Heads Up! My Personal Opinion Review on Knights Inns!

This writers travel covers just about every major city in the U.S., as well as many small and unheard of areas. During these travels I have seen many Knights Inn chain hotels and have always been curious because they advertise inexpensive, quality rooms. To me they always look 'road hard and put up wet', but what the heck, my curiosity got the best of me. A little Internet research for locations left me reading reviews, and as I am not one to go by others on line reviews I decided to do some in person super sleuthing.

Things were looking pretty good on the website which touts the owners as Wyndham, affiliations with Super 8, Days Inn, Wyndham Gardens, and several other reputable hotels.

Making a stop at the Knights Inn located in Elizabeth, New Jersey to ask for a look at their accommodations made me feel the need for a shower and maybe a body guard. The beds had noticeable sags in the middle, and the rooms smelled sour. The bathrooms needed a good demolition crew. Having checked out three rooms in all (it made me itch), I left real fast. Price quoted was $49.00, but the actual room was $69.00. Go figure that one out. Creative advertising? One bad apple, etc., so -- on with the search for truth and comfort.

My next stop was Knights Inn of Pine Brook, New Jersey, about 15 miles from downtown Newark. From the outside the place looked a little fresher, a bit more kept up, with the parking lot clean and bushes by the main sign. The rooms didn't smell sour, just of a kind of pine oil mixed with old cigarette smoke. The beds looked OK, the televisions were newer and the room did appear to have been cleaned. The bathroom looked usable and equipped with good towels. The price advertised was $70.00.

Now..... Why would I pay $70.00 for a room that is at the least questionably clean and safe, when I can pay $59.00 at the Marriott Residence Inn, or $69.99 at the Country Inn and Suites? Let's not forget Micro-tel Inns, also, a good value for the money.

Third try for comfort and truth with Knights Inn was during a trip to Racine, Wisconsin last week. The Knights Inn located on Oakes Road in Racine, Wisconsin proved to be a bit better. The rooms were clean and filled with basic furniture and bathrooms in three rooms I checked on were clean. Rooms available were queen non-smoking, up to a suite with a queen bed and a hide-a-bed. Not bad. However, prices start at $63 dollars a night (plus taxes) and, in this writers opinion, it is not worth your money.

Safety is the big issue with Knights Inn. The locations always seem a little "iffy" at those I have passed and those that I have visited. Sleeping would probably come only after barricading the door with a chair, and checking the windows a few times. I don't have to have inside entrances, but please, give me a solid wood door.

Wyndham should be disappointed in itself! Why would a classy hotel chain let a low-budget hotel/motel like Knights Inn get so run down?

The three locations above are close to other hotels of better quality for comparatively less. When traveling, be good to yourself! Stay somewhere safe and comfortable. Sometimes those budget deals are not good value.

As a full-time traveler I ask that you shop around. Do not waste your money on these Knights Inn hotels/motels.

Travel safe.