thousands of guests worldwide are left disappointed when the hotels they check into are proven to be subpar.
These hotels are infamous for their inconsistent quality, poor maintenance, and lacklustre service. Travel Reveal highlighted several hotel chains that garnered so much criticism from guests that they are now best avoided if travellers wish to have a quality experience. Here’s a look at five hotel chains criticised as dirty, outdated, and smelly.
1. Knights Inn: A Crumbling Fortress
Knights Inn may appeal to history enthusiasts with its mediaeval-inspired name and castle-inspired exterior design. However, this inn typically falls short of delivering the royal experience you would expect inside a warm and cosy castle.
While the hotel offers budget-friendly accommodations, visitors complained that the hotel was trapped in a time warp and had an overall lacklustre upkeep. Guests were also disappointed with the outdated rooms featuring creaky beds, dim lighting, and even an overwhelming, musty smell.
More grievances detail that the hallways and bathrooms were dirty with decades-old interior designs.
2. Super 8: A Gamble You Might Regret
Super 8, part of the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts group, is renowned as a reliable, budget-friendly hotel, but it is infamous in the hearts of many guests. While some locations might surprise you with decent rooms and good service, others can leave you regretting your decision to stay.
Guests at this hotel chain have left frequent complaints about the nuance of dealing with noisy neighbours, such as a domestic dispute without staff intervention. There are also common reports about worn-out carpets on the floor, unpleasant odours, and poorly cleaned rooms.
The variety of complaints spans across different Super 8 locations, resulting in guests often highlighting a lack of consistency. It therefore feels like a gamble when visiting a Super 8 hotel, and the unpredictability of the experience can take away from your relaxation.
3. Motel 6: When “Leave the Light On” Is a Red Flag
While Motel 6 is widely known for its cheap lodging, a quality experience is not guaranteed. Several guests appreciated the low price and basic amenities like free Wi-Fi and coffee; others found little to be thankful for about their stay.
Some locations have been praised for their cleanliness and newly remodelled rooms. However, some rooms left a bad impression with dirty bathtubs, sandy floors, and saggy beds, which were said to give more of a hammock-like experience. Motel 6 is among the most affordable chains, but its outdated rooms and inconsistency in cleanliness overshadow the budget-friendly benefits.
4. Americas Best Value Inn: Where “Best Value” is Up for Debate
Americas Best Value Inn brands itself as a budget-friendly alternative to pricier hotels. This hotel provides guests with free Wi-Fi and offers free breakfast as well. However, when it comes to consistency of quality service and accommodations across the chain, Americas Best Value Inn falls short.
While some locations have received positive reviews highlighting their comfortable rooms and thoughtful amenities, others did fall below the standard. Guests have shared concerns about dirty rooms, outdated facilities, and poor maintenance, which can make the stay less than ideal.
5. Red Roof Inn: A Roll of the Dice
Red Roof Inn is known for offering inexpensive accommodations. It’s a pet-friendly hotel offering free Wi-Fi, but it has garnered mixed reviews. The hotel’s inconsistency across its different locations resulted in a mix of complaints and compliments. Among the compliments, visitors praised their cleanliness, friendly staff, and comfortable rooms.
Among the complaints, guests often highlighted a cleanliness issue and noted that their rooms needed more attention and care. The complaints also mentioned noisy neighbours and questionable hygiene in some locations.
