Chanele R.
Yelp
This is a new business, not to be confused with the old Americana Inn. That place was gutted and reborn as the retro, kitsch, hipstery Americana Motor Hotel. Grabbing onto the location on the historic Route 66 and the space-related history of Flagstaff (did you know every astronaut who has walked on the moon has trained in Flagstaff?), Americana is a mixture of the old with a coat of the new added on top. In addition to completely renovated rooms, they added a pool, fire pits, hammocks, and a dog park. There is even a burgers and beers-type snack shop coming soon.
We came here knowing that they were pretty new, only taking guests since late July, so we expected something shiny and new. It was ... kind of. But there were also enough hiccups that I wasn't super happy with our stay. Thankfully, they listened, they cared, and I believe they are going to fix them. That speaks volumes to me.
The issues we had were sort of a running tally... We had inconsistencies with hot water, terrible access to the wifi (I did a Speedtest and you could not work from there if you needed to), and the noise from the room above us was so loud that it actually woke us up both at night and in the morning. Also, the speed bump on the property is so high that even going under 5 mph, a smaller car will likely bottom out on it. We actually thought we had damaged our medium-sized sedan! And I wouldn't really expect frills. There were minimal toiletries (full sized basics, but nothing like cotton balls or Q-tips), there was only one single-serve coffee pod for two guests for two nights (!!). Housekeeping seemed a little overworked. We only were offered service once, when we were in the process of changing, so we couldn't answer, and as a result never got fresh towels or clean cups. (So, snooze or lose when it comes to housekeeping.) We had to ask for the welcome drink mentioned in the paperwork. (Also, spoiler: It is not alcoholic, which is fine.) Also, there was supposedly a "welcome party" for their "launch weekend" the weekend we were there they proudly advertised on their Instagram, and we were neither invited nor even made aware it was happening.
But don't get me wrong - there were also really good things about this place. It is cute as heck. I love what they are doing with the retro vibe, and I hope more places catch on to this. There is a ton of parking, and in most cases, you can pull right up in front of your door. (Although beware of having anyone upstairs if you do not sleep like the dead.) They are also VERY pet friendly. They didn't even ask about our small dog, much less charge us an exorbitant fee to bring him like a lot of other properties might. The decor is super cute with messages like "We're all made of stars" and every room has a disco ball, which is so fun! The fire pits are nice on a cool night, and the pool is heated year-round, so that will be fun for a lot of people.
The thing that makes me round up on this property was that when I let them know at check out, they really listened to me. I appreciate that so much. The hot water was my biggest concern because a comfortable bed and a hot shower are the baselines I expect for a hotel, and they had even tried to fix it during our stay. There were a lot of other things that added up, and they wanted to know them. So, they took care of me, and I appreciate that. That makes me more likely to return when I am back in Flagstaff, especially if traveling with my dog.