We’ve long been on the lookout for some of the travel industry’s bests and worsts. Take this business class layout with “coffin seats” or this first-class meal choice as prime examples. One thing we didn’t expect to slide across our desk, however, were the world’s worst hotels… and they’re even worse than you’re probably thinking.
Here, we run you through some of the worst-reviewed and most infamous hotels that the internet has to offer. Most, you might be surprised to hear, fall within the bounds of the grand old United States, with its penchant for cheap motels opening up room for less-than-glamorous amenities. We also had to chuck in one from a little further afield, just because we couldn’t resist its gross charms…
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For budget-conscious travellers, finding affordable accommodation is understandably a top priority. However, in striving for a good deal, some have stumbled upon nightmare hotels that could turn any good trip sour.
In the heart of New York City, the New World Hotel in Chinatown offers rooms starting at A$100 per night, an immensely tempting offer in one of the world’s most expensive cities. And yet… this hotel has become notorious for its abysmal amenities. Out of 432 reviews, a massive 287 guests have rated it as ‘terrible,’ with complaints ranging from cockroaches, bed bugs, paper-thin walls and windowless rooms to full-blown credit card theft.
Only six brave souls have ventured to rate it ‘excellent’ during its entire time open…
Travelling down to Tupelo, Mississippi, the Town House Motel may seem like a convenient choice, being close to a wider range of attractions including Elvis Presley’s birthplace. However, the reality of the place is far less appealing, with guests reporting a number of unsettling discoveries including apparently fresh puddles of blood in front of their room doors.
The situation isn’t much better in Miami Beach, Florida, where the Boulevard Hotel Ocean Drive lures guests with its Art Deco charm and neon lights; a timeless and always-tempting combination. Unfortunately, the aesthetic appeal is overshadowed by reports of dirty rooms and dangerous surprises, such as glass shards in the beds that have led to injuries and emergency services being called…
“DIRTY ROOMS, with GLASS in the actual bed, under the sheet. I was stabbed in the butt! Yes the left cheek of my buttocks [was stabbed] by a piece of GLASS that was in the bed. I could not stop BLEEDDING… the ambulance and police [were] called out”.
Thunlala
In Springfield, Illinois, the Quest Inn Motel promises a short drive to a number of Abraham Lincoln-adjacent historical sites. However, guests are likely to find themselves in less than presidential conditions, with marijuana stems crushed into the sheets and — brace yourself for this one — used tampons hidden in dresser drawers.
We had to go beyond the bounds of the US for this one, but we simply couldn’t resist: In Brisbane, Australia’s Balmoral House, located near the city’s largest hospital, might seem like a convenient choice. However, guests have been horrified to find their sinks filled with vomit on arrival, apparently left uncleaned for days to fester…
Wherever your next trip takes you, we wish you luck… just remember to read the reviews before you spend your hard-earned cash.