Xmitter was checking his Thrift Lodge bed for bed bugs when he discovered a bag filled with hypodermic needles. The clerk on duty refused to offer either an apology or a refund, and explained that “you can even find needles [in] 5 star hotels.” When told that this was an inappropriate response, the clerk asked: “Is this a test?”

The clerk on duty at this time was Phil. Phil seemed pretty annoyed at my intrusion. “There’s a problem with my room, I need to check out.” I said. “*Sigh* what’s the problem with the room?” He said all annoyed.

“Well.” And I admit I was pretty snippy and angry and assholish. “Here, let me show you what I found under my mattress.” and I showed him the photos (still on the camera’s tiny LCD screen)

Phil squinted and looked and puffed and huffed, and said he couldn’t tell what he was looking at. I tried showing him a couple of different ones. He said one definitely looked like some hypodermic needles.

I told him that was pretty crazy and that I wasn’t staying there again, and asked him what he can do for me. He said nothing, and that I would have to speak to a manager, and that the next time a manager would be in would be at 9am tomorrow. I told him to call the manager. He said it was too late and that he couldn’t do that. I told him well how about I call the police? He said to go ahead and call the police and that they would just say they couldn’t do anything and that it was a civil matter.

He said something about how you can even find needles and bed bugs and all that in 5 star hotels and blah blah blah. I told him oh yes, I definitely have found bed bugs in nice hotels.

At this point I was pretty much beyond upset. “You know,” I said. “You haven’t even apologized to me.”

“Oh I see,” he laughed. “Is this a test? You’re testing me?” I pretty much lost control verbally at this point and told him to fuck off or something like that. I’m not sorry about that, I was pretty upset. I couldn’t take any more and left to go sit in the rental car, and he yelled something out about “Oh now you can apologize to me for saying ‘fuck you’!” Feh. So I fled that horrible nasty pee smelling syphilis dart factory, and came out to the suburb of Beaverton, and checked into a room that costs not quite twice what the bed of needles did.

Xmitter acknowledged that he might have been blowing things out of proportion, but we really don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect your hotel room to be free of hypodermic needles.

Update: Xmitter later added:

OK this morning I spoke with Mr Karia, the manager of the Thriftlodge (I incorrectly called it the Budgetlodge, I’ve fixed that.) He said they’ve cancelled any charges and nothing should appear on my bank statement. I thanked him for that and asked what else he could do for me. He said there wasn’t anything else he could do. I told him that I had to find something at the last minute and he should cover the difference in cost for my room that doesn’t smell like pee or have needles in it. He told me that was my decision to go elsewhere and that he didn’t make me do that, so he wasn’t going to pay up.”

Travelodge Sucks. Also the Portland Thriftlodge sucks real bad. But you probably already know this. [Xmitter]

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