Not every place we hang our hat for the evening need be a destination resort. Sometimes it's worth acknowledging the roadside flop we find ourselves in as a result of circumstances.

The Bowen Motel is a winner. Cheap, efficient, tidy and spacious. I'll land there again when the road takes me in their direction.

We recently visited Moab and researched hotels that were pet-friendly. This hotel met the basic requirements we had: pet-friendly, clean, reasonable price, proximity to local attractions.

For those who aren't familiar with Moab, it's a funky little town in Southern Utah. There is a 'main drag' that runs through the town with many motels, restaurants, and other businesses along the few-mile stretch of road.

November is clearly off-season, but you wouldn't know it from the heavy truck traffic that roars through town at all hours of the night. This hotel's location along the main road through town is a blessing and a curse. It was nice to be able to walk to nearby stores and restaurants, but when trying to sleep amidst the thundering roar of semis cruising by at all hours the location is a liability.

The staff was courteous, the room was clean, and bed was comfortable. However, the road noise resulted in one of my worst nights in recent memory. In the future, I'll look for a hotel a block or two away from the main road.

My boyfriend and I give this place five stars b/c of it's cleanliness, friendliness of staff, overall comfort level and location. The Bowen isn't the Ritz, but it is everything you need to be safe and comfortable. It is just a few blocks from the center of town so we could walk to everything we wanted though you can hear traffic on main street if that's something that will bother you. For our needs, it was perfect: comfortable bed, hot shower, a t.v. that worked and very clean. We will definitely stay here again if we don't camp and need a motel in town. Also, the small pool was a nice to have. If you're looking for anything but a place to crash, better off spending the extra money and going to Aspen .....

We stayed there Labor day week for 2 nights (Sep 6 - 8, 2011). It is quite conveniently located within 3 miles to the entrance of the Arches NP. Breakfast was quite acceptable & rooms, even though small, were clean.

Shiv Shankar
Germantown, USA