My two traveling companions and I needed a place to stay within an easy drive of downtown Denver that wouldn't top $150 a night (I guess it's been awhile since I've visited the Mile High City -- I couldn't believe how expensive the hotels have become. Oddly, there was almost nothing in the $50-$150 price range). We booked a room at the Cameron Motel, literally 50 feet from I-25 off Evans Avenue, for around $59 including tax.

The Cameron Motel is warmly recommended by Frommer's travel guide, which lauds it as a mom-and-pop alternative to chain motels with a conscientious owner. The manager/proprietor WAS quite welcoming, and graciously let us park our oversize U-Haul moving truck in the lot. We were a lot less impressed with the room.

While we could appreciate the kitsch factor of the ceramic wall tiles and the framed Rocky Mountain landscapes, the room had major cleanliness issues.

Now, for this price I don't expect Aveda bath products, or Pottery Barn throw pillows, or whatever. I don't even expect that a chair with a stained cushion, or a shower curtain with rips in it (our room had both) would be replaced.

But there is no excuse, ever, for chunks of dirt on the carpet, abundant hairs on the bedspreads and bathroom floor, or bits of debris (dried snot, it looked like) in the bedsheets. The room was too dirty for us to sleep comfortably. It's a shame, because with greater attention to detail this could be a very acceptable budget motel option in a town with too many overpriced highrises. But next time I'll break down and shell out the extra cash to stay just about anywhere else.