Because it is a dump. I usually use Trip Advisor to review places and post reviews on Yelp (see The Avenue hostel in SLC). Here I'm gonna do both because they advertise as a "recommended hotel on Trip Advisor" and they shouldn't be. Honestly, I'm really not the picky person and this place is that bad.

The place in general is dirty. Sure it is under renovation but if you are staying on the 2nd floor, you won't use the elevator because stairs are quicker and these stairs next to the front desk smell musty and haven't been cleaned in months. Trust me, it wasn't renovation dirty.

Room 205: Our 1st room (205) smelled like smoke(all rooms are non-smoking), the phone didn't work, shower dripped, cracked floor tiles, and quasi exposed carpet tack strips that one of us accidentally stepped on as we moved rooms.

Room 213: Room #2, the heater blows straight on the bed and when it has reached it's temp, cool air blows on you. The fan in the shower didn't work and the steam sets off the fire alarm. I ironed a shirt and I typically don't look at the bottom (why should I have to?) and black junk got on a dress shirt and ruined it. The sink in the tub thankfully drained but not the counter sink. The advertised wifi? Forget about it. My 3mo old HP couldn't get it.

Our experience with management: Overall the people working their were good, helped w/ a bottle opener for a beer, changed our rooms, apologetic with the iron, gave me the regular manager/owner's name. The last guy though when we checked out (we dealt with three different people) didn't say thanks or inquire on our stay or acknowledge our issues (I be he spoke with the earlier guy).

When we told the guy behind the desk about the smoke in the first room, he said thanks and said they they would charge back the previous tenant. Come on. Wouldn't the maid have smelled it when it was made up and now you charge back someone based on what another guest says? That's wrong.

Tushar, the overall manager/maybe owner, only offered a 15% refund on a $80 stay. Give me a break. My shirt was more then that and if we had plans to stay another night, we would've went to a different hotel. He also said if the heater was giving us issues, we should've asked for a 3rd room change, please note this would've been the middle of the night. Really? Three rooms for a 1 night stay?

Seriously, I can understand if things are under renovation. But then don't put guests up in crap rooms and keep the rest of the place clean. My uncle also booked a night here (we were in town for a wedding) and changed rooms his first night. His booking the place first and my wanting to see him(it had been a couple of years) is the only reason I didn't do any research on the place.

My mistake and lesson learned.

The rooms are OK, though the bathrooms and the public areas of the hotel are showing their age. As a previous reviewer has said the "continental breakfast" is very basic and very limited with no cereal or toast, but on the plus side the hotel is very peaceful and quiet, well away from road noise and the beds are very comfortable. It's also close to many of the attractions in Old Saybrook. On balance though, I wouldn't stay here again

Stayed for one night with family with two young chidren. This hotel is fine but has nothing to make it stand out. Rooms are fine but a little dated, especially the bathroom. Service was OK, we had asked for crib, which was in the room (but not put up) but they did not provide a sheet for it but when we asked for one it was no problem. The pool on site is quite small but perfectly adequate and a nice deck alongside. We had our breakfast sat on the pool deck while our children paddled. The breakfast is certainly basic but did the job. One gripe, nothing to do with the hotel as such, was a local cab firm that they called for us - Essex Cab - they were fully half an hour late for a dinner we were attending.

We stayed at the Econo Lodge in late July 2010.

PROS:
* The beds were comfortable and the room was clean.
* pack and play was set up for us and it was clean - but no sheets or bedding were provided for the baby, so be sure to bring your own.
* There was a very nice flat screen TV and cable - they even had NickJR, (noggin) for the kids, and free HBO too. =)
*The pool looked clean and pleasant (we didn't use it)
* great location - close to beach and restaurants -We highly recommend Bill's seafood is on Boston Post road in westbrook (about 3 miles or so). They have the best hot picked lobster rolls on earth!
* The hotel was quiet, at least on the second floor.
* The AC worked well and there was a dorm refrigerator and microwave in the room. There was also a coffee maker - but no coffee, tea or anything else.

CONS
* all of the downstairs rooms open up onto the parking lot and there is absolutely NO privacy - if your curtains are open people can see inside. And if the curtains are closed, the room is dark (room darkening curtains).
* People hang outside the downstairs rooms all day/night smoking. This is not just hotel guests, but employees - the front desk worker was outside smoking when we arrived and we had to wait for him to finish his cigarette before checking us in.
* The front desk worker was VERY UNHELPFUL. He couldn't even tell us where our room was, let alone offer to help with the bags (I was 8+ months pregnant at the time and traveling with a 2 y/o, a 4 y/o and my 66 y/o handicapped mother. I lugged all the bags upstairs myself and ended up going the long way (up the stairs and down a long stinky hallway)
* The hallway from the parking lot to the upstairs is supposed to be locked and is only supposed to be able to be opened with a room key - but the lock was not working when we were there
* The upstairs hallway smelled BAD. Like moldy rotten onions... Really horrible stink. (although the room didn't stink, unless you opened the door to the hallway!)
* The suite is not a suite.... it's just a little bigger than a regular room and has a pullout sofa... but calling it a suite is a bit of a stretch.
* The chain lock on our door was missing. This was especially disconcerting because the lock to the hallway wasn't working and the front desk staff spent their time smoking outside or playing on the lobby computer.
* There was no " breakfast". They did have coffee and a waffle maker. But nothing else that you would expect from a continental breakfast - NO yogurt, cereal, juice, milk, donuts, bagels, cream cheese - jelly - or even toast. They really should not call this a free continental breakfast. Free AM coffee, yes.... breakfast, nay.