I stayed at the Knights Inn Maingate and lived to tell!!!!

[momof3disneyholics]

Ok, here it goes..... You know the old saying you always get what you pay for??? Well, you know, there is some truth to that. We just got back in November from having a great week long vacation at one of Disney's deluxe resorts, but the Disney bug bit us again all too quickly to afford another one of those vacations so soon. Still, my son really wanted to go to Disney on his birthday, it was all he wanted so we decided to go and stay at one of the cheaper motels along hwy 192. I researched it on the internet and called around and decided on a "great deal" at the Knights Inn on Poinciana dr for 27.95 a night.
Well, we got there at about 8pm Friday night and when we walked in the room, I should have turned around and walked out. We had a room with 2 double beds. The bedspread had a hole in it on the first bed. It was about a 7-8 inch whole, nothing small. I got past that and went into the bathroom and the tub looked a little questionable. But, I thought, we're just sleeping here we're not going to hang out for long periods, and I'll just take a shower instead of a bath.
When we settled down on the really old and not really comfortable beds, I started to go to sleep but then something caught my eye. I had left the tv on, and in the light on the wall I saw something black. I got up and looked and it was a huge spider!!! I smacked it and layed back down but I wasn't comfortable for the rest of the night.
We stayed out of the room as much as possible, only going back to shower and sleep. The one thing that I really hated was the floors. You could hear every step that we made. It sounded like we were stomping when we were just walking through the room.
I have stayed in the Econo Lodge, Masters Inn, and Travelodge, all along 192, and have never had a complaint. I know I should have just left after the first night but with just being there for 3 days I didn't feel we had the time to go look for something else. We had a good weekend despite the room. I just wanted to warn my fellow Disers about this place before anyone else make the same mistake I did.

 

[QuickGold]

Yikes! I'm going on a budget trip in 2 weeks as well and booked a cheap hotel(not at Knights Inn). I hope mine goes better.

 

[Lewisc]

I stayed in a different Knights Inn about 7 years ago. The best description is "worse than you can possibly imagine". The "continental breakfast" was stale doughnuts and instant coffee.

One of the Knights Inn had a safety incident a few years ago. The entire chain is rated last by Consumers Union.
BTW Days Inn and Masters Inn aren't rated much better.

There are many good deals with PL, Hotwire, skyauction, consolidators and even discounts through this site. You can get good prices in Orlando without having to stay in places like Knights.

 

[spiceycat]

you are making me nervous I got Rodeway Inn through this site travel agency - they have a great rate for it!

Oh I hope I don't have your problems - only need for 3 days - DVC member convention and so I don't need a 7 day stay.

 

[BarryHom]

I think I will stay at this hotel, not because it is so luxurious, but because it will be good fodder for the DIS Meets 2004 video. Imagine the hilarity when I shoot the 7 inch hole in the bedspread and videotape my killing of the spider. I wonder if I can get it for less than $20!

 

[Lewisc]

Barry--sorry the place is even below your standards. The AAA rate is $29/night. You can do MUCH better (with a decent hotel with PL or hotwire.

I did a search in the Orlando Sentinel archives. I didn't pay for any articles but the abstracts are interesting. Robberies, manger arrested in a prostitution sting, owners behind in property taxes, pool failing board of health, guest found dead (heroin overdose) and so on.

I stayed there almost 10 years ago. The hole was about the size of 2 thumbs. I guess it's up to 7 inches now. The towels were so thread bare I wouldn't even use them to wash my car.

Originally posted by Barry Hom
I think I will stay at this hotel, not because it is so luxurious, but because it will be good fodder for the DIS Meets 2004 video. Imagine the hilarity when I shoot the 7 inch hole in the bedspread and videotape my killing of the spider. I wonder if I can get it for less than $20!

 

[Daisimae]

I wonder if this is the same place I stayed at in '87, under a different name. I think it was Travelers Inn.

This was my first trip without my family and my friend's first trip to WDW. It was so bad, we got our all our money back, except for the first night. We were stuck there for one night. Checked out the next am. After we got out of the MK circa midnight we went up and down 192 looking for a decent room and inspecting them before we took one.

The experience was so bad, I vowed to save enough to stay on Disney property. Fortunately for me the CBR opened in '89. I didn't get the nerve to stay off-Disney again until 2000. when DH and I had a excellent stay at Wellesley Inn, near Universal, before moving to POFQ.

Even now the '87 incident colors my traveling. I mostly stick to Marriott brand hotels, with a few well reviewed Hiltons, Holiday Inns thrown in.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Originally posted by Lewisc
I stayed in a different Knights Inn about 7 years ago. The best description is "worse than you can possibly imagine". The "continental breakfast" was stale doughnuts and instant coffee.

One of the Knights Inn had a safety incident a few years ago. The entire chain is rated last by Consumers Union.
BTW Days Inn and Masters Inn aren't rated much better.

The continental breakfast now consists of Little Debbies and NASTY (and I mean) NASTY orange juice. I guess we got lucky with Days Inn and Masters Inn. All I was looking for this weekend was a clean room to sleep in. I wish I could have got it.

I called the front desk as soon as we checked and and told him about the hole so that we wouldn't be charged for it.
The walls were very thin too. When we shut off the tv at night, we could hear the everything that was going on in the room next to us.
We did everything just to stay out of that room. We drove around Orlando and Kissimmee alot in the evening. We were making a joke about going to stay at the Gator Motel. It seemed to have more class. The desk guy charged my card the whole amount when I checked in and I figured I wouldn't get a refund if I left early or if I did it would take months to credit back to my card.

 

[HockeyDadof2]

Originally posted by momof3disneyholics
The desk guy charged my card the whole amount when I checked in and I figured I wouldn't get a refund if I left early or if I did it would take months to credit back to my card.

This must be fairly typical of flea bag motels. We stayed at a Motel 6 in San Antonio a few years ago and they did the same thing. The out side of the motel looked OK, the room was disgusting. We slept there that night but checked out the next day. The kids were told to leave their socks on and the bottoms were literally black after walking around in the room for the few hours we were there. We didn't even shower there that morning, too much mildew inthe shower for my comfort. They did credit the remaining 2 nights back to my credit card though, with no problem......I got the impression that he had done it a few times.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

The best thing about that Knight's Inn on Poinciana and 192, according to someone who stayed there one night only, was that it is close to a Perkin's restaurant.

They were glad that they stayed on the first floor, close to an exit.

Momof3disneyholics, the Masters Inn on 192 has had good ratings by other posters. Here is the link http://www.hotelkingdom.com/hotelinfo/info.asp?hotel_id=180
It is actually sold out many times, according to hotel kingdom.

 

[spiceycat]

my experience with an off-site cheap hotel was not that bad - of course having a cat that chases things might have helped - he had a good time at night and nothing (except him) got in the bed - but it was funny in the morning neither of us say anything but we before we got out of bed we both put our shoes own......

but our stay got a lot better - I generously tipped housekeeping because of Spicey - and boy she really cleaned up - I mean the place was clean - now pets were allowed in this place - but when I take him with me to hotels I always tip alot more to housekeeping - I try to kept his area clean - but it is hard for me - so this is extra work for anyone else...

Anyway she cleaned so well that we actually checked to make sure the room was ours - the problem at night we still had - but hey Spicey loved it got his exercise in and would you believe that after that first cleaning we actually ate in the room several times....

I hope this works for me in May - but hey rodeway inn is on dream makers list - so I really don't think I will have any problems...

La Quinta is new.