Living in a Motel
By Nona Morris
@nonersays (3329)
United States
October 9, 2016 2:02pm CST
So, we had to evacuate and leave our home at the mercy of Hurricane Matthew.
We've been staying in a lower class motel because it was the only place left. Lots of other people here from my city.
The place only has 20 rooms and they were all full.
The cold water doesn't work in the sink. The tub won't hold water so you have to take a shower (and 2 year olds don't like showers, trust me). One of the lights is just BROKEN. And we've had to smush a number of roaches. I've not seen any sign of bedbugs, but you still gotta wonder.
We found out today that the normal going rate for this motel per night is $50 but they jacked up the price to $110 when the evacuees started coming in.
Business people are real poop mounds sometimes. (And cleaning ladies get really chatty when they get fired.)
4 people like this
6 responses
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
9 Oct 16
That's the bad side of human nature
I remember a few years ago we had floods across a couple of counties here and water was off for some.
I took my now ex girlfriend to a really nice hotel (I was rich then) purely so she could get a shower.
The hotel which was a 5* charged us 10 pounds for a room...just ten pounds
once they heard why we were there.
They lost a lot on the room rate but made it up over the next few years the amount of times we stayed at full rate and used the restaurant....although after a while we did get heavily discounted room rates
Being kind in the short term can benefit in the long term but owners/managers of the sort of place you describe won't do well....make sure to slate them on trip advisor.
I remember a few years ago we had floods across a couple of counties here and water was off for some.
I took my now ex girlfriend to a really nice hotel (I was rich then) purely so she could get a shower.
The hotel which was a 5* charged us 10 pounds for a room...just ten poundsonce they heard why we were there.
They lost a lot on the room rate but made it up over the next few years the amount of times we stayed at full rate and used the restaurant....although after a while we did get heavily discounted room rates
Being kind in the short term can benefit in the long term but owners/managers of the sort of place you describe won't do well....make sure to slate them on trip advisor.1 person likes this
@nonersays (3329)
• United States
9 Oct 16
Hubby and I started talking (like we do sometimes) about opening a small motel and making it high quality and under charging so we get more business. But you are right, doing right by people is more likely to create lifetime customers, which is IMPORATNAT for a business. But fleabags like this place, I guess they are not counting on return customers.
There are actually people who live here full time for $250 a week.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
9 Oct 16
@nonersays It's actually a dream of mine to have a B&B in my area.
I'd like to run tours and things like that.
Undercharging is a good way of initially getting foof fall and building up good reviews on the big daddy which is trip advisor.
Some places do count on people HAVING to use them rather than wanting to...but if that need ever goes away their business will die.
If I was you I'd negatively review them on every site possible.
@nonersays (3329)
• United States
9 Oct 16
@Mike197602 I probably will. They only have one review on trip advisor. It was from one of the people who were living here and got kicked out because they couln't pay. Until I atually stayed here I thought it was because they got kicked out that they got a bad review.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
9 Oct 16
You would think they would be more considerate but to jack up the price! Wow. Did they tell you ahead?
@nonersays (3329)
• United States
9 Oct 16
They told us ahead what the price was they were charging us. We didn't find out until today what their usual going rate is.
1 person likes this
@nonersays (3329)
• United States
9 Oct 16
@infatuatedbby SO true! I'm happy the place took us and our two dogs because we really didn't want to leave them behind. We WOULD NOT have left them behind.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
9 Oct 16
@nonersays Oh I see.
But on the bright side you are safe!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
28 Oct 16
Oh I am sure it was the pits and you are glad to be home.
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
9 Oct 16
This is profiteering, it's illegal and it's a crime especially in a time of crisis, they better put up a price watch where you can report especially unreasonable jacking up of basic commodities.
Sorry that you have to go through all this
@nonersays (3329)
• United States
9 Oct 16
There was a press conference talking about thngs to watch for coming back into the city. They were telling us to watch out for people who might be price gouging and not absolutely under no circumstances give money up front to people saying they will help fix storm damage. They are already on the lookout. We'll be reporting the motel once we get home.
1 person likes this
@nonersays (3329)
• United States
9 Oct 16
@louievill Sadly todays world is full of this kind of people.
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
9 Oct 16
@nonersays that's good, these are the worst kind of people, they would kick you even when you are down already
@nonersays (3329)
• United States
9 Oct 16
Yep. Natural disasters always lead to discomfort for those affected.
1 person likes this
