I have stayed over night in a myriad of places.
I must give my hubby kudos here. Since I have known him, I have not stayed overnight anywhere shabby or undesirable! Thanks honey!
Hubby is a whiz at using Priceline.com for hotel accommodations! Vicious and I had to attend an educator's conference this past Friday and we absolutely fell in love with our room he got for us! It was a residence suite; complete with full working kitchen, living room, internet on the TV, etc....I could go on and on. Easily $130 a night stay. It was amazing and only under $70!
I have stayed in some disgustingly, awful places in the past that I call Roach Motels. Once on a church missions trip, I shared a Motel 8 room (in Texas or Mississippi) with 4-5 teen girls. (My sisters, Mrs. K and Mrs. L may remember this particular room.) I don't think any of us got sleep that night. It was really late when we got the room and this was the only location with a vacancy that would fit our groups size. This particular spot is the "runner up" for the absolute worst place I have ever stayed. What made it so bad? Well, blood smeared on the walls and sheets is a start. We wrapped in blankets we brought or bought on the trip or snuggled down in our jackets. The bathroom, mirrors, and windows were all filthy. And let me not forget the awful orange, dirt-matted shag carpet! We all felt dirty when we left this location. No one, that I can remember, wanted to attempt a shower there. In my memory this was a literal "roach motel. And I can only imagine the things that happened in that room in order for blood to end up on the walls (someone probably hurt themselves racing to get out of that awful room:), but what really boggles my mind is why the blood was still there, and how long had it been since the sheets were changed.
Another really awful hotel experience was in California. It was a Senior trip, I was one of the two chaperons. There was only one SR girl, so we shared a room together. She is a good sport, but if I were to mention this trip to her, she would remember this room vividly! Again, due to poor planning on the part of the trip coordinator, we were looking for a hotel room after midnight and everywhere else was booked up. The only two rooms available were in this very very dark corner of a very dirty city. It wasn't even a hotel. It was a row of shacks! I am serious! If the wind had blown that night, I am afraid I would not be here to tell you this story.
Upon entering our room, we observed its size. Extra small. Big enough for two people to stand in mostly. The majority of the space was taken up by a full size bed. Nothing was new or neat. Worn out carpet, end table had a broken drawer, and the closet, missing a doorknob, was scary. It smelled. Ratty curtains hung on the windows. Upon venturing in the bathroom, we noted the filthy toilet did not have a lid and you flushed the toilet by pulling a string attached to the mechanism inside the tank. There wasn't a shower or a tub. The sink had a bar of dirty soap and the looks of years of grime growing around the faucet. The window in the bathroom had a crack in it, the curtains didn't cover the entire thing and the lock on the window was broken. I think we even found a hapless rusty wrench or tool of some sort to use as protection in case of emergency. Needless to say, I didn't sleep this night either. I counted the ceiling tiles and those that were missing.
I have stayed in some precarious places. I think sometimes that I may have missed my calling. I should be a hotel inspector. Don't get me wrong, I am not high maintenance at all, but I prefer a clean, well-kept hotel room. If I am going to sleep where others have slept possibly the night before or even that same morning, I want to know that the place is clear of any germies, bugs, or nastiness.
A hotel has won my favor IF: the sheets are clean and bed is made neatly; floors vacuumed; towels are folded in a decorative way; no hair on the sink, tub, toilet, or floor; wall paper is not pealing, pictures are hung straight and match the decor, grout in the bathroom is clean and not missing; no stains on the ceiling or rugs, trash cans are empty. It is a bonus if the hotel has gift packages for the guests. I especially like the classy soaps, shampoos, lotions, shower caps, night masks, lavender scented sprays, coffee, popcorn, & chocolate mints.
So, I am thankful for a wonderful husband who takes really good care of me even when I am out of town. Our brief stay at the Residence Inn at Marriott in Duluth, GA was a 10+! When you have stayed in the worst of places, it makes you REALLY appreciate the decent ones!
Here's hoping you don't ever end up staying in any "roach" motels!
Mama D
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