Flop House
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 9/20/07
The Greyhound bus station across the street and the large Salvation Army Sign above the parking lot was the first clue to an online booking gone terribly wrong. The Ramada sign out front was the only indication that this flop house was the correct location.
My wife and I arrived late (about midnight) to locked doors. The person inside saw us try to get access and let us in. We were checked into a non-smoking king on the second floor. Taking the elevator up, my wife noted that if they ever mopped the floor in the elevator it would change the color. We exited the elevator and proceeded down the hallway past blue blankets folded outside door ways. There was a momentary smell of urine that dissipated by the time we got to our room. Opening the door I was thrust back in time 25 years ago as a young man on a short travel budget staying in one of those motels that the interstate bypassed. Small, dingy and a hard bed were overlooked in anticipation of sleep and a full day of work the next morning, but first, turn down the air and get a glass of water before hitting the hay. The air conditioner did not put out any cool air and I could not get the window to open. Oh well, its not as cool as we would like but we will live. Taking the Ramada dolly off the top of the glass revealed that the glass had been used by someone as an ashtray. Looking around the room with a more discerning eye revealed that the carpets had burn holes in it and large stains and the towels in the bathroom had black shoe polish on them. I took these concerns to the front desk and the guy behind the desk whose day job is at a 7-11 politely gave me a new room with the explanation of stuff happens. Prior to moving into the new room down the hall, I inspected it with my wife and decided to stay in the room we were in. At least the room we were in did not smell. We confiscated some towels, wash cloths and glasses and proceeded back to our original room.
I tried to plug in my laptop but there were no free outlets in the room, only the bathroom had a free outlet. Business friendly this place is not, so off to bed.
6:00 am – Someone opens our door but the latch stops them from entering. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, anyone in there. (must have been a rocket scientist). Go away is our reply. This happens again a little later and finally I am out of bed at 7 something because the front desk is calling. I explain we are still in the room and to not disturb us.
I call our on line reservation provider a little after 8 am to cancel that nights reservation and to find something else in the Minneapolis area. In the process they are talking to the front desk which by this time is the day shift. The front desk said that the knocking must have been kids pulling a prank until they were informed that the pranksters had a key to the room.
The day shift was much more professional and made no excesses on our check out, just apologized.
This establishment does not deserve a star. It deserves to be torn down. On second thought it should be used to house the homeless because that is the part of town we appeared to be in.