DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown

The overnight desk clerk and security officer were incredibly kind, though I didn’t catch their names. Jake was helpful on the phone, and housekeeping were kind and helpful as well. We slept well, the water pressure was great, and as a single mom traveling with my teen and my older father for two nights, I felt safe the whole time. It’s a handy spot if you want to be close to downtown and within walking distance of some restaurants, the hall of fame parade route, the classic car museum, or the Saxon house. Breakfast isn’t included, but the buffet costs $18.

My room was clean and nicely equipped, and the staff I met seemed to really care whether I was happy with my stay. The brunch was more than enough, though a little overpriced, which is pretty typical. It’s a great little hotel in Canton, and there’s free street parking, too.

The room itself was nice and the lobby looked attractive, but I doubt I’d stay again. The elevator had chipped paint on the doors, and the floors weren’t in great shape. Check-out was frustrating because the desk staff didn’t know how to charge a different card from the one used to book. The buffet breakfast was cold and tasteless, and the staff were dressed unprofessionally and seemed to need more training. There’s no parking on site unless you count the garage across the street, which costs $15 and isn’t validated. We parked in the post office lot instead. They don’t tell you at check-in that you need to request housekeeping the day before. Otherwise you get no clean towels, emptied trash, fresh coffee supplies, or made bed. I asked at 9 a.m. the next day and was told it was too late for anything except clean towels and trash removal. Paying cash at Starbucks may also be a problem if you need change. The barista asked me, “You didn't want your change did you?” It wasn’t a fun or relaxing stay.

The food arrived in an open, unsealed bag, even though I’d seen sealed room service bags delivered to other rooms the day before. When I asked why, I was told, “We don’t do that all the time.” It made me feel singled out and uncomfortable, and raised concerns for me about being treated differently. This morning’s room service was a very disappointing part of my stay last night. The woman who took my order was rude from the start, and the employee delivering it knocked loudly and kept knocking aggressively after I’d clearly said I was coming to the door. Between that, the attitude, and the lack of consistency around food safety, I was left with a bad impression. That’s not what I expect from a hotel of this standard.