Gray Plaza Motel, Marion IL — Hotel in Marion

I have stayed in some not so clean pretty ratty motels before even some with drug dealers and hookers going in and out all night but NEVER have I had an experience like this. We pulled into Marion Illinois at 1:30 and out of the 20+ hotels they have at that exit there was no room at any other inn. ||We should have just slept in the car.||There was what seemed to be a cross between vomit and slobber on the pillow case, the electrical outlets were not even screwed into the wall. The bathroom door knob? There was not one just a hole in the wall. There was feces smeared on the window sill (likely someone pooped their pants trying to escape) the bathroom window was broken, and fully open with no screen. When Larry tried to close it we discovered there was no lock. We had to jam the garbage can in the window so that when crack heads tried to break in they would at least have to break the window further to achieve their goal. However we soon came to realize that would not be necessary because THEY JUST COME IN WITH A KEY TO ROB YOU. Lucky for us I was still in bed when Larry went to grab coffee because 45 seconds after he walked out the door a man entered with a key. He saw me and slammed the door closed taking off. The carpet was ripped and buckling, the night attendant would only take cash and in a town where every other single hotel was booked this place only bad 1 van in the lot when w got there which had the drivers window that was busted out covered with a piece of carpet. ||I recommend that anyone only recommend this no-tell motel to their inlaws and arch enemies. The tub would not drain and the water coming out of it was yellow. The shower knob came out when I tried to turn on the shower but I shoved it back on and was able to get yellow water to shower in. It was just down...

I was traveling home and stopped here late at night. I have to say that I have stayed in a lot of lousy hotels, but this one beats them all by far as being the absolute worst I've ever stayed in! I checked in and was handed my key. I drove over to my room and opened the door to find what looked like ancient linens on the bed and a very run down looking room. I was really tired, so I thought "Ok, it's just one night, I can do this." I walked over to the sink and there were bugs crawling all over it. So I loaded my stuff and went to the office to tell them I can't stay and wanted a refund. The owner told me he would give me a different room. I really didn't want to find another hotel at 11PM, so I agreed to try another one. This one wasn't any better. There were a couple things that put me over the top here. First, I pulled back the dirty, shabby covers to find what looked like nasty black hair coloring stains all over one of the the pillow cases. The other one was all yellowed and stained from being used over and over for who knows how many years. Then when I walked into the bathroom, the floor was wet and there were bugs crawling all over the toilet. The "washcloth" the left for me to use was nothing more than a torn rag from an old hand towel. That was enough. I knew there was no way I was going to get a good nights sleep there. So, once again, I loaded all my stuff and left. I drove down the street to the Econolodge (which I somehow passed on the was to this dump) and checked in there. The room was clean and comfortable. This place is so nasty I wouldn't even send someone I don't like there. Avoid this place at all costs and spend a little extra...

I've given very few super negative reviews, but here I go. I was in the area to see the eclipse and witnessed a horrific accident. First on the scene of one of two vehicles in the accident. Went to the other vehicle, found an infant, and the mother and then the driver who was critically injured. Waived all emergency vehicles to go to the critically injured. Went back to the other vehicle and stayed with the young lady. Even went to the hospital with her. After she was released, I drove her around to handle all the issues with the accident and help her find a hotel. I explained to the people who were at the hotel front desk our issues with the accident they seemed to be apathetic. But now I know they were not. Just money hungry. I paid them what they wanted. The next morning, I left all my stuff in the room. The young lady and I had to go many places, i.e., tow lot, sheriff office, rental car place. You get the picture! Returned to the room 40 minutes after check out, they had shrewn all my items out of the room saying they had re-rented it. But they had not finished the room and had many other rooms they were working on. Majorly because the eclipses was over, and many customers were leaving, not coming to get rooms. And I wanted redo my room for another night. Furthermore, they certainly could have called me to see what my plans were. Instead, they entered the room, removed my item hap-hazardly, and left unsecured. Almost as though there was a fire or something. These people have no concern for the customers. Even when they knew what the situation was.

YOU USE THIS BUSINESS AT YOUR OWN RISK. I...