I know Travel Lodges are not the Ritz ... but for Royal Oak, a nicer suburb in the Detroit area, I expected sooooo much more. Our room had the dirtiest carpet, mattresses were dirty (my only hope was there were no bugs) covered with wafer thin sheets and a blanket and spread that I feared had not been washed in a long time. The furniture was chipped, the bathroom fixtures mismatched and the curtains were not even hung properly. The door was stuck, and the paper thin walls made hearing everything in the room next door soooo personal. Is it so hard to provide a clean, quiet and modest motel room? Breakfast was okay and the lobby was tidy -- what I had hoped for in the rooms. I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed in the city of Royal Oak for not thinking people who visit deserve a nice hotel, or the Travel Lodge owner for thinking they can let their property slide into such decay and expect people not to say anything.

We're not sure why they've let this place slide, but the rooms definitely need a "refresh" to update everything. Although it's in a great location, had clean rooms, basic breakfast included, and a friendly staff, our family found that the rooms were very "tired" for the rates they were charging. Maybe it's because they're the only game in town for the area?
Anyway, the mattresses were old, limp and springy; the carpet was old, stained and generally disgusting (never put bare feet on that thing!); the bathroom had a shower only (terrible tap control), with a hodgepodge of older fixtures (from 1960s? pink toilet) and some newer pieces (white sink, tiling, etc); having a mini-fridge and a microwave was a bonus for keeping juice, milk, etc for wee ones.
We've stayed in similar places, paid the same rate, but had newer fixtures, beds, etc - if they simply refreshed the pace it would be outstanding. As of November 2009 it merely rated as "basic motel" for our family. If we return to the area we'll look for something else, but they seem to be the only game in the area.
It was probably just the weekend, but some noisy drunken young ladies returned to their room near ours at about 2am...and took their stumbling, bumbling time.
If you're looking for a bigger room (their suite?), then get a corner room. The free WiFi is only available in the lounge/breakfast area - not in rooms.

Staff very friendly and helpful, rooms old but clean. I felt very safe. For the money you pay you get more than you expect! Great surprise!

This place is terrible. There is something to be said for having a room with a bed, but this place isn't even trying. In the room there is still this original stove\sink\refrigerator thing in the corner taking up half of the room and looks like it might just catch fire at any moment. I had to continuously change the heater from heat to cool because there seemed to be no middle setting no matter how much I tried. The place looks like a demilitarized zone on what is otherwise a nice strip of Woodward. The room itself is accessed by these glass double patio doors that my 89 year old grandmother could have kicked in.
The good? Again, it's a room and a bed in a town that could probably use a few nice hotels. It's right next to Beaumont and up the street from the shops in Royal Oak. The water pressure in the shower was great. The beds weren't terrible and the sheets were clean.