Javin008
Google
I booked Thunderbird Inn for the retro vibe and left wondering how it has the reviews it does.||The headline issue is the so-called "GuestCast" TV amenity. There are no normal TV channels, no built-in apps, and everything depends on you having your own Netflix/YouTube/etc and a phone capable of casting. The system is buggy, crashes often, and the hotel network was only around 20 Mbps, so realistically it can only handle one or two people casting at once before it falls over. Calling this an "amenity" is not a stretch, it is an overt lie: if your device cannot cast, or you do not feel like doing IT support on holiday, you effectively have no TV at all.||Housekeeping was equally disappointing. On a multi-night stay there was no daily room upkeep offered: no fresh towels, no bins emptied, no basic refresh, even if you wanted it. That might be tolerable if it were clearly communicated and the rooms were in excellent condition, but they simply are not.||The overall state and comfort of the room need serious attention: bubbled and peeling paint, water-rotted doors and frames, rusted lamps, stains on the walls, torn furniture upholstery, a very loud bathroom fan that runs constantly with no switch, visible mold creeping out of gaps in the bathroom tiles, and incredibly thin blankets that offered almost no warmth. Nothing about the room felt genuinely comfortable. "Retro" is a decor style, not a license to skip basic maintenance and skimp on bedding.||To be fair, the staff we interacted with were friendly and professional. The problems here are clearly management and ownership choices, not the front desk.||Then there is the bill. The stacked charges are ridiculous: transportation tax, local bed tax, and a separate nightly state tax, on top of multiple "convenience fees" and a $25 per night parking charge. The parking fee was only mentioned at check-in. This was the night before Thanksgiving, with everything in town busy and priced up, so there was no realistic way to cancel and rebook elsewhere; at that point you are effectively stuck with the charge. I understand the government taxes may not be optional, but the extra hotel fees and parking are, and they should be clearly and prominently disclosed before booking, not only once you are already committed to the stay.||As for the famous MoonPies they like to brag about: we got two, once, at the start of the stay, and they were tiny snack-size MoonPies, not full-size ones. Cute for a photo, but it is pure marketing fluff and does not come close to making up for the lack of honest amenities and proper upkeep. (Coffee is available all day, but you can forget about even a basic breakfast.)||In short, aside from the staff, there was basically nothing good about this experience. I would not stay here again.||In all seriousness, you could get a better quality stay for half the price at a Motel 6, and they at least have functional TVs.