Traveling can be a fantastic way to let off steam. It can be a great way to relieve some of those everyday stresses. And if you're not careful, you may learn something about the place you're going or yourself. That said, putting that vacation or road trip together can be a source of stress itself. So, if you find yourself traveling around Missouri this fall, here are, arguably, three of the worst hotels in Missouri right now. You might want to think twice before booking them.

KCI Lodge, 11300 NW Prarie View Road, Kansas City 65153

Located by the airport, you might think KCI Lodge is the place to hang your hat the night before an early morning flight or the place to stay if you're arriving later in the day and need a night's rest before continuing your travels.

Both are good ideas, yet the KCI Lodge may prove to be anything but restful. It is ranked 118 out of 118 and has a one-circle "terrible" rating from Trip Advisor and a 5.4 out of 10 rating from Expedia.

Kathleen had this to say about the hotel on Expedia, which she rated 4/10. This is from June 2024:

"The walls are paper thin so you can hear conversations and TV's on both sides of you. The mattress is a box spring and difficult to get comfortable on. The sheets were grey and towels were stained. There were dead spiders on the walls and the tub was dirty. I didn't use the a/c because it rattled so bad. I was in a non-smoking but the hall was foggy with it and seeped under the door. The staff was pleasant and efficient with check-in."

On Trip Advisor, there hasn't been a recen't review, however Huskerfan wrote this in the fall of 2022. "This wasn’t the worst place I’ve ever stayed, but I think it’s a close 2nd. Read the other reviews and RUN! There was something sketchy all over the walls (wine? Wax? Soda?). I could hear the people next door as if they were sitting beside me and I really don’t think they were talking loudly. I want to disinfect myself now that I’ve stayed here."

Red Roof Inn St. Louis - Westport, 11837 Lackland Road, Maryland Heights, 63146

Located in Maryland Heights, the Red Roof Inn St. Louis—Westport, close to Westport Plaza and the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, might seem like an inexpensive place to rest your head after a show or just a good stopping place for the budget-minded traveler. You might be wrong.

It is ranked seventh out of seven hotels in Creve Coeur and has a Trip Advisor score of 3.0, while Expedia scores it 5.4 out of 10.

Expedia reviews from August 2024 give the hotel 2/10 on Expedia, with Evelyn disliking the overall cleanliness, the staff and service, property conditions and facilities, and room comfort. Brittany's comments are very similar to Evelyn's. Nginma writes: "They claim all rooms are no smoking but I checked at least 5 different rooms and all were full stench of tobacco. The pillow covers were uncleaned. I had to get clean cover and change them. There were insects live and dead in the room. It was completely worthless of the price paid for."

Over on Trip Advisor, where it's been a little bit of time since someone left a review, Michellev285 writes: "Office staff bad idea. Housekeeping bad attitude. Rooms smell as though there has been water damage. Had to be placed in another room. Over run trash in outside cans for days from the weekend. Derelicts wondering around the property."

Rodney R. had this to say about the manager or owner from January 2024: "The accounts of the owner being combative, unreasonable, and even downright irrational are absolutely plausible. He is definitely more interested in winning an argument with a guest than he is in ultimately winning the war. "

Even Red Roof Inn's proprietary Quality Score, based on 518 reviews, gives it only two circles out of five. The score is based on guest reviews, OTA ratings, and Red Roof Inn's brand quality standards.

Econo Lodge Inn & Suites, Joplin, 3510 Range Line Road, Joplin 64804

If there's one hotel I wasn't sure about putting on this list, it's the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites on Range Line in Joplin. Why? The reviews on Expedia and Trip Advisor aren't that bad. And yet, the most daming reviews come from the hotel chain's website.

So, while I might not skip this completely, I would do my research before laying my head at the Econo Lodge in Joplin. On Trip Advisor, the hotel receives 3.5 circles and is ranked 15th out of 21 Joplin Hotels. Expedia gives it two stars a 6.8 out of 10, and a 3.3 out of 5 on the Choice Hotels website.

Most of the recent reviews on Expedia are rather average. One guest didn't like the amenities, another felt the hotel could use some TLC and updating here and there, and another wasn't a fan of the condition of his room. Amanda, who scored the hotel 8 out of 10 had this to say: "All was good. Yes some things need some TLC and updating here and there but you can't beat the price. Clean and all i need is a shower and bed for the night. All was acceptable."

On Trip Advisor, Departure39811846838 said the room was infested with roaches and titled the review "Dirty," while NickFromOz felt the hotel could be a little bit better: "This hotel was not too bad but the room I was in could have been better in that it was not as clean as it could have been. The room was a little dark and could have done with a little better lighting. The beds were clean and comfortable. The staff were helpful and friendly. there were several food outlets and restaurants nearby, in fact staying at this hotel allowed a 10% discount a Denny's next door."

On the Choice Hotels site, one guest said they had to switch rooms twice because the pull-out couches had mouse poop and pee, and the room smelled terrible. Another had issues waiting in the check-in line and felt there were just a lot of problems for guests checking in. At the same time, another guest mentioned a bad smell in the room, dirty hallways and stairwells, a rusty bathtub, and no lobby air conditioning.

The bottom line is to take the time to read the reviews on multiple travel sites and even the hotel's website before deciding whether or not you want to hang your hat somewhere. It'll make your vacation a little less stressful when you're on it.