Unattended hotel, keypad entry to both front door & room. Communication was good - prior to arrival, the week after Hurricane Helene, admin texted codes & said they had an event cancellation due to the storm, so no other guests.
Inn is renovated nicely but common areas were dirty. A guy was in the kitchen who we assumed was staff. He said nothing and seemed nervous.
Upstairs, our room was somewhat clean, but not completely. There was hair and rust in the tub, very little furniture and a mushy bed. When we went back downstairs to explore, the same guy was now asleep on the couch!
I called the admin to ask if anyone was working there but she had no idea who it was. She said the owner was “in town” and should she send him over? Well, you’ve said there’s no other guests, no staff onsite and yet there’s a guy sleeping in the common area. Do you need to ask?
The owner came and explained this guy works for them, and his home was destroyed in the hurricane. He’d be given a room, and this would not happen again. It was an explanation, but not an apology. He didn’t seem at all concerned about our comfort. Admin later texted to apologize for “inconveniences”. No one seemed to get that this creepy incident made us feel unsafe.
A self check-in model doesn’t absolve them of responsibility to make guests feel safe. Even hostels are concerned about security. I don’t recommend this place to anyone concerned about security or cleanliness.
