Cal Poly Humboldt State University Tours

The lobby initially appeared bright and clean, but that impression ended the moment we entered the stairwell, which reeked overwhelmingly of urine. It was bad in the cool evening and even worse once the building warmed up during the day. The room did not smell like urine, exactly. It smelled more like something had died in it and been covered with twenty gallons of scented spray. I bought cleaning supplies and cleaned parts of the room myself, which reduced the odor by perhaps 20%, just enough to sleep without gagging. I avoided touching the shower curtain, which was visibly crusted with residue. While wiping down the doorknobs, I discovered the bathroom door was apparently two paint shades lighter than it first appeared. That was not patina. It was dirt. The off-brown pillows and cowhide-style chair were questionable decor choices, but more concerning was that neither looked remotely easy to sanitize between guests. The cleaning staff were friendly and helpful, and I do not blame them. The real issue is that these worn, grimy rooms are being passed off as “boutique” lodging when they feel like an aging motel aggressively perfumed instead of properly renovated. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Apparently, when all you have is a gallon of Ozium, every sanitation problem looks solvable with another spray. It is not. Ew.

Welcoming good food. Excellent wine and cocktails