On Monday September 9, 2024 I and my Wife were looking for a reasonably priced hotel room in the Brandon Florida area for one night. This wasn't an exotic vacation so we didn't need all the bells and whistles just something clean and quiet where we wouldn't have to worry about any crime issues. Upon searching on google I did see the Extended Stay America Hotel located off of S. Falkenberg and Causeway Blvd. for $94 a night. Now we used to live in the Brandon area not too long ago and we recalled when they built this area up with new Apartment homes, restaurants, car wash, gas stations, etc. It still looks fairly new and inviting all around this area. So we booked the room with confidence.

Upon arriving to the hotel the wood and carpet flooring in the hallway looked dirty and the hallway smelled like marijuana. Upon checking in and gathering our luggage we moved to the elevator go to the 4th floor to our room. The elevator smelled like an old dusty bar where they never change the carpet! It also smelled like marijuana! When we get to our room the wood floor looked dirty! The room looked nothing like the beautiful bright polished photo on the website. I'm assuming that was the photo they took when the place was first built. It was raining heavy when we checked in and the clerk gave us bath towels to cover ourselves while we went back and forth to the car (to which I appreciated). I took those wet towels and cleaned the floor. You wouldn't believe how dirty those towels were after I wiped the whole floor! I have attached various photos as proof of this and other issues.

Further issues were the wall socket looking like it was covered in grease splatter. Roaches in the bathroom, kitchen and on the wall. The website still shows the hotel having a fitness center. So I walked each floor looking for this. Each hallway wreaked of marijuana scent! I came across a staff to which I was then informed that there was no fitness center. Later that night I took our dogs for a walk and observed a couple of people sitting in their vehicles with the doors open smoking marijuana. I observed another group of males with alcohol bottles on the top of their car just hanging out. While walking around the building every time I passed an A/C exhaust blower it smelled like strong marijuana!

After all of my observations it was clear to me that these activities and the way this hotel was ran is the norm. I just wish this was advertised. What is advertised is a beautiful, clean and quality room and environment. As a final insult upon arriving home and unpacking my luggage a roach fell out!

I would advise the owner and managers to view the attached photos and understand that this is most likely what most rooms look like. Either you walk or have someone you trust walk the hallways, stairwells and elevators and Imagine being a customer who is looking for the clean polished hotel they saw on the website. I would suggest you make some drastic changes or update the website photos to reflect how the place really looks.