Best Western Salisbury Plaza — Hotel in Salisbury

Arriving during a torrential down poor, I attempted to check into the Best (Worst) Western in Salisbury, Maryland. It was around 2:40 p.m., visibility on the roads was zero and cars were pulling off the road to park anywhere just to avoid being in an accident. As I pulled up the hotel entrance, there was no where to park since the hotel's parking lot was behind wrought iron security fences (the first bad sign). I therefore had to pull my car up to the front of the hotel and get soaking wet walking to the front desk. As I attempt to check-in, I was immediately confronted by a younger girl with glasses who asked me what I wanted (second bad sign). I told her I was there to check in. The girl told me I couldn't do that. I asked what she meant by that and that I had a reservation. She told me it was before 3 p.m. so I couldn't check-in unless I paid a $25 early check-in charge. Mind you, their parking lot was empty, we were in the middle of a monsoon storm and it was a quarter to 3:00 pm. I told her I would like to speak to her manager because I was not going to pay the fee 15 minutes before 3 during a dangerous storm and wanted it waived. The girl very curtly said there was no manager on the premises and the older woman standing behind her in the office told me the same thing in the same rude tone. I told them that I could not believe a Best Western had no manager on the premises to waive the $25 fee. They insisted there was no one so I went back to my car and sat there as the monsoon rains inundated the hotel parking lot (literally huge ponds were forming at both parking lot gates and one gate had a sink whole that almost swallowed my Benz). As I sat in my car, a very nice black woman (in her 30s perhaps) approached my car and told me that she was the manager and that it was her day off but that I could go ahead and check-in without paying the early check-in charge. I thanked her and told her that her staff was very rude and despite the dangerous storm was not accommodating at all and told me there was no manager on site to talk to when I asked to speak to one. The woman apologized and told me that the older woman I spoke with was the manager. I returned to check-in and told the girl at the front desk that the manager told me I did not have to pay the early check-in charge (it was now almost 3 p.m. anyway) and that the older woman behind her was the manager on duty and that I did not appreciate being lied to. The older woman said she was the temporary manager (as if that was an excuse for lying). The young girl then told me there would be a $100 incidentals charge. I asked her for what and pointed out that was more than I was even paying for the night at the motel. She told me that was their policy and if I put it on my credit card it would not be returned to my card for 7 to 10 business days. I'm sorry but this is freaking Best Western not a Marriott who doesn't even charge such fees but I told her fine I would pay it but that it was nothing less than extortion holding onto the $100 for 10 business days before returning it.

Quite honestly, if this wasn't a business trip, I would have canceled my reservation right then and there for the rude way this Best Western's staff treats its guests, the way they nickle and dime you and for their dishonesty but unfortunately since the hotel was the only one within my government per diem rate, I could not cancel my reservation and go somewhere else.

The hotel (motel really) is a real dump where you pull your car up to the front door of your room (yikes!). The rooms themselves are straight out of a bad horror movie with a biege and brown decor from the 70s and furniture that looks like it came straight out of a Staples catalogue. There is no privacy unless you close your front curtains since everybody can peer into your room as they walk by your window. The only good thing was I was only there for one night with a 5 a.m. wake up call. Bottom line, I will never stay in this hotel again and more than likely never give a Best Western another...

Cannot be trusted.They took our deposit.Lied and said that there was marijuana found in the room.Two family members that stayed in the room are employees of The Harrison Group.We help housekeeping and we go around to see what hotels are good and check out their starr rates.This hotel really shocked me.They check you in and ask for $100 deposit which is for incidental fees.Whatever money you give they place it in a drawer with your name or room number with a paper clip.We had also lost 2 close family members so we decided to visit this hotel until arrangements were made.Wow,walls are very thin you can hear everything near you.Before we checked out,like all other hotels we visit we clean up to help housekeeping.Rooms are at times left trashed,trust we do this for a living.We ate before we checked out.A gentleman ahead of me had 2 rooms.Now the process they have,when you check out they have the housekeepers check your room while you are down stairs.The gentleman seemed a bit rushy to me.But i guess so because he was part of the crowd that was keeping a lot of commotion as i walked up later that night to go to my room.He told the associate”I do not smoke” and before both rooms were cleared the front desk associate slipped him his deposit and the guy was on his way.By the time he walked through the sliding door to exit the hotel lobby the housekeeper comes through on the radio that the second rooms bed was broken.I was shocked because the front desk associate never went to catch the Guy in which he still had time.He just shook his head and asked my room number.my room number was sent through the radio and not 2 seconds the housekeeper came through and said something and i could not make it out.The front desk associate left out came back with a wrinkled up bag in his hand and said he could not give me my deposit back and lowered the bag down and it was a controlled substance.Smh i told him that is not nine and you did not find that in my room.By the looks,He was done with the conversation.I was not.I told him i would be back.I called the local police department and told them who i was and he stated to return back and ask to go to the room and request corporate number.Before arriving back i called and asked to speak to a manger.lol I was told the manger,on the busiest part of the week Fri sat, was not available until Monday.When i arrived i stated there was no smoke on that room and that was not mine. He stated “ mam i went into the room and it smelled of marijuana and residue was left on the table”.Im thinking, this dude!I asked to go up to the room to see if they had the right room because this wad just ridiculous now. He stated i could not.I contacted corporate in which they stayed that the property manager had so many days to contact me.Well,i have yet to hear from them.I would recommend choicehotels.com and also taking befoee and after pictures and to request to be oresent when the check is done before you even let them know you are checking out.Peopke are not at all honest...

This is the worst Best Western I have ever stayed in and I'm a diamond member, meaning I have stayed at a lot of BW hotels across the US and Europe. First, the staff was unfriendly at check in. Then we get to our room and it stinks (extremely musty). On the toilet was a dirty towel. They offered to change rooms, but the entire hotel is in disarray so I was not confident it would get any better. We decided we would ask to leave a day early because we were not happy with our stay. I called Expedia and they called the hotel to get permission. The general manager not only said no, but said he will not talk to us because we went through Expedia. Once in the past at a Best Western in Arizona, I asked to leave a day early when our travel plans changed and it was no problem at all.

Stay away from this Best Western. It's not worth the cost at all and it's not maintained or cleaned well. I'll be making a complaint to corporate.

Edited to respond to the property's reply.

Well now you're just lying. The room smelled like nasty, dirty carpets. And I have no idea what you're talking about in reference to a bath mat... Because there was no bathmat. There was a crumpled up, damp, dirty towel on the back of the toilet. The front desk acknowledged this and said nothing about a bathmat, so why you're backtracking now and rewriting history is stupid. Either he lied to you or you're lying to potential customers. Just acknowledge it and apologize. It's not hard, considering the hotel made the mistake.

Regarding not speaking to me... Again, either you're lying or Expedia is lying. You are the common denominator when it comes to lying, so... They told me that changing my reservation to leave a day early was not a problem as long as the hotel approved the request, WHICH IS WHY THEY CALLED YOU TO GET PERMISSION. Why would they call to get approval if the denial was their choice?! I know you're lying though... Because this has never been a problem in the past.

"We regret your unfortunate assessmental of our property." What a douchebaggy thing to say. I regret your hotel is gross and the service is terrible.

To potential guests... I repeat, avoid. My friends had a great experience at the Hampton Inn...