Hotel Rodeway Inn St Augustine Historic District (St. Augustine, USA)

In Florida, unreliable air conditioning can result in that long awaited holiday becoming purgatory. Here, though, it works fine. So too does the WiFi. Rooms are also pleasant and clean; leading to a great value stay at the Magic ... sorry, 'Red' ... Carpet.

Staff are very efficient and welcoming. Nothing is too much trouble and they remember your name, which is always a very positive sign of things to come.

Yes, it is a bit dated, but take a look at the tariff (*nod, nod ... wink, wink!) Everything works fine. They'll let you see the room before you commit to it, so that shows a degree of confidence in the product. The location is perfect for the beach, downtown and endless shopping trips!

On arrival, the carpet in the room is damp and that first smell is a real giveaway. After that, the journey is downhill with uncomfortable beds, iffy bed linen that is too small for purpose and dodgy mattresses.

Don't get too excited. There's no coffee or jug - so, really, it's just a waste of space.

There's no space in the bathroom for toiletries. If only that was the sole problem! The carpet might be red, but it's difficult to verify the color. It hasn't been cleaned in ages and walking on it results in dirty feet! The bathroom has mold and missing tiles, the room hasn't been cleaned thoroughly since the previous guest departed and so, not surprisingly, there's evidence of insects and bed bugs.