Quote: Wookies have apparently been exploring the greater Burlington area lately. How can I tell? Well, judging by all the hair that covered our bathtub at South Burlington’s Econo-Lodge, you’d think that Chewbacca was the last one to use the shower.

Things started off rather well at the Econo-Lodge, which boasts "New rates! New management! FREE high-speed Internet!" on its sign out front. Located on Shelburne Road, which is lined with all sorts of hotels with varying levels of outward cleanliness, the Econo-Lodge would be our chateau for the evening based solely on price and its relative closeness to downtown Burlington. At $40/night plus tax, how could you go wrong? Plus it’s just down the street from Chef Leu’s House, surely one of the Northeast’s greatest and most popular Chinese restaurants.

We checked into our room, and after making sure a hotel slasher wasn’t hiding under the bed or in the closet, settled in for a break after a long day driving up from Brooklyn. The carpet was new, the bed was soft, and the furniture was actually pretty classy for a place like this. We were also surprised to find a fully-functional microwave and mini-fridge alongside a decently sized TV. All in all, despite the horrific paint-by-number prints on the walls and a slight stench of stale cigarette smoke, we were perfectly happy with the room.

The other nice thing about the Econo-Lodge is that despite being sandwiched between busy Shelburne Road and a day spa, we opened the back door of the room and heard nothing but the soft cawing of birds. No traffic, no construction, nothing during the afternoon, evening, or following morning.

Ah, the following morning, when my dear Trixie vowed to never stay here again. Long story short, I showered first, and after running the water for a bit realized that there was no avoiding it—the drain was more than clogged. It was absolutely plugged up with hair… hair that didn’t want to stay below the surface at that. I bit the bullet, quickly showered, and watched in horror as the water barely drained, leaving a paper, ergh, hair trail in its wake. One word: disgusting!

The new owner is obviously trying to clean the place up, and he seemed like a nice enough guy. Free breakfast is served every morning in the lobby, and there’s even an outdoor pool open during the summer. But if he’s going to let wookies stay in his hotel, he should at least reserve a few "wookie-only rooms" because that was one truly revolting bathroom.
From journals Vermont Road Trip! From Burlington to Bennington