I'm a frequent traveler to Martha's Vineyard and so use hotels in Falmouth or Woods Hole a couple times a year if there are ferry troubles or if I drive up late for the first morning ferry. In January 2012, we drove up for a ferry and all boats were canceled because of terrible winds. I was with my sister and our two dogs, and we live close to four hours away, so turning around wasn't an option and all of our local haunts were full of people in the same boat (no pun intended :))

We needed a place that would be cheap, have availability and take us with the dogs. The Falmouth Inn offered us their last room, which was a pets room with a broken TV. He said he would discount the room to $70 (from $90) because of the TV. We're two relatively young women, and my guess is he wouldn't have rented the room out to anyone else in the condition it was in, but we were desperate...

Basically, it was even less than what you would expect for a $70 hotel room. No working TV, two not-particularly-comfortable beds, and a heater that (thankfully) worked. The carpet was stained and the beds were dingy, but clean enough for one desperate night. I found a few hairs in my sheets, but I guess those could be left even after a wash... Also, the owner (or man working reception, but my impression was that he was the owner) was really slow and a little rude about the dogs. They allow dogs in the room we were in, but he told us we weren't allowed to leave them there unattended. What is the point of a hotel room that allows dogs, but doesn't allow you to leave with the dogs there? Since we were in a pet room this didnt make sense to me, but in any event we hadn't eaten any dinner and there was a side door so you didnt have to exit through the lobby so we were able to come and go.

The worst part was the bathroom, which was really covered in black hair. It was around the sink, in the tub, on the floor and even the towels left something to be desired cleanliness-wise.

When I checked out at 5am the next morning, rushing to get on standby for the ferry, there were a few others doing the same. One man stopped me on my way out and chatted me up, telling me he thought the place should be condemned. So, will I return to the Falmouth Inn? Not unless I am stranded without other options. But, I do rate it higher than having to sleep in the car...