I had the unpleasant opportunity to stay at the Best Western in Fitchburg on business. Driving up to the hotel and even walking into the lobby does not prepare you for what awaits you.

The conference rooms as well as the rest of the hotel smells of pure mildew and body odor. This is not an exaggeration. The conference rooms are dark and completely outdated. The chairs and rugs are just soaked with unpleasant smells.

I will say though that the staff is very pleasant. They are ready to help at all times and seem happy to help.

The bedrooms are a nice size, and without the horrific odor that hits you as the door opens can almost be acceptable. But don't turn down the bed! And if you plan to use the coach, lay plastic down first. A co-worker of mine was supposed to sleep on the pull-out sofa. The fact that moths and rats didn't come running out when we removed the cushions amazed me. The mattress was dingy and stained, not to mention so thin that the bar supporting it sticks out in the middle. As a joke she laid down on it and couldn't even stay on for more than a minute before the metal bar dug into her back.

The morning was quite an experience as well. Of course my alarm didn't work and my wake-up call never cam though. So I jumped in the shower in a frenzy to make it for my meeting. But there was no hot water! The hotel actually ran out of hot water! It was another hour and half until it came back on, and by then I was at my meeting with greasy hair.

The moral of the story? Don't judge a hotel by its name.

Recommended: No