This hotel chain has always had a bit of a reputation but I did not know it was this bad. Makes you wonder about establishments in the vicinity of one of these and if there is a spill-over effect. Over the years, we have lived in establishments that are very far from "fancy". It specially makes sense when on a road-trip, arriving very late and leaving quite early. The place we stop for the night is usually an hour or more from our destination and marks as far as we were comfortable driving before needing to break for the night. It's not always possible to plan these stops ahead of time because that kills spontaneity and freedom to change plans as we like. I am glad we've never ended up in an establishment like the one in the story - not yet atleast. I do try to research the safety of the neighborhood we will spend the night - in America or abroad and generally select a somewhat boring and uneventful place.
Our stops for the night often have only one main street, a scattering or stores, a few gas stations and a handful of hotels. If an establishment is rated family- friendly, it's usually my top choice when I don't have much else to go by and then I start to look at the negative reviews to see if there are any serious red flags. People complaining about noise from the street is not enough to detract me but its intolerable for some. The last time we checked into a place that looked may more run-down in reality than it did in the pictures, I wondered if we need to go somewhere else. The neighborhood was very busy and full of tourists, plenty of families with kids but the place did not exude comfortable vibes. Right when we were about to start looking for an alternative, we saw this desi family pull into the parking lot of the establishment. They had two young kids and more than a couple of bags. This family intended to stay here for a few days to check out the local attractions I guessed. That sight immediately put me at ease. The stay ended up being uneventful and breakfast better than I expected.
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