Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Sandusky South — Hotel in Perkins Township

Edited 5/20/2024** Exactly what I meant about the way they answer the people reviewing on here. I never said the beds were any different any time. I'm reviewing the property based on all of my stays here. Yes of course they were the same size beds lol and they have been tiny and uncomfortable forever! Original review posted 5/19/2024** I have a very love/hate relationship with this place. We have been coming here on our Cedar Point trips for at the very least like 4-5 years. The people that work here are mostly pretty friendly and accommodating (especially Brittany! She is awesome and is part of what keeps us coming back after years!), the location is pretty good for visiting cedar point, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ONE OF THE ONLY PET FRIENDLY HOTELS IN THE WHOLE AREA! There is also a mini fridge and a microwave in each room which is very nice.

Now for the downsides... The rooms are ok, pretty standard, but the (teeny tiny twin) beds are some of the most uncomfortable I've ever slept in. The blankets were torn. The rooms are never very clean (even during COVID they were never great on that note). We have resorted to bringing our own cleaning solution and rags to wipe everything down bc it's usually so dirty and nasty. This time I also learned that I guess we need to bring something to clean the floor with too. One of us accidentally got the bathroom floor wet because the shower curtains are so thin that the water was going thru it some, and upon drying the floor with a couple of towels we were shocked to learn that even the floor was absolutely FILTHY. When walking around the hotel during the day, I saw the housekeepers supplies, and the supposed-to-be disposable mops that they had out to use inside the rooms looked like they hadn't changed the heads in quite a while... Like something you'd find in an abandoned house's basement...

Also during this time of the year the fish flies are really bad around here and they were all in the room all over the place when we checked in. We tried to kill and clean up some of them but then we realized there were spiderwebs and everything all over the corners of the room so we left it. Then the lights on the walls just outside the room doors attract so many of them that it is unstoppable so we ended up with a ton more inside the room from just going quickly in and out the door a couple of times so we unscrewed the lightbulb (which really helped) however an hour or two later they had already came and screwed it back in so it helped nothing in the long run. And that is the main reason for me feeling the need to post a review. I know that they have absolutely NO control over the fish flies being here but what they COULD do is take some measures to help the issue a little. There are spiderwebs on almost every camera and light out there too. They really should have someone cleaning some of these things or spraying for bugs or at least making it dark at the room doors for this temporary time of the year so they don't end up with so many of them infesting their rooms.

Also it was like $80 more a night for the same standard room on a Saturday than a weekday which is RIDICULOUS!

They also do have a $100 deposit that is NO LONGER ALLOWED TO BE PAID IN CASH even though I specifically asked about that over the phone when I made the reservation and that sucks too.

Lastly, I honestly do not appreciate the condescending tone of the owner or whoever answers these reviews. Some of them are necessary, but others, such as them saying to the reviewer that they must have this place confused with somewhere else and that they have a crystal clear pool and comfortable beds to someone who just complained about those exact things not being good is kind of crazy to me, even in 2024... It seems by the answers to the reviews that they don't really care about our opinions and reviews bc they will make their tourist money either way 🤷🏼‍♀️...

I really expected nothing more than a clean room at the very least for the amount I paid, but the affordability of this hotel was not at all worth the experience. We drove up from PA with 2 small children, and although our early check in request was accommodated, again, totally not worth it. We gave the room a quick once-over upon arrival, and noticed the bathroom and carpet were filthy, the bathtub especially. There’s was built-up soap scum, stains on the walls, and the drain was really gross. I knew I would not be able to give my kids a proper bath, but I was willing to let it slide for just a brief overnight trip. The microwave and fridge were severely outdated, but again, I gave it all a pass. The staff was really friendly and brought extra towels upon request, so I was willing to deal. Once I got my girls tucked in, we were sitting around and I noticed a bed bug crawling across their sheets. I have experience with bed bugs, but I did not check for them as I typically would when staying in a hotel. I am kicking myself for it, because I would have noticed them IMMEDIATELY, as there was clear evidence of a full blown infestation that would have been seen by staff IF the room was being taken care of regularly; blood stains and black dots in the corners of BOTH mattresses and boxsprings, and more bugs in between. This is nothing that could have possibly been missed or not noticed by housekeeping. I called the front desk and asked to leave and be refunded, which they are quickly took care of, no trouble. However I still had to pack up everything in trash bags and make the 3 hour drive home at 10pm with 2 sleepy girls, just to come back to PA and wash everything we packed as a precaution. Such an unbelievable inconvenience. And it’s worth noting that when I pulled up the mattresses to check for more bugs, I noticed the baseboards behind the bed were absolutely filthy and clearly had not been cleaned in idk how long, and the sheets and mattresses had stains. Quite frankly I’m shocked their haven’t been any other reviews detailing an infestation; it’s quite alarming. There have been countless ones about the level of cleanliness, which clearly has not been improved in any capacity, despite the low ratings it’s caused. I would warn any traveler to be wary of this hotel, as I’m quite sure such a large infestation isn’t limited to one room, and they are likely aware of it and just haven’t taken the necessary steps to keep people safe. Friendly and accommodating staff in no way makes up for the discomfort we experienced, and that has stuck with us since we left. Knowing my kids were essentially laying in a nest of bugs makes me grateful that one decided to make his presence known, otherwise the trip could have ended up much worse...

Don't waste your time and money. 1st...i was told the pet fee was 15$ per pet per nite. I had 2 small dogs. I opted to have the dogs sleep in my enclosed pickup truck in thier carriers instead of paying the fees. With all the cameras they have on the property they literally stalked us and when i contacted them to extend our stay 1 more nite they told me I was being charged pet fees which they only could have known we had them if they were stalking us on the cameras. Again...I was told 15$ per pet even though they slept in my vehicle the 1st nite. I decided to eat the pet fees cuz we were going to cedar point that day and decided to leave them in the room and come back thru the day to check on them and feed them etc..which we did. No big deal. All said and done when I got my credit card statement they had charged me almost 100$ for my little dachshunds for 2 nites even though they slept in my enclosed truck the 1st nite. I called to dispute this charge and the idiot on the phone said "we didn't say it was 15$ per pet per nite". So obviously they decide to change rates without informing you because you already stayed and what are you gonna do about it?? Total BS!! I paid well over 300$ on off peak days( Monday-Tuesday) after the the July 4th holiday!! The rooms were clean and property was decent but absolutely NOT WORTH THE MONEY THESE CROOKS CHARGE! I could have stayed across the street and saved about $100+ and next time I absolutely will. Stayed at econo lodge in Hagerstown Maryland the week before and that place was pathetic. Never used this chain before...just needed a cheap place to sleep for couple nites. I usually stay at 4 star hotels. I will never stay at an econo lodge (motel) again. Spend the xtra money and stay somewhere where they dont lie and steal your money and stalk you on their cameras. Liars!! Thieves!! They also kicked the guy out in room next to us after he obviously paid for his next nite and charged him for it. They told him he didn't extend his stay and his room was booked and if he didn't leave they were calling the cops. He showed me his booking charges for the nites he was staying. What a load of BS this place is. BEWARE IF YOU DECIDE...