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ScottishHarleyGirl
Brooksville, Florida

All that was available.....should have slept in our car!

Review of Design Motel
1.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 9 Aug 2015
We arrived into Saratoga late on a Saturday evening (the first weekend of racing season, so of course we should have booked ahead!). Tried a couple of other places, all full, but the Design Motel had one room available. Too tired to keep looking (we'd just driven from Washington DC) we paid the exorbitant charge of just over $140 for one night and went to the room.

First impression? The stench of cigarette smoke in the room. The sheets were at least clean, as were the towels, but those were the only two positives about the experience. The shower would not work, so we had to half fill the bath with tepid (at best) water simply to clean off the travel dirt. At least sitting in the tub gave a good view of the broken and missing tiles and the ingrained dirt on the floor.

I think the beds were put in new when the motel was built, which certainly wasn't yesterday, but we were exhausted enough that we slept anyway. When we went to check out the next morning (around 8am, since we had NO desire to linger in the room - we'd survived the night, but who knows what daylight would bring?!) the office was locked and there was no key drop. In the end we had to leave the key in the room and just call them later to tell them we'd checked out.

If you look at this hotel on their own website, you'll see a pretty little swimming pool. Don't bother looking for it. You'll see a cracked concrete slab area with a torn up black tarp covering something in the center. That's the pool.

All in all, it was an experience, and not one we will ever repeat. If you arrive into Saratoga late and can't find anywhere else to lay your head, other than sleeping in your car? Yeah. Sleep in the car. I only gave a "terrible" rating because there were no lower options.

STEER CLEAR!!!!!!!!!
Date of stay: July 2015
Room Tip: Choose one at a different hotel!
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
3.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
1.0 of 5 bubblesService
1.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Reviewed 10 August 2014 via mobile

I can't believe they have this place still open. Every room has something wrong with it. The room we were in was completely covered in mold, had busted tiles in the bathroom, when you walked on the floors you sank down due to rotting wood, there storm windows on the windows so we couldnt open them to get any air, the ac didn't work, the flashing was showing in one area. Ontop of that there is a constant sewage smell coming from this motel. And if something goes wrong the owner tois too cheap to have anything fixed correctly. Something is wrong with the wiring, causing rooms to lose power if they use their microwaves at the sametime. This motel may be a cheaper place to stay when its not during the racing season, but its no wonder...they arent even worth the amout they ask for much less the outrageous amount they want during the race season. UNLESS YOU AND THOSE WITH WANT TO GET SICK.....DO NOT COME HERE!!!!

Date of stay: August 2014
    • Value
    • Location
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
3  Thank indiagirl89
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 10 July 2013

I cannot beieve this place is open for humans to sleep nor the city of Saratoga allows it. they rent it to bums weekly until some event is happening for out of towners. The rooms have cigarette burns everywhere and the smell is something that might resemble a week old dead body in a dumpster on a 110 degree day. When I arrived my door was already open and some guy was standing outside the door....I went inside and there was a fresh dump in the toilet ...the bum just dropped a duece in my room. I was surprised there werent any chalk outlines from the murder that has to happen there daily. This place needs to be burned right to the ground

Needless to say I did not stay there

Date of stay: July 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
12  Thank Johnny P
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 28 January 2013

While up In Saratoga, ny, we stopped In at the Design Motel on Rt 9, just south of Saratoga. I should have known just from looking at the outside that this would be a mistake. The roof is mostly ''patched up'' which right off spells, neglect. When we asked to look at a room, my girlfriend just turned around and ran out. Black mold in the shower, dirty filthy carpets, cigarette burns all over the floor, rugs trying to cover the nasty rug at places. It looked like there were many rooms rented to homeless people or what they call ''weeklys''. It was racing season, and we could have had this room for only....135.00......are you serious. When checking with the chamber of commerence there we found they just made a face and said...''please, Its an eyesore. It was unreal, .....I still have nightmares.

Date of stay: August 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
10  Thank coach787
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 5 September 2012

Have TRIED to give them the Benefit of the Doubt as Ive stayed there 1 Time Every FIVE YEARS - H O PI N G That SOMTHING Would have changed.

Niw The Good Thing ( if ANY GOOD Can be said) IS the Rates ARE USUALLY - last I was there VERY FAIR - Maybe around $100 - $150 Night, rather close to the Track.. HOWEVER!!!

WOW- W H A T A DUMP!!!

FULL of BUGS/ Matresses that W I L L Give you a major bachache when you wake up - IF You CAN Ever get to sleep, MINIMAL Towels provided, and a TOTAL LAck of service..

I GUESS, that when U have run a Hotel there that NO MATTER WHAT - IF it HAS Vacancy it WILL Be Booked up, then I GUESS One must not have to invest Too much in EITHER Staff! ( Staff is VERY COLD - again last I wa sthere prob about 3 years ago) maintainenece, cleaning personell, I REALLY Dont think they even exist. I Stayed there once ( My FORST EXpereince there) when i was on my own, and my friends would pick me up there, ( Close for them, and take me to teh track, both in the Mornings, time the horses, see a few friends of mine, Trainers, and other Track "Help" etc etc, SO AS For LOCATION, and Vs./ PRICE ( I F It IS Indeed AROUND THE SAME Rates as before, if U R Alone, and dont mind slumming it, Well then the last time I was there, I think the rate was between 100-150 - IF I Recakkc orrectly last time it was 150$ A night... Usually never full, except for people who are in dire need to FIND A HOTEL I guess either a few days before, and everything else is sold out, OR I would suppose in other caes, IF the room they PRIGINALLY Wanted/Booked, whatever had an issue and they couldnt be accomodated, THATS Where yuuou find them

Its a VERY GROSS HOTEL - BUT IF the rate is still around say $125 - I THINK its IOMPOSSIBLE to be so "Rather Close" to the track, then the LOCATION Makes it worth while _ I F U Can overcome the Bugs, and Matresses, Towels, sheets, anbd well EVERYTHING ELSE that a Hotel/ Motel USUALLY STRIVES To MAKE RIGHT! Last I recalkl they couldnt care less

Hope it helps

Basically my thoughts - IF U R STUCK, cant find a room, and You CAN Find a room there amnd it isnt for OVER 3 Days (2 Nights well then WHY NOT - Im pretty sure U will have an "Experience" AGAIN I MUST WARN/ And PRECAUTION I havent been there in a while, although when I drive by it STILL Looks like a D U M P!!!

Just my thoughst and I HAVE STAyed there more then just 1-2-3 times, I HAVE TRIED To thing in my mind that the place M U S T Have chnaged- each time though it was same old same old- On a side note they have a GREAT BBQ Jointright next door, there USED To b a Tom Collins rather good Resturant, where you wont get "Clipped" But food IS BETTER Then AVERAGE- actually I Gottasay Q U IT E GOOD! Main thing - INCREDIBLY CLOSE To the track-

Hope thsi helps

Room tip: I believe there all the same - Just hope for the best hopefully at least ONE- TWO ROOMS Have been remodeled over the years..LOL :) - its Only a 1 level Property - IUf I recall correctly - so again there all the same ( From MY PERSONAL EXPRIENCES - That is)
Date of stay: August 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
2  Thank Erik F
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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