American Best Inn and Suites, located at 24 Fifth Street SW in Mason City, has had its share of police visits in recent months, and the latest one was enough to shut the place down. Apparently this week, city and county inspectors were in the building along with police conducting inspections. As a result of how the hotel was being operated as a long-term residence versus a short-term actual hotel, and other issues found during these inspections, the hotel license for American Best Inn and Suites was rescinded by the Cerro Gordo County Health Department for multiple hotel code violations on November 14. City inspector and Housing Official Ray Quayle white tagged the facility as unfit for human habitation shortly after that.
They do have the right to appeal, Mason City police tell NIT this afternoon.
At the scene, the office has a “closed” sign in the window. Child’s bicycles could be seen on the second level hallway, along with grills and other items. No one was around at all, and the parking lot was empty. A call to the business phone number went to message.
More to come on this developing story.
UPDATE FROM CERRO GORDO COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, 11-16-2016:
Our department did not shut the hotel down. Our department conducted an inspection and based upon the findings, we revoked the hotel license. Once the license is revoked, the hotel license holder has 30 days to request in writing a hearing before the County Board of Health. When the license was revoked on the facility, the facility is then deemed rental property and jurisdiction is turned over to the city. The city made the decision to white tag and close the facility. Feel free to contact Ray Quail for more details on that piece.
License revocations for hotels occur for a variety of reasons. Some of the things that are required by Iowa Code to deem a property a hotel are as follows:
– Iowa law defines a hotel to be “any building or structure, equipped, used, advertised as, or held out the public to be an inn, hotel, motel, motor inn, or place where sleeping accommodations are furnished transient guests for hire.” Transient guests means an overnight lodging guest who does not intend to stay for any permanent length of time. Any guest who rents a room for more than 31 consecutive days is not classified as a transient guest.
– Administrative rules state:
o Owners or managers are expected to keep hotels clean and free of refuse.
o Keep the floors, ceilings, and walls in good repair.
o Furniture, drapes, and accessories shall be kept clean and in good repair.
o All bedding and linens kept in clean and good repair.
– These items were deemed not in compliance in one form or another.
– Guests were living in this facility long-term. They received mail at this facility, use their own linens, furniture, appliances, etc. and provide their own housekeeping.
the first floor is completely infested with mold and mildew that probably stems from the flood
TEAR IT DOWN
What MC. DR. owns this WIRE ! Hotel anyway?
Bulldoze it with everyone still inside! Then build a Starbucks and a tobacco store.
Just another liberal demorat sign of their time -(which is short) this was nothing but a working class tax burden – people are starting to wake up and see just how far these demorat liberals have run America into the ground – stand your ground because the swamp is about to be drained and the crooks exposed.
What a Dreamer
Shocker! Come on Mason City officials, anyone who lives in Mason City knew this was an unfit, unsanitary environment for criminal activity. There have been bikes and grills on the balcony for years… And that closed sign? It’s been hanging on their door for months. Show me one hotel that has a closed sign on the door at 11am “check out time”. It’s one thing bvious mason city turns a blind eye to its problems. Kinda makes me want to never recommend staying in any mason city hotel. Do they wait 10 years to inspect other hotels like they did with this one?
I figured this hotel was going to get all the overflow from the downtown events center. All those tourist will need somewhere to stay.
Hotel/motels are regulated by the state not by the city, with the county conducting the inspections. When their hotel/motel license was revoked that put them under the jurisdiction of the the Housing Inspector as rental property. As the article above said.
3 mason city dr’s own it, get out some of that over-charged money and fix it up to elderly living space
SEND THEM ALL TO NORA SPRINGS!!
Your response is idiotic!! What does Nora Springs gotta do with this slummy ass place being shut down????
All the Scuz Sluts live in Nora Springs. They like them there.
Lol what is a scuz slut??
And who is them Intelligent one??
Mason city’s finest
Maybe the Marriott will have room for them
All the occupants will need displaced. Wonder if the Historic Park Inn has room
Days Inn should be next! What a dump.
tear it down and put up a nice place for old people, also keep out the rift raft people that only cares about where they canget their next fix.