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Save/ShareCalifornian blogger and journalist Mat Honan recently visited Travelodge Portland City Center in Portland, Ore.
He found the motel via Orbitz, and the Orbitz rating system said that the place had several standard amenities. (Mat has posted the page from Orbitz with the listing, as proof.)
First, few—if any—of the listed amenities were actually there.
The safe was broke. The Wi-Fi wasn't working. There was no promised fitness room. No tennis. No spa.
The microwave oven had a hole in the glass on the door. The A/C didn't work. The wiring on the lamp was duct-taped together. The shower curtain rod was jerry-rigged.
And then it got worse:
My wife was the one who discovered the blood on the door of the bathroom. Whose blood? Why was it there? We can't say! ...The bloodstain wasn't too far from the imprint where the towel-holder-thingie had been ripped off of the door and not only not-replaced, but left exactly as is. Not painted over, sanded, cleaned up, or anything.
But that's not all!
The Karaoke bar rocks until about 2:30 in the morning, at which time all the drunks pile back up into the hotel and begin pounding on the doors until 4 am....On night two: As I attempted to close the heavy curtain, to block out the exceptionally bright light on the porch, it fell. It made a loud sound, like ZWOP!, and then came tumbling down to the floor, held in place by one lonely fastener. I could have called the front desk to fix this, but I had learned my lesson, and so just slept with it as is. Or tried to sleep, since it's hard to sleep when someone's shining an interrogation light in your face, which is what it felt like.
Now, I was only able to confirm that there is a karaoke bar but no fitness center when I called the property and spoke with a clerk who answered the phone at the front desk. And, maybe it was just a freak event. I've certainly stayed in other Travelodges from New Jersey to Northern Ireland, and found they were clean and good values. So this may be an isolated case for this location. But the lesson does seem to be: Cross-check those hotel reviews, before you book at a two-star or lower place. For example, TripAdvisor readers have given this place very sour reviews. (Read for yourself.) At the same time, Mat's review was in the top dozen search results when I used Google to search on the phrase "Travelodge Portland City Center." And that's the good news--the Internet helps customers level the playing field.
[The Travelodge Portland City Center is a Terrible Hotel]
Got a story of your own from any hotel or motel nationwide? Feel free to share.
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This reminds me of an article I included in a recent Travel on a Shoestring Carnival. Seems that Expedia advertises $58 rooms in NYC -- NewYorkology did a little digging and found what exactly is on offer at that price . . . It's not pretty.
Posted By poetloverrebelspy on August 1, 2008, 3:04 AM
Let'a all say this together now.................
You get what you pay for!
Posted By JIM on August 1, 2008, 10:43 AM
A month ago, booked a Travelodge? by Spokane, WA
airport. Your description fits this one to a tee.
Swimming pool full of garbage, garbage stacked in the hallways, wake up call system out of order, alarm clock in room did not work. On site restaurant out of business, etc. Only perk here is that car parking is free, and there is a shuttle taxi to airport and return included with room.
Posted By tom on August 2, 2008, 1:10 PM
The Travelodge in Everett, WA is notorious for its Meth Labs! But a quick review search (TripAdvsior or Yahoo) usually does the trick to make you run screaming BEFORE you actually check in.
Posted By BB on August 4, 2008, 12:23 PM
Most of the discount hotel chains are for people who are willing to give up amenities and overlook details in order to save money. The destination is the focus, not the accommodations. Find your entertainment out and about instead of in the hotel.
In my experience, the best cheaper hotels are Ramada, Howard Johnson's, Best Western (lap size pools, actually) and Hampton Inns. Anyone else have good experiences?
Posted By EllKell on August 4, 2008, 12:38 PM
The travelodge in Seattle by the Seattle Center is the same way. Refrig didn't work, broken safe, dirty carpet, however, the pool was open and heated. We were there in early May, so it was still chilly.
Posted By Lisa on August 4, 2008, 12:55 PM
Travelodge in the UK not the same chain but big problems here too. I arrived from Norway mid morning and took a taxi to the Travelodge.. I did not expect to check in (it was around 11:30 in the morning) but the Receptionist could not wait to tell me that check in time was 3pm and their policy was that they did not store luggage .. they refused to store my suitcase until my check in. This meant I had to drag It up the hill into the city .. trying to think of what to do. This spoiled my visit to Newcastle.
Upon checking, I see that this is not just local policy but Company policy:
From their Website
Can I leave my luggage?
If you arrive at the hotel before your room is ready at 3.00pm, unfortunately we are unable to store any luggage. The same also applies if you need to store your luggage after your stay.
**************
I am accustomed to the idea that you may have to pay a fee to store bags after check out but have never encountered a hotel which did not allow you to store bags until the room was ready. I will never stay in a Travelodge again.
Posted By Marshall on August 4, 2008, 1:46 PM
We have had too many experiences like this ourselves around the US. We only stay at b and b's, they may seem a bit pricier, but often if you factor in the cost of breakfast (and they're usually top notch gourmet offering) and all the charm and amenities, you do very well budget wise. Also the personalized service from the innkeepers, who are usually the owners. Can't be beat. A few of my favorites: The Adams Inn, DC; Alexander Booklovers' on the Eastern Shore of MD; Wilson House Baltimore.
Posted By Isabella on August 4, 2008, 2:51 PM
What is it about Portland? About 15 yr. ago, a friend and I had an early morning flight out of Portland and booked into a motel near the airport. Although it was one of the most reasonable places we found in pricey Portland, it was by no means cheap.
We were apparently among the few travellers booking for more than a few hours, and the cardboard walls gave us a clear idea of the partying going on--all night!
Posted By Susan on August 4, 2008, 4:11 PM
We found when touring in America that small hotels and motels have often been taken over by third world immigrants - who have failed to keep them up to scratch. Years ago American families would own these places and they were generally quite good - but now you have to be awfully careful where you stay. By the sound of it the American Travelodge people aren't bothering to check out their franchisees properly - which is very silly because in the long term it will ruin their business.
Posted By ian chandler on August 4, 2008, 7:59 PM