Motel 6 Santa Barbara, CA - Beach — Hotel in Santa Barbara

I understand that staying in a hotel—especially a Motel 6—means you can't expect perfection or total silence, but you should at least get a basic level of rest. This is especially true when they're charging Hilton or Marriott-level prices. Unfortunately, my stay was far from restful, and my main issue was the noise coming from the mysterious "employee only" room next to mine.

I was placed in Room 201, a corner room, which initially sounded great. Upon arrival, I noticed some noise coming from the "employee only" room nearby, but I figured it wouldn't be a problem inside my room. At first, everything seemed fine—I used the restroom, sat down to charge my phone, and started to settle in. Then, the wall shared with the employee room suddenly began to shake, and this super loud sound—like rushing ocean waves—started up. It was alarming, to say the least, and my dog was equally unsettled.

When I realized the noise was coming from the employee room, I went to the front desk to ask for a room change. The staff member was polite, but his first question was whether I had "used" the room. I explained that I had used the restroom and briefly sat on the bed, and he informed me that this meant I couldn’t switch rooms. He promised to call the general manager (GM) and let me know what could be done.

After waiting 20 minutes with no response, I went out to get food, hoping for an update when I returned. An hour and a half later, there was still no call or resolution. When I checked back in with the front desk, I was told the GM had confirmed I could not change rooms or get a refund because I had “used” the room.

This policy feels completely unreasonable. The hotel was clearly nowhere near full (I’d estimate less than 50% occupancy), and they had the availability to accommodate me. Instead, I’m left dealing with the constant, unsettling noise from the employee room and the chaos of a loud hockey team staying in multiple rooms nearby. Walls are PAPER THIN.

I’m exhausted and frustrated. I chose this stop to get some rest on my way back to LA after leaving to get away from the ongoing wildfires, but I’m sitting here writing this review instead of sleeping—the very thing I paid $159 for.

Added note: they put this weird feeling fake fleece blanket under the bedspread and it’s that type of fabric that clings to hair / dust etc., and it’s covered in different people’s and maybe dog’s hairs. It’s absolutely repulsive, so I suggest: 1. Don’t stay in room 201, and 2. Remove that nasty blanket before getting in the bed asap. 3. Stay anywhere else.

I rarely write reviews, but my experience here left me disappointed enough to share. The situation could have been resolved easily with a small gesture, like offering me a new room, especially since the property was fairly empty. That simple act of compassion for a tired traveler that’s endured a stressful week after traveling away from home after watching wildfires outside their window, that’s just trying to find somewhere safe to sleep would have prevented this review entirely.

Updates: come morning, after not sleeping at all, I thought there was an earthquake in SB!! Turns out, 201 is not only next door to their water pumps and other full building mechanics—it’s also OVER their giant industrial washer / dryers and was shaking my bed + the floor as the maid service began room turnovers & washing sheets/towels. Insane to put a room next to and above all of that knowing it will affect the unfortunate person assigned to that room. Also, because they also keep their cleaning supplies in that room, I could barely get out my door the morning of to leave since they had pulled all the supplies out and left it. It was there for the entire morning and they kept coming and getting things from it. They also began knocking on my door numerous times before checkout time even approached disturbing me seeing if I was gone yet. I had the do not disturb...

I stayed here around Thanksgiving of 2019 with my two kids.Half of this property is fenced off and under construction and has been since December of 2018. The pool seemed to be operational but was also fenced off and unusable. Upon arrival there was a plumber in the driveway discussing digging out the front driveway due to a storm drainage issue in the rear of the property that had flooded the rear parking lot with a ton of water from a recent rain. They ended up using a power sump pump to suck out all the water, but had to return the next day after it rained again. There was a bit of noise and activity due to this. The staff was friendly but was unable to offer any compensation for these things. The room itself was very basic. The room lacked a proper bathroom door, more so a set of double doors that was hard to close that led to the sink area which led to a "non doored" toilet and shower room. This lacked privacy since these doors were hard to shut and didn't have any locks. I didn't want to see my son pooping while I was brushing my teeth for instance. There are no microwaves or fridges in the room at all. The beds were very hard and supported by a thin mattress and solid piece of wood underneath. A step up from a jailhouse maybe but not much past that. The TV had a custom HDMI/VGA/RCA port accessible outlet but whoever installed the TV neglected to connect HDMI. So I had to winch my hand behind the TV to connect the HDMI. The WiFi was slow and unreliable. For over 150 a night this was a ridiculously high price. I should have just slept in the car near the beach!!! I would never ever stay here again and tell my family who recommended this place to never recommend it again. It sucks and should be closed down. The only good thing about it is the...

Possibly the worst customer service I have received from a hotel, maybe from any business. After realizing I had mistakenly reserved the wrong date, I was told by Expedia to contact the hotel to change the dates. When I called the hotel, I was told it would be no problem and that my reservation was moved to a later date. Two days later, my credit card was charged the full amount of the booking. I called the hotel and was told it was a mistake. The agent I spoke with promised to contact the manager, Vivian, regarding the issue and have her call me back to resolve the matter. At this point, I would have been fine with applying the amount toward a later booking. Three days passed with no message from the manager. I called the hotel again. When I asked to speak with Vivian, I was told that was not possible. He said he called her and that she said there was nothing that could be done. She is the regional manager! He said he would have her contact me. I still have not heard from her or anyone from the hotel.|I have been in the service industry for almost thirty years. I would be mortified if any of my staff treated a customer in this way. To be misinformed about having my reservation rescheduled was bad enough. But then to charge my card for a booking that I had rescheduled and not offer any type of accommodation, not even a small discount, shows a lack of caring that borders on disdain for customers. I was willing to give this hotel my business if they just showed...