A cheap hotel room can stop feeling like a bargain the moment you find stained bedding, a dirty bathroom, or a room that looks nothing like the photos you saw when booking. And while a bad review doesn’t prove an entire hotel chain has a cleanliness problem, large-scale guest surveys show that some familiar economy brands consistently struggle to satisfy travelers. The 2025 J.D. Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study surveyed 39,219 hotel guests and found substantial differences even among hotels competing in the same economy segment. Motel 6, Red Roof Inn and Super 8 all landed near or below the economy segment average, while Days Inn performed better but still trailed the segment leader. The lesson isn’t necessarily to blacklist an entire chain—it’s to know which brands require a closer look at the specific property before you hand over your credit card.
1. Motel 6: 519
Motel 6 had a relatively low J.D. Power score of 519 and was below the economy segment average of 544.
Many travelers turn to Motel 6 for its affordability, but reviews suggest cleanliness can be hit or miss. On TripAdvisor, one guest wrote about a Charlotte, NC location saying, “When we got in the room it was very dirty, wall floors, doors, the inside was painted white so all the hand prints and places where people rub or place hands had prints and smudges.” These complaints aren’t isolated, with similar feedback appearing across multiple locations nationwide. While some properties maintain decent standards, inconsistency is a recurring concern. If you’re considering Motel 6, checking recent reviews for the specific location is essential before booking.
All of that being said, Motel 6 has undergone a significant corporate change since many older online rankings were published. OYO parent Oravel Stays completed its $525 million acquisition of G6 Hospitality in December 2024, giving the familiar budget chain new ownership. That makes recent property-level reviews especially important because older complaints may not accurately reflect current management or renovations.
2. Red Roof Inn: 533
Red Roof scored 533, also below the economy segment average.
Red Roof Inn markets itself as a comfortable and budget-conscious option, but customer reviews tell a more complicated story. Another Charlotte location was flagged by a reviewer on TripAdvisor. They wrote, “Find another hotel, no amount of money saved is worth getting bed bugs or worse.” These experiences raise red flags, especially for travelers prioritizing hygiene. While not every location receives poor ratings, the volume of complaints suggests a pattern worth noting. Travelers are advised to verify recent cleanliness scores and avoid relying solely on brand reputation.
According to Red Roof Inn sources, the hotel chain currently advertises its RediClean program/amenity at numerous properties. More importantly, individual locations can perform quite well. One current Red Roof property in Cloverdale, Indiana, for example, has an 8.6/10 cleanliness rating from more than 1,000 verified Hotels.com reviews. So, it’s still important to shop around and read the reviews of the exact location you intend to stay at.
3. Super 8: 546
Super 8 scored 546, just above J.D. Power’s economy average of 544.
Super 8 is another budget-friendly chain that frequently appears in discussions about cleanliness concerns. One hotel goer left a review online about a Monroe location, writing, “They couldn’t even bother to clean the room properly. I don’t recommend anyone to stay here!!” However, later reviews stated that the hotel was undergoing renovations and making changes to ensure customers had better experiences. These firsthand accounts highlight issues that go beyond minor inconveniences. For many travelers, cleanliness is non-negotiable, and these reviews suggest that some Super 8 locations may not meet basic expectations.
However, its 546 J.D. Power score was only slightly above the economy segment average, but that still placed it ahead of several competing brands. Wyndham says Super 8 now encompasses more than 2,300 hotels globally, meaning experiences can vary enormously across such a large network. Rather than assuming every Super 8 will deliver the same experience, travelers should look at the most recent reviews and guest photos for the exact property they are considering.
4. OYO: The Lowest Guest Satisfaction Score in the Economy Segment
OYO deserves a closer look because it finished at the bottom of J.D. Power’s 2025 economy-hotel rankings, scoring just 386 points compared with the segment average of 544. The study evaluates the overall hotel experience rather than cleanliness alone, but guest-room satisfaction includes factors such as room condition, cleanliness, and amenities.
An OYO location in Myrtle Beach left one patron with a “traumatizing experience,” according to their TripAdvisor review. They stated that the condition of their room was “unsanitary and unlivable.”
Recent property-level reviews also show why travelers should investigate the exact OYO location before booking, with some verified guests reporting problems involving dirty rooms, poor property conditions, and maintenance, while other OYO properties receive positive cleanliness feedback. That variation is important because a national brand ranking cannot tell you exactly what you’ll encounter at one particular hotel. If an OYO property’s low price catches your attention, check recent verified reviews, guest-uploaded photos, cleanliness scores, and repeated complaints about the specific location before booking.
A Bad Chain Score Doesn’t Mean Every Location Is Dirty
One mistake travelers make is assuming a national brand score tells them exactly what to expect at every location. Large hotel companies often operate extensive franchise networks, and property age, ownership, renovations, staffing and local management can create substantial differences between hotels carrying the same sign. That’s why a poorly performing brand can still have individual locations receiving excellent cleanliness reviews, while a highly rated brand can still have a problem property. The smartest approach is to use national rankings as an early warning signal and then investigate the exact hotel you’re considering. Recent verified reviews and traveler-uploaded photographs can tell you much more about the room you’re actually about to rent.
Check the Room Before Your Suitcase Touches the Bed
Even an expensive hotel can encounter bed bugs, so this is one risk travelers shouldn’t evaluate solely by brand or room rate. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends leaving luggage in the car or bathroom while initially inspecting a hotel room and checking areas including the headboard, mattress seams, box spring, bed frame and upholstered furniture. The agency also recommends inspecting the luggage rack before using it and keeping bags closed rather than putting luggage or clothing directly on the bed or floor. If you find evidence of bed bugs, notify hotel staff immediately and request another room or leave the property. A small flashlight in your travel bag can make this inspection surprisingly easy.
What Travelers Should Know Before Booking
It’s important to recognize that not every location within a chain will have the same standards. Many of these hotel brands operate as franchises, meaning individual owners are responsible for maintenance and cleanliness. This explains why one location might receive glowing reviews while another is heavily criticized. Travelers should always read recent reviews, look for photos uploaded by guests, and check cleanliness ratings before booking. Websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp can provide real-time insights that go beyond marketing claims. Taking these steps can help you avoid unpleasant experiences and ensure a more comfortable stay.
Don’t Judge the Sign — Judge the Specific Hotel
National hotel rankings can help identify brands worth investigating more carefully, but they cannot tell you whether room 214 at the property you’re considering will be clean next Saturday. Start with the brand-level data, then narrow your research to the exact property, paying particular attention to verified reviews from the past few months. Look for patterns rather than one furious review: five recent guests independently mentioning mold, dirty sheets or insects deserves more attention than one unexplained one-star rating. Compare guest-uploaded photographs with the hotel’s marketing images, and check whether management responds when cleanliness complaints appear. A few extra minutes before booking can be much cheaper than discovering at 11 p.m. that the bargain room you reserved is somewhere you don’t want to sleep.
Travelers today have more information at their fingertips than ever before, so there’s no reason to book blindly. Have you ever stayed at a hotel that didn’t live up to cleanliness expectations? Share your experience in the comments and help others avoid the same mistakes.
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