Website very misleading. No where does it indicate it's essentially a motel for half the facility. When I called after being in my room for five minutes and said this was not acceptable, I was told I would be charged the entire fee for the room since I had "already checked in, ma'am". The front desk guy tried to convince me that "pool view" meant that my door opened up to the pool. I don't know what fucking planet he's from as that is not anyone's definition of pool view. After expressing my unhappiness, they did move us to a different room, which is average at best if I'm being extremely generous. I strongly do not recommend this "hotel". read more

I would give this hotel 0 stars if I could. We arrived 15 minutes after check-in time to a lobby full of other people waiting for rooms as well to be told rooms weren't ready but to give them 30-45 minutes. We were okay to wait - we setup in the bar (which was closed unfortunately) but watched the Auburn game on the tv. After 1.5 hours, we just put our luggage back in the car so we can make our dinner reservations and the Kevin Hart show at the DPAC. We just figured the room would be ready when we got back. But at almost 10pm, we waited 30 min at the front desk for someone to come to the desk with people lined up behind us (and everyone asking the bartender for help) - once the operations manager came back to the desk, he told us linens were still being washed and our room was still not ready. This was 10:30pm and with no explanation or generally any concern. Fortunately, we are local and wanted just a kid-free night to see a show and spend time together so we were able to just drive home but I feel bad for the other people there that didn't have that option. We also were given an extremely hard time by the parking attendant after the operations manager had instructed him to let us out for free - he refused and started yelling at us with his head somewhat inside of our car. We called Durham PD because we didn't know what else to do. While sitting waiting to be let out of the parking deck, we watched as two guys started a fight with another man in a vehicle in line. It was just all around a nightmare and we felt unsafe. We won't be staying at the Unscripted ever again (not that we got to actually stay) and would be hard-pressed to stay in this area again to be honest. read more

My hotel room is 15 feet from a deejay stand by the pool playing AT TOP VOLUME. My room is literally shaking. They leave you a pair of earplugs on the nightstand. Big day tomorrow and I was hoping to rest and get some work done. I think this is the first review I've posted for a hotel or restaurant ever. Front desk not helpful. I'm booked for tomorrow night too and will need to find a different hotel. read more

I checked in super late at night after a long drive. There is an entrance for the parking garage around to the side that has a place to pull up and check in to the hotel. Finding the pull-in spot easily was a luxury at nearly 3 AM. My local friend described this hotel as authentic, and that it is. It's an old building. That fact is embraced by Unscripted. Yes. There was noise. It's downtown Durham. There are bars open. There are trains. Some reviewers seem to blame Unscripted for these realities. If you want sterile and silent: NP as one reviewer notes there is a Marriott across the way. As for me, I loved the place. The bed was comfortable. The bathroom was big. My two complaints are: The a/c units retrofitted to this old building - at least how it was done in my room- the air blows directly on you lying in bed. I like a cool room but this meant fortifying the covers to block the direct blast. Second, for some strange reason, for my three night stay, I didn't have maid service once. I was hardy there, and I didn't care about it enough to call the front desk, but when I returned at each day's end, I was disappointed (and surprised!) to see the room untouched. The ultimate question is -- if I were to return to Durham, would I stay here again? Absolutely. It is not a 5-star kind of place nor is it trying to be. read more

Unscripted is now part of Hyatt and that is the only reason I stayed at this hotel, which is basically a glorified motel, with doors opening outside instead of inside a hallway. No coffee maker in the room and no breakfast downstairs. I know the "minimalist" trend is big now with hotels, but this is ridiculous. Needless to say, I won't be staying here again on my next trip to Durham. read more

I called the front desk to find if I can get seating inside an igloo. I explained politely to the the guy at front desk who refused to give his name , I didn't want to try and park and come in to find out there is no searing. His immediate response " your parking is not my problem". Then I asked if they have availability inside the igloo in the next 5 minutes . His golden response " you can get drinks". I ask again can you confirm if there is seating inside the igloo. To me an yes or no question.. his response again .. this time in a rude tone .. you can get drinks.. well not my question. If you don't know what is expected in the hospitality industry you shouldn't be working here .. anyway not my cup of tea when a business is rude to customers.. this place is off my list! I feel sorry for this business to have such people work at their front desk !! read more

I didn't actually stay at the Unscripted Hotel Durham, but I feel like I'm there because I'm at a hotel a whole block away, and the Unscripted Hotel is having an UNGODLY LOUD DJ-ed pool party that is SO UNGODLY LOUD that we all can hear every pounding beat, every word of the DJ through our walls since our rooms in a DIFFERENT HOTEL have the great misfortune of facing this POOL OF HELL at the Unscripted. What a nightmare for the neighborhood. This alone will keep me from EVERY going to the Unscripted, but possibly every coming back to Durham again. I can't fathom how this hotel gets away with this regularly. BEWARE. This is not a hotel, it's a Dance Club complete with DJ. There will be no sleep if you are in a 1 miled radius. It's not for sleep or relxation: it's for PARTIES. read more

Yikes, I did not enjoy my stay. It was an unusual experience. Overpriced w/ "quirky" 1960/1970s decor (at least I think that is what they are trying to do...not sure). SOME unfriendly desk staff. You can't relax at this place with all of the "music" playing near the pool. This must be for the 21 year old party crowd. It's not the place to be if you want to relax. read more

We are all entitled to our own opinions, right? Well here's mine: Parking: 5 Location: 5 Decor/ambiance: 5 Customer Service: 5 What's up yo purse? For many of us who live downtown Durham we have witness Durham on it's come up. The unscripted hotel is one of the most awesome hotels that I've been into since Jerome has begin it's re-transformation. I absolutely love the idea of this place. It's super clean. It's really nice and small and it gives a great vibes whenever you walk inside. The staff are always smiling and friendly. I've had several dealings with this hotel. They have meeting space is available as well as a pretty sweet Barnett stays open late night as well. On the roof top there is a full-service bar in a pool with a view of the city. It's actually free for regular traffic to come through the hotel and March upstairs to grab drinks and to sit by the pool to lounge. I was actually told you can swim and not be a guess, I'm not sure how true that is but that is what someone said the day I went to go visit. Check out the unscripted hotel if you're in the Durham area looking for something cool to do. read more

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Location is great but a few things that you should know that may not be obvious or they wont tell you when you book. This is a revamped 60s motel, looks like something from a period show but the room we had was nice and the bed good. There are 4 floors, floor 3 and 4 overlook the pool, the doors on floor 3 open on to the pool deck and floor 4 open on to a balcany walkway (ala cheap motel) over looking the pool. The pool has a bar and a very loud DJ that starts mid afternoon. if you are looking for a quiet place to do some work or have a nap this is not the place as I said the rooms open right on to the pool deck and DJ. I wouldn't stay here again. read more

Very clean, hospitable and friendly staff. They're taking the necessary measures and precautions to keep their patrons safe with the Covid. The room was poolside and over looked the city of Durham. Very nice city view at night! Will be back for a mini vacation soon! read more

Unscripted Durham - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great location. Hotel was very clean and comfortable. Staff was friendly and helpful. They follow strict rules for Covid-19 and that was very reassuring. Hotel also has outdoor pool and bar. Some rooms do not have windows so be sure to check. read more

first the good- room was clean, comfortable bed, quiet. Now the bad- $200 room increased to $300 for "tax recovery fee", $20 per day parking (parking available but NOT free). Room looked like a bomb shelter ( no window, no colorful pictures, weird furniture, giant 2X2 column in middle of room next to bed, poor internet Access), unable to make reservations for dinner (2 people not enough apparently). Restaurant only open to parties of more for "igloos" located on roof (none of this info is given when booking room). No offerings for breakfast except for terrible burnt coffee. very dissatisfied, will not be back and will not recommend. read more

Unscripted Durham - Giant column in middle of room. - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Lucked up on a Igloo experience reservation after my friend had suggested we try. When we initially looked, there was nothing available for another month. Needless to say, it was meant to be and it all happened during Triangle Restaurant Week. Our server J'Colby was phenomenal and very upfront which is what I like. He made sure we were well taking care of and had a good night. The apps were tasty: crabs cakes and shaved brussel sprouts. For dinner, we went with the Igloo Wagyu Burger that came with truffle fries and the Rosemary Chicken with Mushroom Risotto. On the plus side, the drinks were made to perfection which matched the vibes. I just wish had room for dessert! read more

We had a great IGLOO experience at the Unscripted! Our food was delicious. We placed our order prior to arrival so as soon as we were in our IGLOO, the food and drinks arrived. We had honestly not expected the food to be so tasty. We ordered every appetizer, then ordered them again, and actually requested a few for a third round! The drinks were good and arrived in a timely fashion. The IGLOOS were such a fun opportunity during the holidays! We look forward to another springtime event in their cabanas! read more

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The room is the best example of form trumping function. Re amenities, every possible short cut was taken. Walls were paper thin and the room was really noisy. No patio cafe, no food at all. Housekeeping nonexistent: when we needed fresh towels we were told to wait until the next desk person cam on staff and then to ask the person to unlock the linen closet which is right in the middle of the lobby, so we could bring them up ourselves. We did eventually get someone to deliver the towels and they left the pile of old wet ones until we checked out 2 days later. The bathroom is dysfunctional. One 4" wide shelf stands in as a 'counter', toilet paper storage ins on the floor, which gets wet every time you use the shower, due to open snail design. Poorly functioning fan left the shower steamed up, which also steamed up the only other mirror in the place. Very overpriced. On the plus side, most of the staff were lovely. read more

Had a great stay at Unscripted for a staycation! The manager at the front desk was great and very attentive. I loved the pool during the day it was super chill and at night they had DJ and the party was poppin!!! We were celebrating my boyfriend birthday so we got the birthday package and it came with a cookie, cake, ice cream and candles and made our room a lower price. Walking distance to lots of restaurants and activities! And the room was beautiful! read more

I won't be surprised if this place goes out of business soon. This hotel is easily one of the worst I've stayed at. It is overpriced, dirty, and the staff are very rude. I have stayed at motels and cheap places but my room at Unscripted was dirtier than those places. The staff was pretty clueless about everything, but at the same time very rude. They're an odd bunch. The thing you pay for here is the location and that's it. Avoid this place at all costs. read more

Customer service here is piss poor! IF anyone acknowledges you at all you'll be lucky. Our TV wasn't working and we tried to get someone to help us. After 40 minutes of trying to get an answer on the phone, FINALLY someone came up. He looked at the TV, pushed some buttons, and then said there was nothing he could he do. No TV for you. Very unprofessional. Room was okay but nothing great. Not having a television in a room you pay for is inexcusable to me read more

I came here on a Saturday night with a couple girlfriends. We had reservations so we were sat right away - it seemed to stay pretty busy throughout the night. The patio has a very South Beach vibe which I like, but they had a DJ playing music sort of loud, so if that's not your thing maybe ask to sit farther away. They have done a great job spacing the tables out, and masks are required by staff and when you're not at your table. Our server was a bit scarce, so it took a while to get our order in. I'm sure they're still getting into the groove of things, and we were enjoying ourselves so that wasn't a big deal. I tried some sort of sweet summery drink which was good! In general the mixed drinks are pretty small for the price. The food was a bit underwhelming. The menu itself is reminiscent of poolside bites (burgers, some apps, etc), so I think there's some opportunity to elevate it a bit to match the scenery. However, the shoestring fries were amazing - perfectly salted. My wrap was pretty bland and missing avocado, but I was starving and it was there. The gyoza was also pretty good. Everything came in to-go containers..maybe just a COVID thing? It didn't really bother me either way, just different. Next time I come it will probably just be for drinks and dancing to the awesome throwback music! read more

We stayed at Unscripted Hotel June 22-23rd thanks to a free voucher I won off of Instagram. It was for a "staycation." We took advantage of that weekend because it was my boyfriends 30th Birthday. The manager, Anna was great and when she heard it was for his 30th, she upgraded us to a King city view which was great. Unscripted is also very pet friendly which was really nice and allowed us to bring our fur baby with us. The voucher also included a $25 breakfast voucher which was more than enough for 2 people. Unscripted also has an amazing rooftop bar/pool area which we actually visit quite frequently since we don't live too far away. The bartenders Erin and Heaven are great and always take great care of us! Even with a busy crowd of people on a hot day, they are still personable and funny! We were able to use one of their cabanas on the rooftop which was perfect for this party of about 20+ people. This helped us have our own little private secluded area on the rooftop and still enjoy the time with all the other hotel guests as well. The only downfall of this stay (and notice I'm still giving 5 stars so it wasn't that bad) was that Unscripted literally has the BEST froze's in the city and their brand new froze' machine was down. Well, when the froze' machine is down, just order their amazing Moscow Mule's or any other of their signature drinks! Overall, Unscripted hotel is a unique, eclectic hotel that has a lot of great things going for it. Every staff member is courteous and professional and goes above and beyond to make sure you're happy and that your stay is memorable! read more

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Roof top Igloos are nice. Staff is wonderful. Food taste good. Very pricey as each day has a food and drink minimum of at least $350 or more plus tax and service fee. You get 2 hours which go by extremely fast especially when waiting on food. Our last meal was under cooked and we had to send it back. I recommend going early and making sure everyone is on time. read more

Unscripted Durham - Igloo Experience - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Made a reservation at Unscripted for the Igloos back in November and got one of the last spots for a Sunday afternoon for December 10th. I've been trying to get a reservation for the last 3 years and was so excited to have a girl's day with my friends to celebrate the holidays. They called that day to confirm we were coming, but I did not answer because it came from an unknown number. They also mentioned that they would not charge the cancellation fee they normally charge if we did cancel due to the weather (thanks I guess?). They didn't leave a call back number in their message so I had to do some intense research and call the corporate number to finally get to the restaurant. I then confirmed we were coming. Unfortunately due to the rain and heavy winds, they ended up canceling all of the reservations for that afternoon. We were very disappointed as they called to cancel about an hour before our reservation (we don't live in Durham so some of us were already heading to the hotel) and PROMISED me they would call back the following week to schedule us for another time (I confirmed this twice on the phone). We never received a call back and now the only available times are the Friday before Christmas (where they incur an additional surcharge for Fridays and Saturdays) or after Christmas which defeats the whole point of doing it during the holiday season. Pretty disappointed overall. read more

Awful hotel. My room had many stains and the music from the pool was unbelievably bad. Really cheesy staff and bland all around. They charged me a strange fee on my last day, which I am awaiting an explanation for. Enjoyed the town but this place is a total joke and you can do better. read more

This is a fun spot to chill by the pool, listen to some music (the DJ is kickin it), and catch some rays Unfortunately the bar tenders are beyond rude, not only are they short with customers but they also do immature things like rolling their eyes and acting put out by doing their jobs. I strongly believe that employees are the face businesses and the bartenders at Unscripted make this place at true butterface. Terrible service and bad food too...would not recommend read more

Unscripted Durham - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We did a local staycation at this former motel and loved it. The location in downtown Durham is great and you can walk to many restaurants and bars. The hotel has its own coffee shop called Allday in the lobby and has a very retro feel. The check in procedure was really easy and there is no long counter. We were offered a glass of wine upon arrival and given directions for parking and access to the room. Our room was a king room overlooking the street and had a nice window and natural light. The room has modern decor with a very comfortable bed. The pool and bar are located on the 3rd or 4th floor and the drinks served at the bar looked delicious. We ended up walking to surrounding restaurants and had breakfast at Jack Tar & Colonel's Daughter. I would definitely come here again. read more

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Run away! It feels like someone is trying to run or brand a hotel that has no idea what they are doing. If you actually follow the links on their site you will find temporarily closed on more than one thing. The dining options are not inside the hotel they are "outlets". The hotel itself offers nothing but a pool and this is open to the public and that you need a reservation even if you are staying at the hotel. NO where on their site or in the hotel does it tell you this and know one informs you of this till you are trying to use the pool. read more

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Staycation... I live in Cary, but this place is a glorified 70's porn site. I went out to the pool my very last day of staying here and watched what HAD to the owner/manager and not a word was said to me. I real happy I decided to spend my birthday here... NOT! read more

Cool spot in DT Durham! Try the Frosé. Poke bowls on point. Great views of the Bull City!

No soundproofing whatsoever. I really didn't want to confirm the other poor reviews but it's impossible not to post a warning to others. I honestly think if this hotel had a warning it would help with the negative reviews. We thought we had escaped the loud sounds from "The Patio" by staying in a city view king. However, when the DJ left the pool area at 12 he simply went downstairs to the hotel lobby and blasted music under our room. I called the front desk and was asked to leave a message. I went down to the front desk (in my pajamas) which is now a bar/dance club and found a person at the front desk with headphones on watching a movie on their laptop almost asleep. I had to shout to get their attention. They were very apologetic and explained this is an entertainment hotel. Soooo not a sleeping hotel. Which is kinda what a hotel is... The room itself is fine, clean and comfortable. Food places seem to be closed. "The Patio" pool area was a rooftop with decent views and okay but slightly grimy. You couldn't pay me to spend another night here. read more

I did not stay here, but did eat at the bar, and I have to say it's one of the best meals I've ever had! I had the Patio Burger cooked medium. It's rare to find a restaurant that really knows how to cook a burger, but this place does it perfectly! And the fries are really good too (although they could cut back a little on the salt). They don't have much beer to pick from, but luckily they have Red Oak! read more

This was a very cute hotel and I was obsessed with the decor. It has a very nostalgic vibe to it. I did not actually stay at the hotel, however I came here for a party. But I really enjoyed my time on the rooftop pool. The drinks at the bar were good and it had a great atmosphere to it. read more

Unscripted Durham - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Went with a group of 8 Saturday night & had an amazing time! Food was amazing, drinks were flowing & our waitress Angela was on point!!!!!

There's good and bad here. The good is the overall design and the majority of the staff. I love the look--it's mid-century modern with a twist. The public areas of the hotel are a little more out there in terms of colors and shapes, but the rooms are those cool, clean lines and softer colors, done in shades of blue, green, and mild gold. The bathroom is stark white with shower only but plenty of space. The bed was extremely comfortable, the only problem being that the hotel was much too noisy to sleep until after midnight. My room was one of the city views and it was on the second floor. It was right under the pool, which has a DJ until 11pm, which is fine. But after that, there must have been some kind of cleanup going on or something, because for quite a while it sounded like elephants were having a bowling tournament over my head. That was coupled with the noise of people at the outdoor tables at Pour Taproom right under my window. So it's possible that other rooms in the hotel are quiet, but mine was most definitely not. After about 1am, things got much quieter and I could enjoy that great mattress. Seems like a lot of attention was paid to the gathering and social spots in the hotel without consideration of how that would affect all of the guestrooms. I pity the people with the poolside rooms on the third and fourth floors--if you take one of those, let it be because you plan to be at the pool lounge until it closes. The pool lounge itself is pretty cool. The pool is tiny, but there are plenty of chaise longues plus tables next to the bar. During the afternoon, the bar was beset by yellow jackets but the bartenders remained friendly and were handling a big crowd pretty well. The hotel entrance is under the parking deck, which you enter off Corcoran St. There's plenty of parking. I drove straight out on a Sunday morning when the gate was up, so I didn't pay anything. I'm not sure what the system is. Food is fairly limited right now, to a small menu at Pour and one at the pool bar and an airport-kiosk sort of thing in the lobby. The Jack Tar Diner is supposed to open in the coming months to increase the variety in the hotel, but of course downtown Durham has tons of wonderful options in easy walking distance. read more

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Igloos at unscripted was an amazing experience !! JUSTIN was our server he provided excellent service !! This place definitely puts you in the holiday mood !! read more

The food was fantastic, the staff was fun and attentive, everything was over the top except for this DJ who was a rather hateful man imho. read more

Unscripted Durham - Hotels Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

A friend and I went to the bar inside the Unscripted Hotel, in Durham, and had a few hot toddies. When asked what whiskey we wanted we chose the well brand (we're both on a budget). When the bill came it was $15 for a well brand toddy. That's hot water, whiskey, and a lemon slice. Wow. Good thing we didn't ask for a call brand! read more

This will be a two for one review as this also occurred at another establishment in the same day. Today after searching for places to eat, I decided to visit Unscripted--hadn't been in a while and the last experience I had was great! Food was good, music was decent so I chose this location. Walked to confirm where to go which I'll assume is a manager or part of the staff in general. I got to the roof and took a seat a one of the longer tables close to the bar. Saw there was a party going on at the time so I didn't think anything of it. I've been to locations that have had private/reserved parties and still got great service. I sat down for over 5 mins and was never greeted... with ANYTHING! Not even a welcome, a menu, a water... absolutely nothing. Unless things work differently, now. The one person I did see, pretty much walked past where I was sitting look dead at me and kept it moving.. After that, I left! As I'm leaving I figured, it's cool there loss I'll just go somewhere else. Little did I l know-- got more bad service relocating to another spot luckily was walking distances [Queeny's-- yes, I'm calling everyone out!] Another situation were there were plenty of opportunities to ask if I needed anything, sorry for the wait, did I have questions about the menu... ANYTHING! but I was ignored for better lack of words. After leaving this location and to experience damn near the same at the 2nd location, the service was for better lack of words ...shitty! IDK if it was the time of day or what but until this is recognized and you have a team that can engage in customers as they should... or just be communicative if short handed or whatever the case, I won't be returning. Quite disappointed as this was a return visit and to get the service I got was just ... annoying read more

This hotel goes by it's name -- it is not your typical hotel. It doesn't even look like a hotel from the outside. We actually circled the block a few times because it wasn't clear where the hotel was! Upon entering, the check-in desk is in the back, behind the bar and sofa couches. At first, we were scratching our heads and wondering if we were in the right place, and if we made the right decision. We waited a few minutes in line while the woman at the counter was helping someone else, then a guy who was sitting down at the couch with his family stood up and told us he worked there and grabbed a iPad tablet to check us in. It kind of caught us off-guard. We found our way to the room. Access to the hallways where your room is with the card key, which helps with security. Very clean with all the amenities. Modern and a very nice bathroom and shower (often times, that is not the case!). We found the place to be very quiet at night, and enjoyed sleeping in since they have a late check-out here. While we would definitely recommend this place, there are a few complaints we had: our room had no windows. It would have been nice to wake up naturally to some light coming in the room. Second, there are additional fees for staying here that move this out of the "economy" class and into the mid-range class. There is a mandatory $20 fee for "accommodations", which basically means the gym. Since most people will not use the gym (and it was small), this is an unfair fee to pass on to everyone. Additionally - parking is $20/day. That seemed high and unreasonable. Add on to that the taxes for all items, and you may start thinking if you should stay somewhere else (ie, all fees get taxed, so you're paying even more. We would probably come back here, but would also consider others in the area and compare the extra fees. read more

Decided to kick off my 30's (and take advantage of a free hotel reward I had burning a hole in my pocket) with a birthday Staycation in Durham! I have followed Unscripted on Instagram for quite a while so this seemed like the perfect time to try it out. The hotel itself is pretty cool- obviously, it had a former life as some sort of motel, but a lot of care was taken to transform it into a trendy boutique. The lobby is really nice, with really cool art and some comfy furniture to hang out on. As we checked in we were offered a complimentary glass of wine and given a quick introduction to the hotel. As mentioned on their site there is a charge for parking as well as a facility fee, which is billed to your room (and the card on it). This covers the fitness room and pool, free coffee downstairs at AllDay as well as the wifi and complimentary bottled water in your room. While the fee isn't huge (it's $9.99) I do think it's a bit weird to charge it considering the public can get into the pool area for free. Why punish actual guests? Or perhaps charge a cover to non-hotel guests to keep the crowds (and people snagging all the lounge chairs) down. Fee complaints aside the pool here is pretty cool, small but very trendy and featuring a very nice bar and tasty poolside restaurant for small bites. We enjoyed our drinks, took some pictures, soaked in the sun and had a blast. Note: I can imagine having a room facing the pool directly could get loud, as the DJ plays pretty late. Definitely choose a city view 2nd floor room if you want to avoid that during the summer months We had a king room and had plenty of space for the night. The room was really cool, featuring a VERY comfy bed, some very nice little features (cute robes, a really nice leather side chair and cool wallpaper) and a large bathroom- though the bathroom could use a few changes. For one the door is god awful the open/close from the inside. It's so heavy and there no handle, only a small groove to stick your hand in. It had a bad habit of sliding open on it's own. Also, the shower, while large, had nowhere to put your washcloth or more than a small bar of soap. A hook could go a long way here. All in all there are definitely a few improvements Unscripted could make, but we had a blast and will probably be back again for future staycations! read more