The last resort
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 01/04/10
We had made reservations weeks in advance for 2 nights. We missed the turnoff because there were no lit signs and it was dark. After checking in, we went to the room and it had not been cleaned and the beds were as if the previous occupant had just stepped out. We went to front desk and the clerk informed us that the owner ohas contracted for maid service only every other day, and that no other clean rooms were available, even though the parking lot was virtually empty. I asked for a price reduction and said I'd clean the room myself if she could give me clean sheets and towels. It was late and we did not want to drive into Carlsbad. She phoned the owner and tried to convince him to do something. He told her he'd clean the room and have it ready in 30 minutes. So, we went to the Velvet Garter (the only restaurant open). The waitstaff was friendly but the wait was long. The food was miserable and the meat undercooked but scorched. Nobody ate we were too grossed out. After paying $75 for the worst meal I'd seen in years we checked the room again. No one had done anything. by this time we'd also noticed that many of the (previous versions of the motel?) were boarded up and in disrepair, and the gas station was crumbling. We returned the room keys and canceled the reservation, and drove into Carlsbad, tired kids and all. It gave me the creepin' willies; this place is out of the twilight zone. I surmise that the owner has a lock on the real estate in the area and can sustain this nightmare by exclusion of competitors.