15444 2 Location 503531 <p>I'm a bohemian traveler - luxuries, amenities, perks and star treatment don't matter much when I'm looking for a bed to sleep in. A cheap, clean room for a fair price, friendly folks at the desk, and the ability to walk around my room in bare feet without wondering what I just stepped in will do it for me just about anywhere.</p><p>With such easy standards, there won't be a whole lot of bad hotel reviews to find here, with this exception. The $60-a-night Budget Host Inn in Trinidad, Colorado - an otherwise terrific town - holds the record for the worst lodging experience I've had in the 12 years since I started diligently traveling. An impressive achievement, having beat out more than 350+ nights of lodging since then.</p><p>Among the offenses when my fiance, kids, mom and stepdad stayed in summer of 2005:</p><p>:: Rude staff, not only unfriendly but answered questions about the general area with some iteration of "I have no idea, look at the phone book." I inquired about camping for the next time we came through, and was told there's no camping anywhere in or near Trinidad. Later, we found three campgrounds nearby.</p><p>:: We asked for a non-smoking room, were told one was available, but when we got to the room - it was a smoking room. But when we called to switch, they said they didn't have any available and had no explanation for where the one they had available just a few minutes ago went.<br /></p><p>:: The washcloths in the bathroom were unwashed, one even crumpled in the corner of the vanity, visibly dirty. The rest of the room, however, had been serviced.</p><p>:: The continental breakfast advertised on a large banner outside (which sealed the deal for a hotel instead of camping that night) was toast and orange juice, and the orange juice was out. They didn't know when it would be refilled.</p><p>:: Loading up the car in the morning there was a group of 4 or 5 guys in lawn chairs on the sidewalk, one of whom we'd seen in the office backdrop the night before, drinking beer and carrying on about a guest who checked out the day before as we went by.</p><p>All of this would actually be more funny than it was offensive if, when we let the front desk know, they responded with an apology or even some level of interest in the experience we had there . But when my mom walked up to check out and told the manager that, honestly, she was surprised at the level of service and quality even for the economy of a Budget Host hotel, the manager replied: "If you want quality, go down the road and part with $100 bucks a night for it next time."</p> 2007-01-17T13:12:34-08:00 815890554 2005-08-01T17:00:00-07:00 0 16 203910 3401384 15444 0 0.0166692370303001 2005-07-31T17:00:00-07:00 Published 15.0 2007-01-17T13:21:20-08:00 71710 0