Arcola Inn

Gross! Terrible place to lay your head or anything of value for that matter. Motel staff is very rude. Also, there is a rank Smell that permeates the rooms. Spend a couple of extra bucks, and sleep somewhere else!!! You will thank me later!

This motel has a five star review NOT because it is a five star hotel. However, it has a five star review, given it’s amazingly safe vibe/​lack of sketchiness/​price and payment options.
The staff was super helpful, when I arrived on the evening of a terrible snowstorm in december. They allowed me to pay IN CASH ($ 42) and charged me $ 4 extra for my dog. Free WiFi! Check-​in procedure included me hand writing out my information (which, I could’ve totally made up if I wanted to, as they never asked for my ID). I hate having to get a thousand forms, get my ID scanned, get told about all the breakfast options, and basically wait around, before getting a key. This place — fill out my name, gave them cash, and in return got a key. Excellent and easy.
Next to some food places, a little farther from the interstate. By this I mean theres a pizza place, some fast food, and barbeque all within walking distance — aka you won’t starve if you don’t want to drive your car to another exit.
As far as cheap — cash paid rooms are concerned, is this by the the LEAST creepy, sketchy, weird, drug-​dealeresque place that I have ever stayed. Since I’m currently in grad school, I tend to choose the real discount (read: often unsafe) places to rest my head while on the road. Many times, it’s too unsafe to even go outside at night — drive-​bys, wild cowboys (see other reviews), or other unsavory situations.. . you’d think at this point I’d reconsider my life choices but.. .
Here, I did NOT encounter any questionable characters, even walking my dog around in the evening. Not even a, «HEY GIRL, You gotta boyfriend?» or a «Damn, girl, where yo man at?» Nope. None of that. Actually, much better than expected given location (where is Arcola, IL, anyway?), price, and payment options. They still have actual door keys.…crazy!