Wild Rivers Motor Lodge

Old fashion motel, clean, friendly, great heater and walking distance to great restaurant/pub. Will stay there again.

I booked this place for a quiet, low-distraction stay and unfortunately it missed the mark in some important ways. While the price is cheap, the room showed clear signs of long-term neglect rather than just being “dated.” The baseboard heater was visibly rusted and dirty, vents and fixtures were grimy, shelving and furniture were chipped, and practically all surfaces and areas of the room showed visible dirt/dust/filth. This isn’t a single missed cleaning, it looks like months, if not years, of deferred maintenance. The fridge was another issue: it barely cooled at all and had heavy ice buildup in the freezer area, which suggests it hasn’t been properly defrosted or serviced in quite some time. It effectively is space-wasting shelving in its current state, along with the thermostat on the wall that does nothing no matter where it's set. Power access was also surprisingly poor with only one usable outlet in the bedroom itself, located in a corner by the mini fridge and not near the bed or desk. For anyone traveling with basic electronics, this is frustrating and quite impractical in 2026. The room I was given was also isolated in a cramped corner in between the only other 2-3 occupied rooms, despite having dozens seemingly vacant and available. Although what really soured my experience before even stepping foot into the room was the check-in interaction regarding my service dog. After I clearly explained that she is task-trained (medical alerts, retrievals, behavior interruption, and more), I was told “that sounds like an emotional support animal.” That comment was inappropriate, unprofessional and quite disrespectful to the focused work she and I do as a team, especially coming from staff, and could be seen as discrimination under the ADA - something I take very seriously. Speaking of animals for anyone wondering, the so-called “pet area” turned out to be a grassy patch at the gas station next door, not actually on motel property - the grassy areas of motel property is to maintain the motels image and is clearly marked in various locations “no pets.” On the topic of signage, they make it abundantly clear that any sort of disagreements that arise from their policies will not be tolerated. To quote: "In event of any confusion, error, or conflict, the decision of management at that time will be considered authoritative and final". Given the context of these full-page policy printouts posted both in the lobby and in every room, (most of which outline fairly standard rules), this language doesn’t come across as simple policy enforcement; It comes across as hostile and shows the owners are expecting conflict, rather than inviting hospitality. I stayed 1 out of 3 nights, and that was only because the booking was non-refundable, and I would not choose this property again. With basic maintenance, cleanliness, and more professional staff interactions, this could be a reasonable budget option, but in its current state I can’t recommend it. For someone just looking for peace and to get away in a beautiful coastal town, I could take a breath of fresh air and relax anywhere in Brookings, except for on Wild Rivers Motorlodge property, the only place in brookings where I truly felt unwelcome.

Clean and nice friendly staff. Nice room. Great value. Will stay here again.