Worst Chain ever (a.k.a Super 8)
 

I was just looking around and I realized that the worst chain ever is Super 8. Ive stayed in many a hotel chain (from Days Inn to Sheraton, Doubltree etc...), but Super 8 is by far the worst. The one I stayed was in Estes Park, CO. It was somewhere around $80, thought it was the cheapest in town, it was also the only one in town not to have A/C, it was quite hot, it was also a bit on the run down side, it was semi-clean (thankfully I have never been to an actual dirty motel room with bugs), and from the experiences that I read, along with my stay at this and another Super 8 (Dont remember where, but remember it was bad), I think that Super 8 is the worst chain ever. Agree, disagree?

I've only stayed at Super 8 a couple of times and they were okay. The worst place I ever stayed was at a Motel 6 in Indianapolis on Shadeland Avenue. This place was frightening. When we arrived there were police everywhere. We were attending an event at the Indiana State Fair and couldn't find a room anywhere else. The police told us we should be fine if we stayed inside. They were searching for a fugitive whose friends were supposedly in a room at the hotel. They didn't find him, but created a big ruckus. This was the smallest hotel room I have ever been in. The 2 beds each touched the side walls and the night stand between the beds. There was barely enough room to walk between the beds and the dresser. The bathroom was the only one I have ever been in (except at national parks) that only had a shower stall. It was so small that you could barely get inside and close the door. Since that experience I have never again stayed at a Motel 6.

It's probably unfair to stereotypically blast an entire chain because they all have good/bad performers. However, I'll go out of the way to avoid both Ramada and Days Inn.

Ditto to Dan. I avoid those, too.

I've stayed in several Motel 6 that were just fine. I think it depens on the individual hotel.

Worse (chain) place ever for me was a toss-up between Econolodge in Grant NM and a Rodeway Inn in Quincy IL

I've stayed at Super8 plenty of times and never had problems with cleanliness or service ... tho a lot of their "wooden-stick-frame" roadside hotels are cheaply built with lots of creaking. I've had good luck with Motel6 (Binghamton NY was a big + ) and yes, many of them only have a shower, but a shower is what I take anyway, and don't fault them for it ... each time the bathroom had been "bathtub" size, just the smaller fixture.

Oh -- a Best Western in Pell City AL where all the dust in the heater/ac unit caught fire ... I'm sure all of the above are no longer affiliated with the same chain.

The worst place I'vestayed was a Motel 6 in Orlando.

The last time I stayed at a Super 8, the couple next door got into an argument and the man started beating up the woman. I ended up calling 911, then got more and more nervous when he started asking her where his "piece" was. When the police showed up, he was arrested, and she was taken away in an ambulance. They left a yappy dog alone in their room, crying and howling for about an hour till a friend came to get it. I didn't get more than a couple of hours of sleep that night.

The worst thing about cheap motels is usually the other patrons.

ClarkGriswold
That made me laugh because it is soooo true!

You know how Motel 6 says they'll leave the light on for you? Motel 6, Rapid City, South Dakota, soccer trip where coaches booked the hotel. Bathroom light wouldn't work and the hotel said there was no way they could fix it while we were there and (surprise) all the other rooms were booked. At least by showering in the dark we could avoid seeing the mildew coating the shower walls. Ick ick ick. Never again will coaches make my room reservation...

The 2 times I've been grossed out and scared out of my wits were at the Ramada and Days Inn in Miami.

Worst chain is Econolodge. Particularly disgusting is the Econolodge in Tucson.

Knight's Inn, Battle Creek Michigan. So scary bikers we overheard in a bar wouldn't stay there. $49.95 per night and a free coffee with coffee mate and a jelly donut for breakfast. Yikes!!!!

Maybe I was wrong I was reading around and "Family Inns of America" seem to be constantly getting horible ratings, and horror stories.

Worst place I almost stayed at was Best Western riverfront in Wheeling WV. We took our bags to the room (an outside enterance like an old Holiday Inn). We saw on the wall two stains in the shape of hand prints like someone was arrested. We high tailed it out of there. The place we ended up staying at that night was a Ramada Inn in the center of Wheeling, better than the last place, but not much. My opinion is it is better to check out the neighborhood of the hotel before you book if you can, or ask questions on Fodors from people who live in the area you are going to stay in.

Wow. A very old post is topped. Any particular reason?

At least on this one posters won't inadvertantly give advice to someone who came and went a long time ago! :-d

Oops, I didn't realize how old the previous reply was.

actually some people get their jollies by moving old threads/topics to the new places. however, this is just a statement and comment thread not advice.

I have stayed at Days Inn (Dunkirk, NY), Econolodge (Raleigh), Motel 8 (just west of Roanoake VA), and Best Western (Orlando) and Motel 6 (Charlotte) and never could say any of these places were dirty because they were cheap. There were no more run down and filthy than the Sheratons and Hiltons I've stayed at.

Would somebody please explain why it is a big offense to bring to the top a post on a generic topic such as this?

And, while your're at it, why it is worthwhile to point out misspellings or typos such as Ranier for Rainier.

Well, since I made the comment, I'll give my opinion. I don't think it's a "big offense". I just thought the topping of this kind of thread is just a bit odd.

First of all, the thread was a rant thread.

Topping with "Worst place I almost stayed at was ..." seems like it was just continuing an old rant.

If the poster was trying to warn others about a particular hotel, then perhaps that info would be found easier by starting a new thread.

Many of us (me included) top old threads that are newly discovered that are interesting and may help others plan a trip.

So many hotels change management and even trademarks in 3 years, I just wonder how accurate 3 year old rants may still be. How many of these places are better, under new names or management, or completely closed?

Just wondered. Still wondering, in fact.

Well it seems obvious to me that Emucom took the opportunity to share an experience he/she had and to comment that "neighborhood" is an important consideration in selecting a motel.

I agree. I think this is good advice, and I see no reason to question the motive behind it.

I will keep watch to see if Emucom chimes in to explain that I was wrong in my conclusion.

Wow, I must be missing something completely. I don't see a "Ranier for Rainier" anywhere on this thread - or corrections/ typos. I was corrected last week for mispelling a word - that I don't think I mispelled. That sort of stuff is so unimportant. I just shrug and guess the corrector (sic?) is either an English teacher, writer or similar. There was a funny thread a few weeks back by someone who started a thread asking who was "horrified" about misspelled words. That OP didn't get a lot of support! :-)

Topping old moldy threads just sinks current, topical threads faster.

Topping a really old thread about something specific is one thing -- "tell me about such and such hotel" - if the new poster is looking for info about the same place.

But just topping an old general rant - not much value . . . .

"Wow. A very old post is topped. Any particular reason?"

I don't see how this comment can be construed as implying that it's a "big offense" to top old posts. I don't think Emucom took issue with the inquiry - in fact, I'm sure the question is what made him/her realize that the thread was started years ago.