Years ago I had booked this hotel for my sister's wedding and ran into a problem as soon as I showed up for my reservation. On that occasion I cancelled on the spot and walked out. I should have listened to my gut when I decided that on a recent trip home I would get a hotel and not come here again. My sister has been married for about two decades at this point and, if anything, this place got worse.
First, maybe the only positive about this place, it is cheap. Not the cheapest in the Johnstown area, but cheaper than most. But now, let's get into the rest of it.
When I arrived I was going to initially extend my stay by one night. When I checked in I was told that they were booked. Kind of a silver lining moment for me as you will see when I get into it.
I have stayed at a few hotels that are on this level, and it's not a level a hotel wants to be at. When you go to book online you are misled that this place has been totally updated and absolutely clean. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes those words are mostly gibberish and lies.
After checking in I made my way to the room. I know this is a budget hotel, but it really felt more like a funeral home or church when walking the staircases/halls. The stairs themselves definitely felt like you were taking the stairs in a church. That carpeted, muted creaking sound. Second floor is where the laundry is...in the hallway.
My room, yikes. It was very spacious, that is for sure. Almost too spacious and felt almost like an echo chamber. What was updated in the room you ask? The bedding, the picture of a city about two hours away on the wall, the television, the curtains, and maybe the flooring. Everything else, was just here for all those years.
The WiFi here wasn't all that great. At one point I had to use the hotspot on my phone to connect. I worked from the hotel room during the day. I had to be mindful of the window situation as well. Even though I was on the second floor, I need to have the curtains closed most of the times. People in the parking lot were still able to see into the room. Then there is the window itself, it needs replaced. The amount of rust (at least I hope it was rust) built up on the window frame made it look like the window was a smoker and stained the white.
Then there was the bathroom. This bathroom was close to disrepair. They may have updated the mirror and shower surround, but it was the original counter, toilet and tub. The water pressure was never perfect. Neither was the temperature of the water. If you like fighting a stream of water, then this is you place. Once second it would be freezing cold and the next you would be scolded by the boiling water rushing towards you.
But the worst of it all, the toilet. When I first got into the room I noticed there was water damage on the wall and just thought that it had something to do with the years this place has been open and people not knowing how to properly use the shower. But it was the toilet. It leaked the whole time I was here, and probably before I got here.
I had already been in the room for a night when on the second the hotel management and maintenance came knocking on my door. They supposedly got a complaint from the downstairs room about leaking in their bathroom. Here, the toilet in my room had been leaking the whole time.
Then, I think, they were going to move me so they could close off the room. But they seemed to remember that they told me that they were fully booked and had nothing available. And the words that came out were "Well, you're only here for one more night."
And thank god for that. I wanted out of there and am so glad that they didn't have anything available to extend the stay. I can see why this place is the lowest rated in the area. Be weary to book here or you may be in for an unpleasant stay. read more