Probably the only reason you are considering this hotel -- is the location. It is one of the best spots to view a shuttle launch. Unfortunately, there is only one launch left. If you are considering staying here for any other reason -- don't do it.

The facility is old and unrennovated. Any comments that there has been a rennovation are incorrect and probably planted by the owner. There is one building that is slightly newer than the other two -- but it's not that big a difference.

The maintenance is TERRIBLE. There are trash and branches and debris all over the property. The outside looks old and scummy. The outside is made worse by the fact that a lot of people actually live full-time in this dumpy motel, and have broken down bikes, bar-b-que grills, and old furniture piled up on the porches. The grounds are mostly dead grass and dirt.

The inside is worse. Our double/double room was disgusting. The carpet and all the furniture was permanently stained. I wouldn't sit on the chairs. The wallpaper was peeling. The lamps and lampshades were stained. The air conditioning was rusty and stained with something...not sure what. The plumbing was old and beyond cleaning. The doors has flimsy locks, and were difficult to open and close.

The cleaning was bad. Even after we asked the room to be cleaned again when we first checked in, there was still stuff left over from previous guests and dead bugs on the floor. The bed linens seemed to be clean--which was about the only saving grace. The whole place smelled of smoke (even though it's non-smoking) and something else--maybe urine. Our friend's room actually had dead cockroaches on the floor.

At all hours, but particularly at night, the place was crawling with questionable characters--many of whom lived there. I was solicited for money or cigarettes in the parking lot several times--including one offer to buy clearly stolen merchandise.

Security was non-existant. The room had no phone (and our cell phones had sketchy reception). The locks were flimsy. Our friend's room had no secondary lock. The outside doors were allowed to stand open all night, so anyone could be in the hallways.

That being said -- the staff was friendly. It was almost like they didn't realize they were renting out disgusting rooms at ridiculous prices. The actual launch morning was great, and the hotel provided free doughnuts and coffee.

We booked our room early, before the shuttle launch was scheduled. We paid $59 for one night. Some people there were paying $250 per night with a 2 night minimum. That is--no matter how good the location--absolutely highway robbery for this place. I would be ashamed and embarrased to charge anyone those kinds of rates. The $59 we paid was too much -- this was more like a $29 room in a depressed urban area.

If you are coming for a launch-- you have a decision to make. I would stay somewhere else and fight the traffic for the launch. If you can look past filth and disrepair and can get a good price--then more power to you, but you have been warned.

i do a lot of hotel stays with my company, this palce was so gross. i pulled into the parking lot of the other one of the wings under some sort of roof constuction and was relieved that this wasnt my hotel. as i was leaving that part of the hotel i saw the sign for the lobby. i asked the girl at the desk if this was the right place and she replied"yes". my co-worker replied with a long, loud [...]. lots of peep holes drilled in the doors with paranoid eyeballs looking out of them. probably some of the people that made a quick DEAL as i was pulling up. this place is FILTHY. showers were old and dirty, carpet was sort of crispy, stains on EVERYTHING. slept on top of the sheets fully clothed and cut my week stay to that night only..... they did not want to refund my company . place was empty in the morning as if the clientle were like roaches. also noticed bullet holes in the glass during the daylight hours. the bright yellow lobby lined with peg board looked like an old dirty TV repair shop form the 70's.

Their web site says:
Experience Elegance and Excitement

aha! Don't let them full you! It's the most dirty and awful hotel I have ever been to. Actually when we saw the state of it, we left. 2 wings of the hotel are rented out to people who rent rooms by month or year or whatever. They looked like unemployed very poor people. There was a police car parked in the front. The whole area is dangerous looking. The hotel (the third wing we entered) is dirty, dark, depressing. We tried to get to our room, to check it out, the door handle broke. It was like a bad joke. The worst of all, we paid $200 for the night b/c of the shuttle launch, which was canceled. Still they would not give us our money back. Even if we didn't want to stay there. The girl at the reception tried hard to make it all look better, I am not sure why. She looks smart enough to get out of there.

Anyway, it's not worth going there, not even for the shuttle launch. Don't waste your money (and time).

My husband and I wanted to take our grandson (he's 5 1/2) to see the shuttle launch on Nov. 1st, 2010. We also invited our neighbors who have children to go with us. I called and booked two rooms, but insisted if the shuttle did not go off, that we could cnx. giving them the recommended time. I gave the hotel my credit card and again I mentioned about cancelling. They assured me it was okay. However, I was not given any noticed that if I cancelled they would only refund 50% of the room rate. I did not know of this until I called and inquired why my card had not been credited.
I called numerous times getting a hotel employee, as I was asking for the manager. I was informed that the manager/owner would not speak to me and I could only email my complaint to them. I think this is a disservice to me and to anyone else that had booked a room at that time.
I will not ,and anyone I know, will never stay at the Riverside Inn, for I feel they misrepresented themselves and took money that did not belong to them.