Ha, I thought the same of Oceanside, CA where we stayed in a roach motel. Maybe we picked the wrong bit or it has changed since 1998 but I ended up with army marines who dragged me to a strip bar as it was the only local place which was a bar.I always envisioned Gold Coast as a little upscale, and not with a run down hotel.
Next night in Long Beach the same again, I turned the radiator on and 100's of roaches came flying out of it. Walked out to the 7 11 shop past dodgy looking guys and it had bars and bullet proof glass, not even Belfast back then had such things.
Roach motels are luxury when you've been bicycle touring, wild camping and sleeping on picnic benches as in Glamis, sand dune area of California
Here all the accommodation seems to at least be Holiday Inn basic standard going superfluous and wasn't like that years ago. I don't know if it is better, certainly less character in many circumstances and too expensive nowadays in Ireland, all this used to be affordable and now it isn't.