HomeTowne Studios Houston - Northwest — Hotel in Houston

Where to even begin? Every step of this transaction was nightmare. This was by far the worst hotel I’ve ever been to and I have been to some bad hotels. ||||First, don’t be fooled by the photos on this website. ||||• This hotel is in a very unsafe area – so unsafe that there is a security guard on the parking lot at all times, or at least in the middle of the night when I was there. And for good reason: there are clubs nearby which warranted Houston Police’s presence. I sensed there might be gangs nearby. ||• The grounds are VERY run-down, damaged and not maintained. ||o There were holes in the walls, outside and in room.||o Fire extinguishers missing||• One thing they don’t mention on their website, or in these reviews is that YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SIGN A CONTRACT OF ABOUT 20 POINTS. ||o Including a stipulation that MANAGEMENT MAY ENTER YOUR ROOM AT ANY TIME. ||o Including a stipulation for A DEPOSIT.||o By the way, you don’t have to sign this. ||||But here’s the best part about my reservation:||I WAS GIVEN A USED ROOM -- AFTER I HAD PAID FOR MY ROOM IN FULL DAYS EARLIER – and then told that THERE WERE NO ROOMS AVAILABLE, LEAVING ME STRANDED. After about two HOURS, some miracle happened where I finally got a room. Only to be rudely awakened by the next manager three hours later, while I was dead asleep. ||THEN ACCUSED OF BEING RUDE AND THEN ||MANAGER THREATENED TO STOP THE REFUND OF MY ROOM CHARGE. ||||A drama-filled night:||||I arrived late at night to Houston. Once I arrived at the airport, I called the hotel directly to confirm my reservation. The manager assured me that my room “was taken care of.” ||I get to the hotel. Very sketchy neighborhood. Security guard on parking lot. ||Reception area is closed off. PERMANENTLY. YOU ONLY CAN TALK TO RECEPTION THROUG A WINDOW. See photo.||||I was greeted with the above-mentioned CONTRACT. ||In all my Red Roof Inn stays, I have NEVER BEEN ASKED TO SIGN A CONTRACT AT THE FRONT DESK. ||Of course, you’ve already PAID FOR your room; are you really going to look for another hotel now?||||It was about 3 a.m at this point. ||I was finally given a cardkey. I went up to my room. THE BED HAD BEEN FULLY USED AND THE ROOM NEVER CLEANED. See photo. ||||So I go back downstairs. I have to knock a few times on the window since no one is at reception. After several minutes, receptionist arrives. I tell him my room has been used and of course, I want another CLEAN room. ||After looking for about 20 minutes while I’m standing downstairs incredulous that this has happened, especially AFTER I HAD CALLED TO CONFIRM MY RESERVATION, ||||Larry tells me that THERE ARE NO ROOMS AVAILABLE. ||||SO I AM OUT OF A ROOM at 3 in the morning, AFTER HAVING PAID IN FULL FOR A ROOM. ||||Of course, I’m upset about this. Larry tells me not to have a bad attitude. After all, it’s not his personal fault that this has happened. So on top of all this, NO ONE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, and I’m being accused of having a bad attitude. I mean, why would I have a bad attitude about this??||||Larry leaves me for about half an hour while he is on the phone. He returns to tell me that he just doesn’t know what to do. ||SO I HAVE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. ||I tell him to call the nearest Red Roof Inn. Fortunately, there is one about 10 minutes away. Larry does so, only to return to tell me that they have no vacancy. ||||I ask if there is another Red Roof Inn. ||At my prodding, he calls another Red Roof Inn. It’s about a 40 minute drive further out west. I will be driving east in the morning, so that’s no good. ||Further, it is clear that I would NOT BE GETTING A REPLACEMENT ROOM at that Red Roof Inn, or any hotel. It would be as if I were just booking a whole new room at another hotel, all at my expense and paying for this hotel for nothing. ||||Nothing is being done for me this completely avoidable situation. ||SO FAR, NO REFUND, NO COMPENSATION, NOT EVEN A GLASS OF WATER. ||||Further, all I hear from Larry is that it is not his personal fault. So I must understand. His hands are tied. He does not even have the authority to issue me a refund. ||||After about TWO HOURS, IT NOW BEING ABOUT 5 A.M.: Larry miraculously finds a clean room. I don’t know why this wasn’t discovered earlier but I am too tired to find out. I finally check in, exhausted and incredulous. ||||Larry tells me that he will give a full report of what has happened to the next shift, which will have a manager so that I can get a refund. ||Of course, not even this happens. ||||At 8 a.m., after about 3 hours of sleep, I hear a loud knocking on my door. It is the manager. Her name is Diana. ||She asks me what I am doing in this room. Yes, why would I possibly be in this room??? So I tell her. And I ask why the history of my reservation debacle was not communicated to her, as was promised to me? Of course, she has no answer for this. She assures me that I will get my money back. ||||At 11 a.m. I check out. And as per the contract, I make sure it is 11 a.m. because check out after 11 a.m. will result in penalty fees, despite not having a room for me at 3 a.m., and despite confirming that the room would be ready. ||||Diana prepares the refund, although the paperwork is a bit odd. I ask her to confirm the refund. She does. ||||I also ask her how this whole series of events could have happened. I feel this is a completely normal question, given to what has happened to me. ||||Diana retorts, “ARE YOU GOING TO BE RUDE ABOUT THIS???? BECAUSE IF YOU ARE, I’M NOT ISSUING YOU A REFUND.”||I do not see how I am being rude, but for argument’s sake, let’s say I am. Does Red Roof Inn believe it is acceptable for hotel management to accuse a guest of “being rude,” especially when a guest has been so terribly treated? ||And does Red Roof Inn believe it is ok for hotel management to THREATEN A REFUND BASED UPON A PERCEPTION OF “RUDENESS”?||||I filed a complaint with Guest Relations of HomeTown Studios, and SPECIFICALLY asked them TO CALL ME TO DISCUSS THIS TRANSACTION. THEY NEVER CALLED. ||||I then called CORPORATE OFFICES of HomeTown Studios.||I SPECIFICALLY asked them TO CALL ME TO DISCUSS THIS TRANSACTION. ||||THEY NEVER CALLED. ||||So there you have it. The worst hotel stay ever. ||And both corporate offices and management DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. ||They will actually insult you in return!||||||Oh, and everything is in very poor state in the room itself: holes in the walls, no safety box, stains on the ceiling,...

Where to even begin? Every step of this transaction was nightmare. This was by far the worst hotel I’ve ever been to and I have been to some bad hotels. ||||First, don’t be fooled by the photos on this website. ||||• This hotel is in a very unsafe area – so unsafe that there is a security guard on the parking lot at all times, or at least in the middle of the night when I was there. And for good reason: there are clubs nearby which warranted Houston Police’s presence. I sensed there might be gangs nearby. ||• The grounds are VERY run-down, damaged and not maintained. ||o There were holes in the walls, outside and in room.||o Fire extinguishers missing||• One thing they don’t mention on their website, or in these reviews is that YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SIGN A CONTRACT OF ABOUT 20 POINTS. ||o Including a stipulation that MANAGEMENT MAY ENTER YOUR ROOM AT ANY TIME. ||o Including a stipulation for A DEPOSIT.||o By the way, you don’t have to sign this. ||||But here’s the best part about my reservation:||I WAS GIVEN A USED ROOM -- AFTER I HAD PAID FOR MY ROOM IN FULL DAYS EARLIER – and then told that THERE WERE NO ROOMS AVAILABLE, LEAVING ME STRANDED. After about two HOURS, some miracle happened where I finally got a room. Only to be rudely awakened by the next manager three hours later, while I was dead asleep. ||THEN ACCUSED OF BEING RUDE AND THEN ||MANAGER THREATENED TO STOP THE REFUND OF MY ROOM CHARGE. ||||A drama-filled night:||||I arrived late at night to Houston. Once I arrived at the airport, I called the hotel directly to confirm my reservation. The manager assured me that my room “was taken care of.” ||I get to the hotel. Very sketchy neighborhood. Security guard on parking lot. ||Reception area is closed off. PERMANENTLY. YOU ONLY CAN TALK TO RECEPTION THROUG A WINDOW. See photo.||||I was greeted with the above-mentioned CONTRACT. ||In all my Red Roof Inn stays, I have NEVER BEEN ASKED TO SIGN A CONTRACT AT THE FRONT DESK. ||Of course, you’ve already PAID FOR your room; are you really going to look for another hotel now?||||It was about 3 a.m at this point. ||I was finally given a cardkey. I went up to my room. THE BED HAD BEEN FULLY USED AND THE ROOM NEVER CLEANED. See photo. ||||So I go back downstairs. I have to knock a few times on the window since no one is at reception. After several minutes, receptionist arrives. I tell him my room has been used and of course, I want another CLEAN room. ||After looking for about 20 minutes while I’m standing downstairs incredulous that this has happened, especially AFTER I HAD CALLED TO CONFIRM MY RESERVATION, ||||Larry tells me that THERE ARE NO ROOMS AVAILABLE. ||||SO I AM OUT OF A ROOM at 3 in the morning, AFTER HAVING PAID IN FULL FOR A ROOM. ||||Of course, I’m upset about this. Larry tells me not to have a bad attitude. After all, it’s not his personal fault that this has happened. So on top of all this, NO ONE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, and I’m being accused of having a bad attitude. I mean, why would I have a bad attitude about this??||||Larry leaves me for about half an hour while he is on the phone. He returns to tell me that he just doesn’t know what to do. ||SO I HAVE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. ||I tell him to call the nearest Red Roof Inn. Fortunately, there is one about 10 minutes away. Larry does so, only to return to tell me that they have no vacancy. ||||I ask if there is another Red Roof Inn. ||At my prodding, he calls another Red Roof Inn. It’s about a 40 minute drive further out west. I will be driving east in the morning, so that’s no good. ||Further, it is clear that I would NOT BE GETTING A REPLACEMENT ROOM at that Red Roof Inn, or any hotel. It would be as if I were just booking a whole new room at another hotel, all at my expense and paying for this hotel for nothing. ||||Nothing is being done for me this completely avoidable situation. ||SO FAR, NO REFUND, NO COMPENSATION, NOT EVEN A GLASS OF WATER. ||||Further, all I hear from Larry is that it is not his personal fault. So I must understand. His hands are tied. He does not even have the authority to issue me a refund. ||||After about TWO HOURS, IT NOW BEING ABOUT 5 A.M.: Larry miraculously finds a clean room. I don’t know why this wasn’t discovered earlier but I am too tired to find out. I finally check in, exhausted and incredulous. ||||Larry tells me that he will give a full report of what has happened to the next shift, which will have a manager so that I can get a refund. ||Of course, not even this happens. ||||At 8 a.m., after about 3 hours of sleep, I hear a loud knocking on my door. It is the manager. Her name is Diana. ||She asks me what I am doing in this room. Yes, why would I possibly be in this room??? So I tell her. And I ask why the history of my reservation debacle was not communicated to her, as was promised to me? Of course, she has no answer for this. She assures me that I will get my money back. ||||At 11 a.m. I check out. And as per the contract, I make sure it is 11 a.m. because check out after 11 a.m. will result in penalty fees, despite not having a room for me at 3 a.m., and despite confirming that the room would be ready. ||||Diana prepares the refund, although the paperwork is a bit odd. I ask her to confirm the refund. She does. ||||I also ask her how this whole series of events could have happened. I feel this is a completely normal question, given to what has happened to me. ||||Diana retorts, “ARE YOU GOING TO BE RUDE ABOUT THIS???? BECAUSE IF YOU ARE, I’M NOT ISSUING YOU A REFUND.”||I do not see how I am being rude, but for argument’s sake, let’s say I am. Does Red Roof Inn believe it is acceptable for hotel management to accuse a guest of “being rude,” especially when a guest has been so terribly treated? ||And does Red Roof Inn believe it is ok for hotel management to THREATEN A REFUND BASED UPON A PERCEPTION OF “RUDENESS”?||||I filed a complaint with Guest Relations of HomeTown Studios, and SPECIFICALLY asked them TO CALL ME TO DISCUSS THIS TRANSACTION. THEY NEVER CALLED. ||||I then called CORPORATE OFFICES of HomeTown Studios.||I SPECIFICALLY asked them TO CALL ME TO DISCUSS THIS TRANSACTION. ||||THEY NEVER CALLED. ||||So there you have it. The worst hotel stay ever. ||And both corporate offices and management DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. ||They will actually insult you in return!||||||Oh, and everything is in very poor state in the room itself: holes in the walls, no safety box, stains on the ceiling,...

I have stayed in this hotel a few times. The reason you are trying to stay in this hotel is probably because it is cheap. This is a cheap, basic hotel, and I consider it to be acceptable from that viewpoint. If that is what you need, then it may be OK for you. But if you are the kind of person that wants to carefully evaluate 30 different things and nitpick about each one to an extreme level, you should stay in a more expensive place. This is not a 5-star hotel.

Be aware that: The only rooms that have bathtubs are the “handicapped” rooms and apparently those fill up fast and are often not available. So if those rooms are full, you can’t get a room with a bathtub. Some rooms have TVs and some do not. So if you care about having a TV in the room, you need to verify that the room you’re getting does in fact have a TV in it because some of them don’t. Check-in is 3 pm and check-out is 11 am. They will definitely charge you a fee for early check-in or late check-out and there are a bunch of signs about this (I think it may be $25), so don't expect to get either one of those without paying extra.

Pros: There is a working elevator. There is a working refrigerator, stove eye, and microwave in the room (but you have to have your own dishes and utensils--there aren’t any in the room). Even in the cheapest rooms, there is a table with 2 chairs that you can use to eat dinner or use as a desk. The curtains are a solid color and do a good job of blocking out light. The WiFi works. The shower water is warm enough. The bed is fine. The AC works (I’m not sure about this but I suspect they may be controlling whether it is “cool” and “heat” in the office depending on the season, regardless of what you push in the room). You can get to the hotel by public transit without a problem. There are many restaurants (both cheap ones and regular ones) and various businesses within a 4-10 minute walk one way, and there is a sidewalk along the 290 feeder road that you can use to get there. (Walk straight through the parking garage across the street til you hit the 290 feeder road, then head right on the sidewalk toward the restaurants--you don’t actually have to walk across that big green field and I can say from experience it's definitely better to use the sidewalk along the feeder road than do that.)

Cons: They will only let you have 2 rolls of toilet paper per week. If you need more than that they will tell you you have to go buy it at a store. There may be some minor item that is janky or partially broken in the room (this happened twice). You may find a couple of dead roaches in the corner, or a couple of live ones. (But normal apartment buildings in Houston often have the same amount or more roaches than this.) The rooms are mostly clean, but there may be one minor thing in the room that is a little less than clean or needs wiped down. The interiors of the rooms mostly look OK but there may be spots on the ceiling or some run-down looking part of the wall, etc. There is a sort of junk area with a lot of trash just outside the fence of the hotel, but I think that's outside the hotel property. Now and then there might be some people having a loud conversation in the hallway or something outside that you can hear from inside your room, but overall I haven’t had issues with noise and was able to sleep well. Nothing of mine ever got stolen, but honestly I wouldn’t recommend leaving any valuables in the room when you leave--if there is anything super-important that somebody might be likely to steal I think it would be prudent not to leave that in the room while nobody is in there. When dealing with the front desk staff, you may have to stand there and wait 5-10 minutes before they help you. When you check in, there are a ton of rules posted up around the front desk window area and they will make you initial about 20 different things about rules of the hotel. But so far there weren’t any weird charges and it was OK except for the annoyance of having to initial all...