What's the Worst Hotel You Ever Stayed In?

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

See recent posts by Carl Unger

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Most of us have avoided staying in the sort of truly awful, straight-from-a-nightmare hotels that populate our sister site TripAdvisor’s Dirtiest Hotels list. In fact, most hotels on that list are so horrible it’s hard to believe they stay in business!

But that doesn’t mean every other hotel in the world is the Four Seasons, either.

We’ve all stayed in places that, for whatever reason, left something to be desired. Whether it was poor service, a general lack of cleanliness, or some unwanted four- or six-legged “roommates,” these experiences make an indelible mark on our memories.

So what we want to know is, what’s the worst hotel you’ve ever stayed in? What made it so awful? Did you leave early, then go home and write a scathing TripAdvisor review? Or did you tough it out and make the best of a bad situation?

Readers, tell us your stories of hotel woe, and share your tips for dealing with potentially vacation-ruining hotels debacles in the comments below.

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