The desk staff at America's Best Value Inn & Suites in Gallup focused on frustrating us rather than providing service. We paid to sleep at this hotel, and not only were we unable to do so, we were prevented from speaking with owner/manager Sam Soohoo. We were captive because we had paid for our month-long stay up front.

Most Gallup hotel reviews complain about the trains. Trains run through Gallup regularly, including during the night, parallel with Rte 66 where the hotels are located.. If we're asleep, we don't hear them. If you're a light sleeper and the trains wake you, that's unfortunate, but not the hotel's fault.

America's Best Value Inn & Suites Gallup could be a rare find except for the desk clerks. They are inadequate. The first minor issue was payment. On checking in, I paid for 15 days with a credit card, and wanted to pay the additional 15 days a week later, when my credit card payment would have been processed, since I prefer to use that card for the airline miles. The clerk insisted I had to pay the balance by the third day or we would be charged a weekly rather than monthly rate, per the owner whom we could only speak with IF he came in around 5:00 p.m. and IF we caught him then.

We were satisfied with the room and breakfast--hot and cold cereal, fruit (bananas, apples, oranges), variety of breads (donuts, Danish, bagels, English muffins, etc.), coffee,many tea flavours and orange juice. With free in-room Wi-fi, the week went well.

The second week a man moved in next door who blasted music when he returned from work, ~6:30 p.m. I quit working then on my computer and turned our TV on loud enough to drown out his blasting recording of Jackie Evancho singing "O Holy Night" which he played at least twenty times in succession. He turned off his TV/ recording by 10:00 p.m., and we went to sleep.

At 5:15 a.m. his clock radio blasted country and western which played for half an hour at full volume. We assumed he'd be gone the next day, but the next morning at 5:15 Christmas carols blasted for half an hour. We banged on the corresponding door, but he didn't answer. Then he left, and within five minutes a buzzer alarm sounded non-stop. The desk clerk said she could do nothing until seven when the cleaning crew arrived and could go in and turn the alarm off.

I asked how long the man was staying, and the desk clerk said a week. She told me he was elderly and I assumed hard of hearing. So we offered to change our room despite the inconvenience, and despite our having been there first and month-long guests. We had to leave for appointments that day and could not switch rooms until we returned at 5:30 p.m., when we packed and loaded a trolley and went to the other room, only to find it was a smoking room reeking of smoke. So we returned to our original room and notified Desk Clerk Julia, who said the computer listed the room as non-smoking. I told her there was an ash tray and matches on the desk, and she reiterated that the computer said the room was non-smoking. She repeatedly asked who had asked me to change rooms, implying that since I had offered to change to another room, it was my fault we were being awakened by this outrageously inconsiderate guest! Julia said our only other option was to take a first floor room with outside access,motel-style, which I didn't want for security reasons. I asked that they move the man, and Julia said she'd speak to him.

To ensure that we not be awakened early a third morning be protracted blasting alarms, I asked to speak with owner/manager Mr. Soohoo. Julia said he was unavailable. I asked for emergency contact info for him and was told she had none! She gave me the number for the Avalon Restaurant which Mr. Soohoo also owns and where she thought he would be.

I was unable to get through to the Avalon for 15 minutes, during which time Julia called Felicia at the restaurant and prepared her for my call. Felicia told me the owner was "out"--she didn't know where, and that he might return at 8:30 p.m. I asked that she call me then to let me know whether or not he had returned. She didn't. I called at 9:45 p.m. and Felicia told me to take care of my problem with the hotel and hung up.

We just wanted to sleep undisturbed until 6:45 the next morning, so I called Julia again. She said she would go to the man's room and speak with him. I also went out and met Jeff. He was not old, and he apologized for the noise--said he didn't know anyone was next door. He offered to change rooms, but I told him it would not be necessary as long as he turned off his alarm after it sounded, and turned off the buzzer alarm before he left. He agreed.

At 4:25 the next morning, the alarm blasted, and Jeff turned it off. However, at 5:30 the buzzer alarm began sounding continually. After ten minutes, we called the desk, and a young man said he would take care of it. We heard the phone ring in Jeff's room, no response. Then the desk clerk knocked on Jeff's door and Jeff turned off the alarm.

The following morning staff smiled and asked how everything was, and the housekeeper asked me why I hadn't returned earlier from my appointments the day before, as if my afternoon discovery that the alternate room was smoking was my fault.and could have been avoided had I been there earlier.

I paid money to sleep at this hotel, was not facilitated in trying to reach the owner/manager, and was tormented by inadequate staff. If Mr. Soohoo is unaware of such guest treatment at his hotel, I'm sorry for him because what could be an excellent hotel experience is one no one could recommend.