If you’ve ever walked into a hotel room, dropped your bags, and immediately side-eyed the questionable stain on the carpet… you’re not alone. A new study just revealed which U.S. cities have the dirtiest hotel rooms — and the results are kinda gross.
According to research by Boutique Hotel Hub, Columbus, Georgia, takes the unfortunate crown for America’s dirtiest hotel rooms, with an average cleanliness score of 7.53 out of 10 — the lowest in the country. Not far behind, Laredo, Texas (7.54), and Norfolk, Virginia (7.61) snag the #2 and #3 spots.
Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the spectrum, Seattle, Washington, shines bright as the city with the cleanest hotel rooms in the U.S., with an impressive 8.84 out of 10.
The dirtiest hotel room cities in the US
Here’s the full top 10 list you might want to check twice before booking:
- Columbus, GA – 7.53/10
- Laredo, TX – 7.54/10
- Norfolk, VA – 7.61/10
- Chesapeake, VA – 7.62/10
- Virginia Beach, VA – 7.69/10
- Anchorage, AK – 7.70/10
- Detroit, MI – 7.74/10
- Des Moines, IA – 7.76/10 (tie)
- Corpus Christi, TX – 7.76/10 (tie)
- Jersey City, NJ – 7.77/10
- Jacksonville, FL – 7.78/10
Virginia pops up three times in the top five alone, which is… not the best look. And Texas? You’re on here twice.
the cleanest cities to crash in
If hotel cleanliness is your non-negotiable, Seattle is your best bet. Boston, Massachusetts (8.82), and Madison, Wisconsin (8.72) also ranked high for spotless stays.
why this matters for your next trip
Boutique Hotel Hub analyzed over 7,700 hotels in U.S. cities with more than 200,000 residents, using Booking.com cleanliness scores. Only hotels with at least 250 reviews made the cut, so these results aren’t based on one grumpy traveler’s rant — it’s a legit sample.
Their advice? Always check reviews before booking, especially in high-tourism cities where turnover is fast. And if you check in and things look sus? Don’t just live with it — speak up to hotel staff. Cleanliness should be the bare minimum.
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