Pretty basic accommodation.
I rated 4 out of 5 because Nancy the receptionist was very helpful. She did a lot for us , over and beyond.
She showed us the room and choose which one we like. I can see she’s very busy because she was cleaning at the same time.
The room’s ok. It’s somewhere we sleep for the night.
It’s got what we need , bed , toilet, coffee facilities.
Booking.com
Booking.com
Hotels.com
It is now approaching 7 am on a cold winters morning in Alice.
It has been a long night and we are looking forward to the dawn so we can finally escape from the motel room that time forgot.
If you are ever desperate enough to book a room in this dump, then consider camping in the park under the stars instead.
Let us describe the experience for you.
First thing that hits you is the location and the money spent on security with high steel electric gates controlled by a code on a key pad and the building activity that is still ongoing.
There is no parking near the room except in front of a smelly overflowing dumpster
On first opening the door to our room we noticed damage as evidence of a break in attempt with a jemmy bar.
Memories of Roger Millers song King of the Road jumps in to the frontal lobes and won’t go away.
Then the musty air quality hit us.
It was getting cooler as evening approached so we tried the air con.
Some of you may be old enough to remember those noisy vibrating self contained units that told you just where the compressor was.
This one was old when the millennium rolled around and by the state of the filter hasn’t been serviced at least since then. The din took some getting used to but the stale dusty smell coming out of it was something else.
We had a choice though. Use it or expire from hypothermia under two blankets and no doona in the sub zero night time temperatures here.
Settle down for a description of the rest of this place as it may take some time.
The curtains are about 40 cm narrower than the window so forget privacy.
Three power outlets are in dangerous broken condition. Some don’t work even if you are game enough to use them. Just don’t do it with wet hands.
The smoke alarm is ancient and a newer one has been removed. This is probably illegal.
Two of the lights are hanging off the wall.
The toilet is filthy
The exhaust fan in the bathroom is choked with dust
The grouting around the sink is missing or coming away and not hygienic
The towel rail bracket is broken
There are holes in the carpet
The main light fitting is filthy and contains bugs probably now extinct.
The kettle is also extinct. The light comes on but it has simply ceased to be.
We escaped to town for dinner and on our return the security gate opened half way after entering the code then started to shut again. Nobody to inform as the receptionist had left the building at the dot of five and wouldn’t return until 9 the next day. Whoever owns or runs this dump certainly doesn’t live here.
In desperation one of us tried holding a hand over the sensor while entering the code then holding it there while the other drove through. That worked, but if it hadn’t we would have been out of options.
I have pictures of all of these defects and a sound recording of the air con in case nobody believes us and today we will report this place to the local authorities. It is a complete joke that should be shut down.
the Mercure looks good. Enjoy your stay in Alice and check out Ormiston Gorge.
Amazing.
It wasn't cheap but it should have been. There was little accommodation available in Alice Springs but we did find somewhere else for our next night. It would be somewhere to stay if you couldn't find anything else.
Alice springs motor inn obviously doesn’t think Covid exists let alone believe in hygiene when they think rooms like this are acceptable.... and still charge $$ for the experience! See pics, I won’t tell you what marks I found when I pulled the blankets back someone had a good time before us!
FYI had to use my own bedding/pillows after complaining and receiving new dirty bedding to change the sheets myself... no lights in the dirty bathroom, dirty towels and a broken fridge. Pics don’t do it justice (marks aren’t shadows). Nowhere else to stay. I’ve stayed in some questionable places, but they were at least clean.
Renovations occurring in rooms either side, potential asbestos that hasn’t been dealt with and now friable throughout the property.
My review - dirtier than my swag after a wet Deni.
Where do i start. We are in room 17 and i cannot sleep. Room 17 is a refugee from 1950, which in itself is quite endearing, but when I say refugee, i mean it is almost in original condition. Have you not heard of maintenance and carpet cleaning here? We walked into a room that bears no resemblance to any photos i can see. Carpet is mostly heavily stained and looks like it has not been cleaned - ever. I cannot bear to walk on it with bare feet. As for the rest, and i have uploaded photos, curtain rail is broken, security lock on door is broken. 2 light fittings are broken. 1 PowerPoint, which just happened to have the tv plugged into it had no power to it. Checked it by plugging the jug in. The auto door closer is broken, the paint is peeling off the ceiling in the shower, the complimentary wi fi drops in and out of its own accord and only really works when you are near the window. I opened the drawers to check (as you do) and the front panel fell off one of the drawers, not to mention a very sticky handle on one of them. One of the hinges on the storage cupboard has come off and the light fittings have been replaced on the bed head, leaving the screw holes from the previous fittings in all their glory. Not to mention the cracked PowerPoint in the bathroom and cracked and dirty hair dryer. You know how once you start looking for faults, it becomes very easy? Well, the paint is peeling off the door, which looks like it has been forced open and repaired. I read another review where someone said they were burgaled, so i think i will try and stay awake until morning. I have jammed a chair against the door in the vain hope that it will stop an intruder and finally, a smoke alarm has been replaced, but they left the shell of the old one on the ceiling - tacky. Now, my wife and i are seasoned travelers and have stayed in some less than desirable places such as the huts on the Kepler track in nz, refugios in sth america, a cave in Turkey to name a few. We have camped in a 2 person tent on the main range in Kosciuszko nat park, spent 3 nights in the tent at Yulara (Uluru) and i have done many multi day walks with my trusty tent, but tonight takes the cake as the most disgusting place we have ever stayed - did i mention that as this is the Finke weekend, all accommodation has been booked and that my wife refused to sleep in the bed, so is in her sleeping bag? It will be interesting when we check out in the morning and i invite them to have a look at the room, because i am sure the owners/ managers have not seen it since about 1960.
I booked in advance the night before, going by previous reviews, photos and the price. I arrived at dusk. My attached photo was taken the following morning. It looked even worse when I arrived, with the addition of people sitting in the gutter and on the footpath. Given the difference between reality and the published photos, my natural assumption was that I'd been scammed. by
I've haven't been given any reason since to change that opinion. When I booked it clearly said non-refundable. Now I understand why. My first (and hopefully last) bad decision on Trip Advisor.
What I saw that evening made me decide to blow the money I'd paid and book in at another motel. Having booked in, I checked my email and found one from the Alice Motor Inn giving me the gate details and room number. A bit late by then. No idea why they didn't ring to give me the details, 'cos they had my number.
The reality is that it may be a really good motel. I don't know and I never will, 'cos after this experience, there's no way known I'd book in there again.
My recommendation is not to book in advance. Have a look first, then make your decision.
