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This was absolutely the worst and most disgusting hotel/motel stay I have ever had. Everything was broken and filthy, I didn't want to use the shower, toilet, sink, bed, or table and didn't want to walk on the floor even in socks. My non-smoking room stunk and the lamp didn't work. Some old soap from a previous lodger was left in the bathtub with body hair. The cleaning lady nearly broke down the door early in the morning, and I didn't even get a great deal, it was about $60 for one night (although it was the cheapest I could find for the date and the area). The neighborhood was okay and in the Duke University area, but if this is your last resort, bring your own linens or sleeping bags and slippers, and plan on not having to even enter the bathroom.

I stayed here in the off season and got a pretty good room rate. The room was nice albeit lacking in air conditioning and the breakfast was amazing. Nice slopeside setting, ski-in, ski-out in the winter. My only complaint was it was a little too ritzy for me :), the main problem being that valet parking was the only option and cost $16 a night. If you wanted to go anywhere or to get anything out of your car you basically had to go through a tip-expecting valet. Also, when we arrived the bell boy was practically jumping in our car to get our luggage; I like a little more privacy than that and the option to carry my own bag. If you don't mind shelling out $5 every time you blink then this is the place for you.

I lived here for three years and it was fine and a pretty good deal for an older two-bedroom apartment (I lived there pre-remodel). Parking was ample and the pool was nice when it wasn't busy. Laundry machines were an okay price as well, and utilities and parking were included in the price (I paid $575 a month). However, over the course of three years, the management changed twice and we had a terrible time at check-out. We spent about a week deep cleaning the apartment and did things you normally don't have to do, but it was an old apartment and had a lot of hidden grime, most of it from before we lived there. The management checked us out and said everything was fine, and that it was even the best cleaning job they had seen. Then, a week later, we got a letter with a $75 fine! The creepy old maintenance man docked us for old holes in the wall that were listed on our check-out sheet, dirt in obvious places that certainly wasn't there, and even really picky and lame things like a dent in the towel rod (keep in mind that the decor included things like gold-flecked formica). I called the management and the girl said that she was sorry and there wasn't anything she could do, even though she was the same person that checked me out. I finally got my money back writing to her manager and citing the original contract allowed for normal wear and tear (as is required by law, I believe), but it was a nasty ordeal and took a lot of time and effort. In summary, everything was fine living there, but checkout was a nightmare!

The worst buying experience of my life! I found a car here I like and took it on an extended test drive, everything seemed fine. As I was driving it home from the dealer's the transmission failed and I had to have it towed the rest of the way home! I had to spend a couple thousand dollars for a new transmission and Advantage Auto Sales washed their hands clean of me, even yelling at me over then phone when I called to see if they would do anything about it.

You can often find great deals at Downeast Home, but not all the time. I bought a leather Pottery Barn couch there last year for $800 that was perfect besides a pinhole on the bottom kick plate area - catalog value was $3200. A lot of times I just don't feel like picking through all the broken crap they stock and sometimes the markdown doesn't compensate for the wear and tear, but sometimes they have really good deals and sales. My favorite is to get things that have been monogrammed and pick out the names with a seam ripper.

I came to write a review about Many Lands, but Michael pretty much summed it up. It is a lot of fun to look at all the different foods from around the world and try some of them, but be very careful about expirations, I once bought some dodgy Jammie Dodgers from England that had been expired for four years, yuck! The guy who runs it is kind of creepy, but it can be a good place to find supplies to make a special surprise meal for someone who has a love for a foreign country or who just loves learning about and appreciating other cultures. My favorite are Kinder Surprise Eggs, they are hard to find in the states but Many Lands stocks them.

Home Fabrics is a super place to go if you want to decorate your apartment or home. They have a pretty good clearance section of $1 and $2 a yard fabrics that come on huge bolts. I've made curtains, pillows, and even a couple of giant love sacks from stuff I get there. They also sell rugs, curtain rods, tassels, and pillow forms. The only drawback is that their return policy is terrible, so be sure you are really going to use what you buy.

Sierra-West jewelers is at the top of my bad list (although it is a short list). While my husband was shopping for my engagement ring, he saw something there he liked and asked to have it placed on hold. Sure, the salesman said, just sign here and we will hold it for you for a couple of days. Being in a hurry, he signed after skimming the document and told me later that night about it. I had a friend tell me she had experienced some shady dealings from Sierra-West, and encouraged him to read the document more closely, which he found was a contract to buy the diamond in question. He called Sierra-West and asked them to rescind the contract, but they refused until he threatened small claims court to one of their managers at the advice of someone at a more reputable jeweler's store. Learn two things from my experience: Read things you sign very carefully - at least when it involves a lot of money, and don't shop at Sierra-West.

I personally had a very bad experience getting my windshield replaced at Diamond Glass. I called around to most of the windshield companies in the area to find the best price around. Diamond gave me the best quote, but after the work was done they charged me more than they said and then denied ever having quoted me a lower price. It was my mistake to not get it in writing, but I would still be wary of this glass shop.

Provo Deseret Industries (D.I. to its devotees) is one of the largest thrift stores in the state. My theory is that each D.I. has a specialty (I'm a hardcore thrifter and have shopped at them all over the state and even in Idaho). Provo DI's specialty is definitely their book section, located in the far back corner.

Harbor Freight has the cheapest tools around, and at pretty decent quality. I've even found random things there like organization boxes and a remote control airplane. Some of the clientele is a little scary, but it's worth it to save on tools, even over other discounters.

This small restaurant is not much on atmosphere, but big on taste and value. Out of the four Thai restaurants I have eaten at in the area, it has the most authentic taste and best flavors. The service was also excellent. The mango and sticky rice dessert is heavenly.