The Connally Hotel Downtown Atlanta, an Ascend Collection Hotel

The valet damaged my car, which has only 10,000 miles on it, by what I estimate was between $1,000 and $2,500. I have photo proof of everything else I’m describing except the cold shower. The showers had no hot water, there was old urine in the bathroom, and neither TV was usable: one didn’t work, while the other showed a completely blue picture. The mattresses seemed like they could have been bought in 1992. I’ve stayed at Motel 6s that were nicer. Don’t stay here.

I cancelled and found another hotel because I didn’t feel safe here. As soon as I was dropped off, people on the corner in front of the entrance were already harassing me. The hotel access is tucked around the side of the building, and you have to be buzzed in and out. That set off warning signs for me. Inside, the place seemed decent but barebones, with nothing especially appealing. I was there for less than a few hours and never stayed overnight, yet they currently won’t refund the stay. I was lucky to find somewhere else. A group of us had planned to stay here, but we all relocated. I wouldn’t recommend it, especially for a convention center event, since you can’t walk there.

I slept really well in a quiet, spacious room, with a very comfortable bed and blackout curtains. Breakfast was pretty good, and the staff were pleasant overall. The hotel is central, and I had no trouble walking to nearby places. The neighborhood has seen better days, and ongoing construction doesn’t help, which may put some people off. After checkout, the valet let me leave my bag there, which was convenient.

I booked through booking.com on Thursday for a Monday overnight stay for an event, and the listing showed a 7/10. When I looked the hotel up on Sunday, I found very different reviews from what I’d seen on booking.com, plus two different Google landing pages with 3-star ratings. People described drug deals outside, trash falling out of sofa beds, and equipment that stayed broken across multiple reviews. I also learned that parking isn’t free. I asked for free cancellation on Sunday and booked another hotel, but by Wednesday I’d sent four messages and still had no reply or callback. Even if I lose the money, I’d rather not stay or deal with this place. Be wary of the booking.com reviews. They seem highly inaccurate, and that alone is a big problem.