Highland Inn — Hotel in Peculiar

I had planned to go to a completely different city for the eclipse but changed it a few weeks before hand and everything in Kansas City was booked. Everything just outside was booked. So, this was literally the only option within a half hour driving distance of KC and it was an hour away from where I saw totality. It had pretty negative reviews on Hotels.com so I was nervous but that was my only option. So, I will say on a positive note, it's conveniently located right off the highway and next to 2 gas stations, a Denny's restaurant, and a convenience store. There's even a Sonic across the highway and a few other spots. That's helpful because there's not a ton that I saw around otherwise. They also are growing fruit trees on the side and got some free snacks that I was welcomed to. I saw a lot of reviews saying there was a distinct smoking smell in the entrance when the hotel itself is non smoking. I can say, due to experience, that was Indian fragrances, not the smell of smoke. With that being said, I'm used to no smells at all so that did take me aback. Not sure how to fix it. The hotel itself could definitely use some renovations. I also read in other reviews that while it says they offer breakfast, they don't and say it's the website that needs to be updated after years of saying that. So, yes there is no breakfast. The walls are pretty thin, I could hear someone above my room laughing hysterically for far too long. The lobby is quite small, you walk through the doors and immediately in front of you is the check in stand. The gentleman who checked me in was very nice and accommodating. I had a room right around the corner and he ensured me if I needed anything, just ask. There's a soda and snack machine in the lobby that takes cash. Once you get in the room, the smell stays in the hallway. The room itself was clean and came with a mini fridge and towels/soap. Wifi is provided and I was even able to watch netflix with no slowness issues. The ceilings were pretty high and that made the room feel bigger. The hotel also has cable on a pretty slick TV...

Do not stay here!

Update June 17th: I called my credit card company to dispute the charge since we ended up not staying at the hotel. The charge was successfully disputed. Highland Inn gave me a refund.

May 31st: Do not stay at this hotel! After we checked in and got to our room, we realized that the door didn't latch closed. We talked with the guy who works there and he said you just have to lift the door and push. I still could barely get it to latch after that. My wife would definitely not be able to. He gave us a different room. This room had the same problem. I was able to just push the door open without using my key card. It also smelled and there were stains on the sheets. We did not feel safe in the rooms. We ended up leaving and finding a different hotel. There is a no refund policy, so we didn't ask for a refund. I doubt we would have gotten one anyway. Do not stay...

We stayed here because we had gotten stuck in the snow/ice storm. I booked a room online, and when I got to the desk, I was still charged a fee. I asked why if I booked online was I still charged a fee, he stated that it says I would be charged a fee online, and it didn't. I just double-checked before writing this review, and it doesn't. I feel like it was just taking advantage and trying to make a small profit. He was selling member marks bottle of water for $1, a small bag of chips for $1, and everything else was just as high. The parking lot was covered with ice, so we couldn't leave as we barely made it to the door without falling. The hotel floors were dirty and stained. The sink was stopped up. The room stinks. There was a lot and I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anybody unless it's an emergency and you can't get anywhere. Which is...