Back in the day, it was common nature to enter any hotel around the world blindly. The only source we had was pictures of the location along with where the hotel was situated and what surrounded it. These days, the likes of The Travel and Trip Advisor continue to facilitate the travel aspect. Trip Advisor, in particular, has thousands upon thousands of reviews pertaining to customer experiences. Not only are the reviews helpful but photos can also help to further evidence what the hotel is really like. As you’ll see in this article, photos from the hotel website can be misleading; this is evidenced when a traveler gets to the actual location.
In this article, we feature hotels that are strictly in the US area. For one reason or another, these hotels turned out to be a big-time letdown. Poor room service, unfriendly staff, and maintenance issues are just some of the reasons featured in this article. We include touristic hotspots in the article, locations from Anaheim, New York, Wildwood and New Orleans, to name a few. Remember folks, always read reviews before giving out that credit card information. It can make a huge difference in the quality of a traveler’s overall trip.
From dirty carpets to broken promises, these are 20 times Trip Advisor reviews were all too real, but not in a good way in the US. Enjoy and like always be sure to share the article with a friend. Let’s get started!
20 Pocono Plaza Inn, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania - "Stink Stank Stunk"
The traveler photos might have been worse than the reviews. Pics of the water filling up the bathtub are truly disturbing. The water looks dirty and even dangerous! This review sums up the hotel pretty accurately;
“Room was really old and dirty, the chair was worn, bathroom very old. The pool area was really ok but later in the day, the pool water became cloudy. We checked out after the first night and checked into the Hampton. We went to eat breakfast and there was nothing to eat and no place to sit.” (User jreinecke2018)
19 Roberts Riverwalk Hotel, Detroit, Michigan - "Worst hotel I've stayed at in my life!!!"
As we suggested in previous articles, at least according to the reviews alone, some Detroit hotels don’t have the best reputation. “Worst hotel I’ve ever stayed at in my life” isn’t an awesome endorsement either. You know things are bad when according to the reviewer; the headboard fell off the wall;
“Moved to the 3rd floor, room 311 or 317 - headboard fell off the wall and shower was stopped up. Moved to the 4th floor, room 417 - furnace not working. shower and sink stopped up and a key to the room not working. General Manager was disrespectful, rude, unprofessional, lacked communications skills and used profanity.”(User Vicki0821)
Not a good sign when the staff is just as bad as the quality of the hotel...
18 World Hotel, New York City, New York - "Worst Hotel"
It doesn’t get much worse than a travel agent recommending a hotel and it is an absolute dud on the inside. Making matters worse, this particular traveler only lasted a couple of hours at the hotel. It isn’t a good sign when you’re sharing a toilet with 30 others on the same floor;
“I realized that I had to share two toilets and two bathrooms with about 30 people or more on my floor. The room was not very clean (dirty sheet and pillowcase) and the fan was not working at all.” (User Vickie A)
Making matters worse, the traveler was forced into paying double the taxi fee as the hotel took commission from the taxi company they called. Yikes!
17 Midtown Hotel New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana - "God Awful"
“AWFUL , A NIGHTMARE.. I WAS SCARED TO LAY DOWN I LITERALLY SLEPT SITTING UP.... SCARED OF BED BUGGGGSSSSSS..MY HUSBAND STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO SPRAY US DOWN BEFORE WE CAME BACK IN THE HOUSE.”(User LDF19682016)
Nothing says a good time like bed bugs huh! Things would get worse as Fire Marshalls shut down the hotel due to the fire alarms that weren’t working. This place sounds hazardous in every aspect. If you’re thinking about visiting New Orleans, perhaps it might be best to sidestep this hotel.
16 Days Inn By Wyndham Hillsborough, Hillsborough Township, New Jersey - "Don't Stay Here"
Days Inn hotels usually have a decent reputation. It is a cheaper hotel and a commercial one - though this particular hotel in the New Jersey area has a lot of negative reviews. More than one of the reviewers discussed the weird smell of the hotel. The quality of customer service wasn’t up to par either according to this tourist;
“When you walk into the lobby you notice a smell that hits you. The customer service was not there. When I checked in it was as if I was bothering him. Then walked towards my room and there was garbage in the hallway and dirty towels. Then got to my room and OMG the smell was horrible.” (User Matthew W)
15 NOPSI Hotel New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana - "They Cheaped Out"
We go back to New Orleans for another hotel that didn’t live up to the expectations for these travelers. We hope at the very least Bourbon Street did not disappoint! This traveler discusses the outdated decor on the inside; hilariously comparing it to something a five-year-old might decorate;
“The hotel looks attractive but everything inside felt like a five-year-old kid assembled it with elmers glue. Furniture feels very cheap and artificial like a college kid shopping at IKEA because he knows he's going to move out in 9 months and throw the furniture away.” (User paul d)
The hotel actually responded to the review claiming that wasn’t the intent of their decor...
14 Bolero Resort, Wildwood, NJ - "THE WORST HOTEL EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD!!!"
“I can’t believe the lack of integrity they have displayed in billing me for something they agreed was not my fault, and lack of professionalism in not returning phone calls.” (User Aileen M)
Unfortunately, lots of reviews followed this trajectory. Others also claim that the resort is nothing like advertised and most of it is just a lie to entice tourists to book the hotel. The review claims that almost all of the so-called amenities either don’t work or aren’t available. Certainly not the best look for any hotel when you aren’t delivering on the expectations.
13 Hotel Seattle, Seattle, Washington - "This Place Is Really Bad"
“The property is extremely run down. Our double room is missing a headboard. There is damage all over the property in general. On top of that, the room has no air conditioning. The hotel has no parking. The Internet doesn't seem to work. The front desk clerk is very stern, doesn't smile, and isn't friendly. Stay here only if your budget requires you to, and don't expect much.” (User JuJu W)
Once again, this isn’t the best sign when the service doesn’t make up for the lack of hospitality involved on the inside of the hotel. At the very least, the staff must try their best to make up for the outdated rooms and decor. According to this traveler, that isn’t the case at the Hotel Seattle – a hotel that should only be booked for those trying to save a quick buck.
12 Hilton Chicago, Chicago, Illinois - "Bad Service, Bad Service, And More Bad Service"
The location, amenities, and decor of a hotel can all be so great. However, at the end of the day what truly matters is the way guests are treated. This is the case with the traveler who praises the hotel’s overall look and decor. However, his experience was completely ruined by the service;
“I can admit that the property is great - location, much of the upkeep, design, and amenities. I would consider it a high-class hotel actually. What doesn't work for me is rudeness. With more attitude, I was directed to the storage area. When I got to the storage area, despite 2 nights at premium rates and years as a Hilton Honors member, I was told to pay $3 a bag for storage.” (User Justin J)
11 The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -"So Bad."
“Our first room had stains on the bedding and floor and the interior walls looked like a scene from Jurassic Park in spots.” (Amy C)
Keep in mind that the Ritz-Carlton has a reputation as one of the more elite hotels around. Such service is unacceptable, especially considering the price tag of $500 a night at this hotel. Things would only get worse with a broken mini fridge and a laundry list of amenities missing. The bathtub was apparently also dirty. At the very least, the woman working the reception was quite kind.
10 The Grant Hotel San Francisco, San Francisco, California - "Not Recommended"
“Room smelled awful, bed was squeaky and uncomfortable, carpet old and dirty. Not a bad location, short walk to Union Square (but I wouldn’t do the walk alone), front desk staff person was helpful and happily refunded our stay so we could move to a better hotel.” (User simone d)
This is another sign that location isn’t always the be all end all when booking a hotel. A traveler must always read reviews prior, even if the location seems to be pretty darn good. In this case, despite the location, the hotel was rather underwhelming. What should have been a three night stay led to the traveler leaving after day one – not a good sign.
9 Hotel Pennsylvania, New York City - "Like a homeless hostel"
“Don’t stay here”, “has seen better days” and “like a homeless hostel” are just some of the recent reviews pertaining to Hotel Pennsylvania. Given these recent reviews, it might be best to avoid the location the next time you plan on visiting the New York area. Making matters worse, the hotel doesn’t come cheap with a price tag of over $230 per night. According to this review, the price comes nowhere near the experience;
“The photos on their site bear no resemblance to the truth. The rooms are [dirty]. Smoke detector hanging off the wall. It’s like a doss house for the homeless. It is an utterly [bad] place and should be closed down immediately.”(User stallion200000)
8 Royalton Suites, Boston, Massachusetts - "Worst Hotel Ever"
You know the stay was bad when the traveler never wrote a review before but felt the need to nonetheless. This was the case with this particular traveler’s stay at a hotel in Boston.
“The bathroom sink was leaking so the bathroom floor would get wet every time I turned on the sink. I decided to ask for a different room. There wasn't one, and the problem wouldn't be fixed until the next day.” (User Kingtut_101)
The traveler ended up leaving the hotel and a representative said he would be refunded the day stay. Instead, when he returned home he was not. The same manager would then claim he didn’t recall having the conversation. Yikes!
7 Motel 6, Madison, Wisconsin - "Worst Hotel Ever! Yucky"
Hotel maintenance. Maintenance, maintenance, and maintenance. When this requirement isn’t met, that isn’t the best news or look for any hotel. This can completely sink the reputation of a hotel and anyone’s traveling experience. Tourists visiting hotels usually expect a clean environment, at the very least. According to this review, that isn’t exactly what went down at this Wisconsin hotel, a Motel 6;
“The hallways smelled terribly only beaten for smelliness by the room. The room had dirty carpet disgusting carpet. People using the pool were swimming in their underwear. Very scary place.” (User Snowgirl 1991)
6 Excalibur Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada - "Horrible"
The heading of this particular review gets directly to the point, “horrible.” The room wasn’t clean, the food was overpriced and making matters worse, the staff wasn’t helpful either. The Las Vegas hotel experience wasn’t the greatest;
“$82.50 for 2 cheeseburgers and 2 beers! Room was dirty and the neighbors had an all righter so sleep is optional. The casino was one of the tightest places I have ever played. Staff was pretty rude with a dozen at the check in standing around a doing nothing while the line was like getting into Disneyland. I have been going to Excalibur since 1990 and will never return.” (User Curious493162)
A hotel rep issued an apology. However, it might be too late.
5 Bethpage Hotel, Long Island, New York - "Worst Motel On Long Island"
“The walls were so paper thin that carnal noise from the couple next door sounded like they were in the room with us. At a cost of $100.00 a night this was the worst Motel I have ever stayed and I highly recommend that you never stay there. You'd be better off staying in your car.” (User 60Nothappy)
Ah yes, paper thin walls. What better way to enjoy a stay with a loved one than hearing the conversation of those next to your room... If that doesn’t spell romantic, we don’t know what does... Once again, this yet another classic case of a hotel failing to meet the expectations - the staff didn’t meet the requirement either, they seemed just as uninterested.
4 The Regency Hotel, Dallas, Texas - "Worst Place To Stay"
“This place needs to be tore down. Very unsafe and not clean at all. All the windows were broke out on one side of the building. The rooms were horrible, broken lamps, locks on door didn't work, stains on the floor and no phones in the rooms.” (User Adam D)
It gets worse for this Dallas hotel. Apparently, the staff didn’t improve the experience in the slightest either. Not a good sign when both the staff and hotel environment don’t meet the required expectations. Broken windows aren’t the safest sign to be quite frank. Hotels must do their very best to meet the basic necessities.
3 Interstate Motor Lodge, Houston, Texas - "Worst Hotel EVER!!"
Mold in the shower, a broken lock and unsafe environment – those were just some of the negatives according to this reviewer that stayed at a hotel in Houston, Texas, the Interstate Motor Lodge. This is another example as to why it is crucial to read reviews before giving such a hotel the chance;
“Tile floors with plastic covered hard beds. No towels at all to shower. The shower was cold. Broken faucet and broken hand rail. Black mold on the shower walls. Lock on door was gone. Oh and next door the gas station had bars on the windows and pay thru the glass window.” (User Daniel B)
2 Anaheim Carriage Inn, Anaheim, California - "The Worst Hotel Ever"
According to the review of Monica9, the hotel didn’t meet the expectations. As far as the location goes, the hotel claims to be two blocks from Disney. Instead, the reviewer claims a bus ride to the destination was pretty long and more than five stops before arriving at the actual destination.
The inside was very outdated and nothing like it was meant to be. The staff wasn’t helpful either and told the traveler to leave if she didn’t like the stay and if it didn’t meet her requirements. That’s the exact opposite of what should happen in these types of cases. Shouldn’t you comfort the guest instead, to the best of your abilities?
1 Extended Stay America - Columbus - Sawmill Rd., Dublin, Ohio - "DO NOT STAY... WORST HOTEL EVER!"
At the very least, this Ohio hotel responded to the negative review hoping to make up for the terrible experience. Lots of hotels should follow this formula. Actually caring about the experiences can go a long way.
From stained carpets to terrible smells, the hotel was not what this traveler expected nor should we blame the person for feeling that way. Ultimately, the hotel experience ruined her trip altogether, a big-time negative;
“The Extended Stay Hotel ruined my weekend getaway, I am hoping this review will discourage anyone from staying here and making the same mistake that I did.” (User Upset_Customer6078)
Reference: TripAdvisor