3 August 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The KDA has started to pursue the revocation of the lodging license for Travelers Inn on Thursday after a Kansas Department of Agriculture inspection found numerous violations.
The Topeka Police Department assisted the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety & Lodging Division, according to City of Topeka Spokesperson Rosie Nichols.
On July 24, the KDA found Travelers Inn had 14 health violations.
Travelers Inn was issued a notice of non-compliance with Kansas law with a follow-up inspection scheduled for Aug. 11, 2023.
We have received several complaints over the last year regarding the Travelers Inn on Topeka Boulevard. Each time we conducted an inspection and followed our procedure to follow up based on the violations found. Enforcement levels have increased over the last few months to reflect the increased concerns about declining conditions. Following the prior complaints, our inspectors only had access to a small number of rooms. In this most recent complaint, we conducted an inspection on July 24 in conjunction with city authorities and were allowed access to a larger portion of the facility. That inspection found much more extreme conditions that clearly were affecting the health of guests and the public health in general, and the facility was cited for an imminent health hazard. Based on the level of sanitation concerns, we determined that the appropriate course of action is to pursue the revocation of the license for this facility. We have initiated legal action to do so.
KDA Director of Communications Heather Lansdowne said in a statement
Inspectors found:
live cockroaches
missing smoke detectors
trash and debris and an overabundance of personal possessions
two uninstalled HVAC units on the lobby floor
degraded structural concerns
toilets not repaired to flush human excrement
sagging ceilings, holes in walls
insecure door locks
carpet stains
a toilet filled with human excrement and toilet paper. The resident reported cockroaches and mice for the last two years.
an animal skeleton, an injection needle debris and a curtain rod under one of the building’s stairways
ventilation systems not turning on
an accumulation of mold on walls, ceilings, carpet and restroom floor. Mold was outlining items that had hung on the wall.