I booked my $50/night 2-night reservation with Real Value Inn in Charlotte, NC through Expedia.com for a business trip. I try to book cheap on business trips because, while I will be reimbursed, I still must pay upfront costs on my debit card. Next time, after my Real Value Inn Charlotte experience, I will spring for an expensive hotel.

The night I checked in, I was treated as though I were bothering the staff at the counter. One woman, who appeared to be a manager, talked on her cell phone the whole time. Another, working on the computer, told someone in the back to "hold on while I deal with this guy." The woman on the cell phone WALKED me to my room, gave me what she must have considered a grand tour, but already I knew I was in for a poor experience. She quickly left the room, saying, "I'll let you get undressed now."

The neighborhood in which this hotel is located seems dangerous. Cars pulled up for a few minutes, guys came out to the cars, and then the cars quickly drove away. My chain latch barely fit. The hairdryer was falling off its wall plate (and did not work in the outlet to which it was connected). The bathroom was dirty, with stained and gritty tile. The refrigerator froze items as opposed to keeping them simply cold. There was no iron or ironing board. There were no clothes hangers. The heat barely worked when turned up to 80. The connecting door was blocked off using the room's furniture. The bed was falling apart, with springs dragging the ground. The phone was rigged up and cut in and out, making it impossible to make calls.

One of the odd things about this hotel was they claimed to prohibit visitors after 8pm (I found this little note on the reservation form I signed, but 10pm was the cutoff in the 'house rules' posted in my room). The carpet was stained and lumpy. Some of the lights didn't work and I would feel a slight electric shock when turning on some of the lights. When I woke up to brush my teeth on the final night, I turned on the faucet, and a roach scattered from the sink. If that had happened any sooner, I would have canceled my stay. Luckily, it was time to leave that awful place.

Don't stay at Real Value Inn Charlotte. There are reputable hotels in that city. As a cheapskate, I know how important it is to save money. But, from now on, I'm not skimping when it comes to hotels. I have truly learned my lesson.