fleabag hotel

Meaning

A 'fleabag hotel' is a slang term for a very cheap, dirty, run-down, or low-quality hotel or motel. It implies that the place is poorly maintained and might even have pests like bedbugs or fleas.

Examples

• We couldn't afford anything else, so we ended up staying in a sketchy fleabag hotel near the station.

  We couldn't afford anything else, so we ended up staying in a sketchy fleabag hotel near the station.

• The reviews said it was a luxury resort, but it turned out to be a total fleabag hotel.

  The reviews said it was a luxury resort, but it turned out to be a total fleabag hotel.

• I'd rather sleep in my car than spend another night in that disgusting fleabag hotel.

  I'd rather sleep in my car than spend another night in that disgusting fleabag hotel.

• He has some crazy stories from his youth about staying in fleabag hotels across Europe.

  He has some crazy stories from his youth about staying in fleabag hotels across Europe.

• The wallpaper was peeling, the sheets were stained, and I knew instantly we were in a fleabag hotel.

  The wallpaper was peeling, the sheets were stained, and I knew instantly we were in a fleabag hotel.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We stayed in a flea bag hotel.

  ✓ We stayed in a fleabag hotel.

  'Fleabag' is written as a single compound word, not as two separate words.

• ✗ The hotel was very fleabag.

  ✓ The hotel was a total fleabag.

  'Fleabag' is a noun, so it cannot be used directly as an adjective without being paired with a noun like 'hotel' or 'motel', or used as a noun phrase ('a fleabag').

Related Expressions

Practice

• I can't believe we paid fifty dollars to stay in this dirty ___.

  💡 A cheap, dirty, run-down hotel.

  Show answer

  fleabag hotel

• Avoid that place down the street; it's a notorious ___ with terrible reviews.

  💡 A very low-quality, sketchy hotel.

  Show answer

  fleabag hotel