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Motel 6 Stinks!
Ok, here's the deal. On 10/9/97 I checked into the Motel 6 at 10 Linda Lane in Harrisonburg, Va. (Location # 1211). There were lots of hotels at this exit, but they advertised their rate ($31.99 for a single room) on the marquee, and since I just needed a quick place to crash before hitting the road early the next morning, I chose the closest hotel to I-81. I figured this was a national chain so there must certainly be some corporate standards, and, hey, Tom Bodette was personally keeping the light on for me.
I checked in, and was in for a rude awakening. Tom hadn't been to this place in a while because his light alone would have scared the bugs away. The room (219, a smoking room - but the only one left) looked like a drunken frat party had just occupied the place and the only repairs that were done was to make the beds. Dirty, filthy, torn carpeting was the first thing one noticed when opening the door. Holes in the walls from where the doorknobs banged into it, broken moldings on the table and dresser, cigarette burns in the bathtub and sink vanity, and crickets crawling on the ceiling were all evident to any one. The place was absolutely disgusting.
You might expect to encounter this kind of filth at a no name, single property type place on a back woods road, and I always look at the room before paying when staying at a non chain owned place. But I never would have expected to see this at a national chain. Who the hell is checking to see that the franchisees are maintaining the standards? ARE THERE ANY STANDARDS?
I went to see the manager, Diane Urvan, who basically said that yes, the property is old, and they are awaiting its upgrade, but I could forget about a refund. I filled out the evaluation form which she probably just threw out as soon as I walked out the door.
I did a Yahoo search to find a web site for Motel 6, but amazingly there is none. No corporate address, fax number, email address or anything. It's like they know they are going to hear nothing but complaints so they make themselves invisible.
The lesson I learned is not to take comfort in a well advertised corporate name, and to check out the room first before paying your money.
STAY AWAY FROM MOTEL 6.
Ronald S. Soussa, SIOR
Delaware Hudson Realty Group, Inc.
Parsippany, NJ 07054
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