Samuel "Showbiz Trivia Junkie" G.'s Profile

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  8/11/2011 First to Review

  Every year since 2008, I have saved up my pennies and made the trek to Dallas for what is arguably the best convention devoted to the horror genre in the Southwest: Texas Frightmare Weekend. The con had been held at the Sheraton DFW, and I have always stayed there, since it was the "host hotel" where everything was happening, and where all my friends were staying. Well, maybe not ALL. The Sheraton's rates, even at the convention discount, scared some folks (and their wallets) away to a little more reasonably priced lodging nearby.
  
  In 2011, I became one of "those" folks. Finding myself in a situation where some cuts and downgrades would have to be made if I wanted to devote my "pesos and centavos" to all the usual good stuff that makes TFW worthwhile, I made the tough decision to select a place on nearby "Hotel Row", on the access road adjacent to the John Carpenter Freeway. After doing a little footwork and some research, I settled on the Homestead Studio Suites, which for what they seemed to be offering had some KILLER rates for my projected stay, and didn't seem all that far from the Sheraton. It was a tough call to make, especially considering that this year would be the convention's "swan song" regarding their relationship with the Sheraton, moving lock, stock and barrel to the airport Hyatt in 2012, to accomodate the ever-increasing number of fans in attendance.  
  
  But I figured it was worth the sacrifice. Besides, my fat ass could use the exercise, walking a couple of blocks and back to and from the Sheraton. And having looked at closer places that cost more, the Homestead seemed perfect.  Note: I did say "SEEMED." Turns out that call I made was a lot tougher than I ever expected.
  
  So, here's the deal: I was NOT expecting the Taj Mahal when I checked in. When I did my walking tour of "Hotel Row" previously, stopping at each place to ask about rates for my lodging dates and looking at rooms wherever possible, Homestead's "sample room" was big, clean, well-furnished with a SMALL KITCHEN (something most rooms where I've stayed have NEVER had), plus a fitness center, Wi-Fi and a full laundry facility.   Once again, however, I learned the hard way to a} ask MORE questions and look more closely at where you intend to stay, and b) remember that the old adage is ALWAYS true: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
  
  I should've known when they told me over the phone, that for the incredible rates I was getting for my six days' stay, I could get the "handicapped' suite, which was a lot bigger than the normal suites they had, and would I mind? Basing my impressions on the room I'd seen previously, I said "Of course not!" I WAS told not to expect the room to be too fancy, but for the low rate with all the amenities, I was prepared to "rough it." DAMMIT, I should've stayed at the friggin' Sheraton. bit the bullet and paid the extra cash!
  
  Okay, so yeah, it WAS bigger, being the handicapped room and all, because extra room would be needed for someone who was in a wheelchair or using a walker. But here's some of the "down sides" just of the room itself:
  
  The bathroom was pretty much a horror show. It was relatively clean...until you looked in the shower. EEEK. It had one of those fold-down seats for someone physically disabled to be able to sit and bathe, and the removable shower nozzle that you could use to wash yourself off like rinsing down a car, or adjust it to use like a regular shower head. THAT was fine.  But the fold-down seat, and much of the surrounding wall was coated with so much black mold, it looked like SWAMP THING had been there first. UCK. I probably should've gone to the front desk and DEMANDED an immediate room change, whether it cost me more or not.
  
  But I wanted to stick with the rate I had, so I decided to "cowboy up" and not be a wuss. Besides, a little bleach would take care of that in no time, right? (And one gallon of straight bleach later, bought from a local market, that shower was good enough for even Adrian Monk to use.)
  
  Ahh, but there were MORE "treats" in store. Like yes, there was a full-sized refrigerator. But the handle was not only loose, but the bottom screw was gone, so it looked nearly ready to come off. I guess "SWAMP THING" got hungry after effing up the shower, didn't he? There was a coffee table, a full-sized couch, a chest of drawers AND a double bed. Plus a nightstand and a nice area with more shelving, plus a rack to hang clothes from. All standard for the suites and all very nice. Nice, that is, if you didn't look too closely at the rings of stains on the box spring and the mattress underneath the sheets. The same went for the dark green-colored couch, (and I didn't EVEN want to think of what kind of results a "CSI"-style black light-and-Luminol exam would produce of that piece of furniture). And that's not to mention the big, dried, sticky puddle of...WHATEVER it was that lay at the bottom of one of the drawers. No clothes going into THAT puppy. (2 B continued...)

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