Motel Chains

[bstar82]

In 1998, we went to Ypsilanti. Against my better judgment, my buddy didn't book a hotel.

1. We stayed in Detroit for the night.

2. it wasn't a national chain

3. when checking in, the guy (and little woman on his arm) ahead of our group asked for "the hourly rate"

4. when asked what room we wanted, I said, wherever he is not (pointing to the guy in number 3)

5. there were burned iron marks on the bedspread

6. broken tile in the bathroom/kitchen (never understood that) where a stove once was

7. brown tub (not original color)

8. so many locks on the inside of the door, some were just painted over with the passing of time (memory tells me there were 9 said locks)

9. shag carpet that had been snagged in a few areas and bare in a couple others

In my 36 years of being motels/hotels, it was absoutley the worst.

Elmo Blatch

Nothing to do with drum corps, but reminds me of being in Las Vegas once going in a car from the downtown to the strip. Me and my buddy met two really hot women on the Fremont street light show. Hung out with them, drank gambled and partied and then they offered to give us a ride back to the strip in their rental car and spend some more time together. Well my buddy was getting really drunk and we passed one of those seedy motels in the between area and he saw the sign that mentioned three hour rates and had the nerve to blurt out," Bhhh!! Threes hours? All I need is 10 minutes". Needless to say, he wasn't scoring that night.

[Walter]

Well, lets recap that first night in Denver. First, we were booked into a non smoking room, but it became quite apparent that it was not always that way. It smelled like a cigerette butt and the walls were permanenty yellow stained. There were cigerette burns all over the place. For all we know, this room may have acheived it's non smoking status just 3 minutes before we got there.

The mattress was shaped like a bowl. Cobwebs in the corners. Tar drippings on the windows, broken toilet seat and I discovered that the smoke dectectors did not work.

Unfortunatly, due to the late hour, we had to stay there for one night before we moved across to the highway and the Motel 6.

As far as Motel 6's were concerned this one was OK. Certainly looked like the Waldorf Astoria when we first walked in from our nightmare the previous night.

Did I forget to mention that the desk people at the Howard Johnsons that following morning were the worst bunch of people ever to run a motel? A whole room of angry customers, they obviously are used to this and make their money one night stayer at a time. They refused to even talk about getting our money back, but we accomplished just that through a tough battle with the corporate offices when we got home. We also called the Denver Fire Department on the smoke detectors. they called my wife and investigated the place and we were told that they would have smoke detectors installed.

At least we got our money back and accomplished possibly saving someones life if a fire ever broke out.

A picture of the lovely sleeping arrangement..

You had a few major inconveniences in your room.... :P j/k

HOLY CRAP MAN, I had a MASSED MURDERER in the room BESIDE ME !!!!!!! b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs

[That70'sLancer]

You had a few major inconveniences in your room.... :P j/k

HOLY CRAP MAN, I had a MASSED MURDERER in the room BESIDE ME !!!!!!! b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs

Steph and I sure rember that as well! But we also noticed that the front section that you were staying in seemed more more acceptable than the building in back. The forgotten zone.

I was working in a restaurant in my youger days during the 4 years I lived in Hollywood, CA. Some customer kept getting up every few minutes to look out the front door. On the fifth or sixth time he stuck his head out, cops jumped out and grabbed his neck and through him to the ground. Seems he just shot someone down the street. Just another tricky day in L.A.

:sshh:

[Walter]

Steph and I sure rember that as well! But we also noticed that the front section that you were staying in seemed more more acceptable than the building in back. The forgotten zone.

:sshh:

I was wondeering about that when I saw it.

I think that was added later but it looked like a bunch monkeys put it together. :sshh:

[barkermarker]

Nothing to do with drum corps, but reminds me of being in Las Vegas once going in a car from the downtown to the strip. Me and my buddy met two really hot women on the Fremont street light show. Hung out with them, drank gambled and partied and then they offered to give us a ride back to the strip in their rental car and spend some more time together. Well my buddy was getting really drunk and we passed one of those seedy motels in the between area and he saw the sign that mentioned three hour rates and had the nerve to blurt out," Bhhh!! Threes hours? All I need is 10 minutes". Needless to say, he wasn't scoring that night.

Perhaps the Western? That place is like a train wreck. You can't stop looking at it.

Awesome story about a stay at the Western:

http://www.bigempire.com/vegas/19dollar1.html

[barkermarker]

Well, lets recap that first night in Denver. First, we were booked into a non smoking room, but it became quite apparent that it was not always that way. It smelled like a cigerette butt and the walls were permanenty yellow stained. There were cigerette burns all over the place. For all we know, this room may have acheived it's non smoking status just 3 minutes before we got there.

The mattress was shaped like a bowl. Cobwebs in the corners. Tar drippings on the windows, broken toilet seat and I discovered that the smoke dectectors did not work.

Unfortunatly, due to the late hour, we had to stay there for one night before we moved across to the highway and the Motel 6.

As far as Motel 6's were concerned this one was OK. Certainly looked like the Waldorf Astoria when we first walked in from our nightmare the previous night.

Did I forget to mention that the desk people at the Howard Johnsons that following morning were the worst bunch of people ever to run a motel? A whole room of angry customers, they obviously are used to this and make their money one night stayer at a time. They refused to even talk about getting our money back, but we accomplished just that through a tough battle with the corporate offices when we got home. We also called the Denver Fire Department on the smoke detectors. they called my wife and investigated the place and we were told that they would have smoke detectors installed.

At least we got our money back and accomplished possibly saving someones life if a fire ever broke out.

A picture of the lovely sleeping arrangement..

I love this thread. And you reminded me of a lovely stay at a Motel6 years ago when we went to the Whitewater show. We stayed at one in Janesville. I don't even know if it's there anymore but the carpet was soaking wet. Disgusting. I was so creeped out, I kept wondering, what is this soaked with? I think I started to cry. (I'm a little obsessive/compulsive which doesn't help matters)

Thanks for saving someone's life. That's cool.

Edited July 25, 2007 by barkermarker

[Lancerlady]

I love this thread. And you reminded me of a lovely stay at a Motel6 years ago when we went to the Whitewater show. We stayed at one in Janesville. I don't even know if it's there anymore but the carpet was soaking wet. Disgusting. I was so creeped out, I kept wondering, what is this soaked with? I think I started to cry. (I'm a little obsessive/compulsive which doesn't help matters)

Thanks for saving someone's life. That's cool.

I know I was crying my eyes out that night!! I thought for sure that one way to get them for not even caring, was to call the fire department on them. When I realized the alarms weren't even working, well, that was just the final straw for me. :sshh:

Our vacation started off horrible, but then ended up being so cool when we went through the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park and visited the Coors place! Plus Rob got us some beer too.... I love the Rockies! :mmm: Plus I almost forgot, I about ###### on myself with laughter that the Cavaliers took the victory that night! :P

Then we came home and a week later "Hurricane Charley" ripped through Central Florida. But that's another thread! :)

Edited July 25, 2007 by Lancerlady

[WWonka]

The 10 minutes vs 3 hours remark above is hilarious. :P

All this reminds me of last season. Hauled my daughter to a Memphis Sound camp. Well I didn't want to bed down at the school. But I wanted to do this deal as cheap as possible since it was just me. So I stopped at a hotel on the way back into Memphis that had $29.00 singles on the sign. Should have been $9.00. I killed roaches crawling on the wall and near the TV till I fell asleep. If I had not been so tired from working all day then driving for 6-7 hours getting her there I would have moved on but... I was never happier to see a Motel 6 again in my life next night. Nice remodeled one.

Most all these low end chains everyone is mentioning are franchises. You roll the dice on most of them.

You people are supposed to be used to sleeping on floors at one time in your lives... what are you complaining about? :P

[Lancerlady]

The 10 minutes vs 3 hours remark above is hilarious. :P

All this reminds me of last season. Hauled my daughter to a Memphis Sound camp. Well I didn't want to bed down at the school. But I wanted to do this deal as cheap as possible since it was just me. So I stopped at a hotel on the way back into Memphis that had $29.00 singles on the sign. Should have been $9.00. I killed roaches crawling on the wall and near the TV till I fell asleep. If I had not been so tired from working all day then driving for 6-7 hours getting her there I would have moved on but... I was never happier to see a Motel 6 again in my life next night. Nice remodeled one.

Most all these low end chains everyone is mentioning are franchises. You roll the dice on most of them.

You people are supposed to be used to sleeping on floors at one time in your lives... what are you complaining about? :P

That's what I told my husband, of all the wierd places we had to sleep on tour.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience in Memphis, there are some places you should never go to in that town. I'll let you know where next time! :)

[barkermarker]

I know I was crying my eyes out that night!! I thought for sure that one way to get them for not even caring, was to call the fire department on them. When I realized the alarms weren't even working, well, that was just the final straw for me. :sshh:

Our vacation started off horrible, but then ended up being so cool when we went through the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park and visited the Coors place! Plus Rob got us some beer too.... I love the Rockies! :mmm: Plus I almost forgot, I about ###### on myself with laughter that the Cavaliers took the victory that night! :P

Then we came home and a week later "Hurricane Charley" ripped through Central Florida. But that's another thread! :)

I loved the Coors brewery but I just got blue moons. LOL!

Did you guys get up to Red Rocks? Now that was awesome.