I am betwixt.
I cannot seem to review this hotel with the same candidness I have reviewed others, without feeling remorse. I truly wanted to give it one star, and yet I could not. In many ways I applaud the management for making valiant attempts at being a good hotel, however, they mostly missed the mark. In some ways I feel like a music critic attending their child's piano recital. Sure, I cringe and can identify every mistake, but I recognize the effort and hope they diligently strive for better.
The hotel is conveniently located right on top of a gas station and at least a dozen restaurants are within three miles. An Aldi's, Wal-Mart, and Wegmans are very close for whatever item you may have forgotten or need.
The wifi was consistently strong. Husband and I both were able to use our devices simultaneously without any issue.
The staff were, for the most part, courteous and professional. Marty, the head of catering and special events was delightful, and Taylor, working the front desk, was charming.
We found the mattresses (two doubles in our room) to be comfortable. (This is, of course, subjective.) They were free of stains and discoloration. There was a stain on one of the coverlets, and another stain on the fitted sheet.
The heating/AC units worked effectively.
There were three lamps in the room, and while we originally thought the room was still very dimly, lit, we realized they had three-way light bulbs. Not typical three ways where it brightens each time you hit the switch. The light turned off between intervals. Most guests probably don't realize this. Documentation would have been appreciated.
The iron needed to be replaced. The faceplate was scratched and it spit out streams of water when first used. I knew from previous hotel stays to test it out on a towel. This prevented my husband's shirts from being decorated with lovely bits of charred remnants from other users.
The bathroom was an adventure. Tinier than many a hotel bathroom in Europe! The door swung dangerously close to the toilet, and one was forced to do a little side-step to open and close it. Among my observations: broken tiled floor, stained and missing grout, tarnished and rusted hardware, discolored bathtub, yellowing caulk, soiled walls, absence of exhaust fan, and a non-functioning ceiling light. Our toilet handle literally broke. We had to lift the tank and plunge our hands in the cold water to manually flush it. On the bright side, the water pressure was excellent.
While there is an elevator, one still has to take 10 steep, uneven steps to the corridor where the second floor rooms are located. If one has mobility issues or cumbersome luggage this will most definitely be a challenge. The carpeting on these steps needs to be replaced.
It is clear the Rand Room (meeting room) on the second floor has seen better days and has hosted too many parties. It is in desperate need of a competent handyperson and housekeeper. Normally I don't focus on hotel ceilings, but this one is a doozie! There are several water-stained tiles and the air vents are dusty maintaining relics of former parties. The wallpaper is peeling and/or missing. The paint is chipped. Areas of the wooden dance floor and rug are in need of repair. Wherever one turned their head, most likely they would see something that would not be acceptable at competing hotels. Not all is lost though, the crystal ceiling fixtures were elegant and an aesthetic oasis.
Husband and I were there for a conference and ate five meals there. The food ranged from excellent to adequate. The conference was fabulous. Perhaps if it were not, my review would have a much more negative tone.
While the hotel has all the accoutrement of a decent class hotel, it appears to have been put together hurriedly, in the ancient past, with little attention to detail. One gets the sense that the objective was not excellence, but rather to simply get by. read more