La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Charleston Riverview

This was a 3 star hotel, and for someone trying to save on lodging and spend more on museums or similar, I’d recommend it. Just keep the price and rating in mind. It had the everyday basics I needed and cost far less than premium hotels. The location by the pier and boat garage gave it an ocean feel. The room was very clean, with clean towels, soap, and coffee packs waiting for us. The beds were very soft, and breakfast was free and basic: bagels, toast, coffee, waffles, juice, and some fruit. There were a couple of downsides. My deposit came out of my account, but I still hadn’t gotten it back within a week. The staff member looked very tired, and when I wanted to check out there was nobody there. Then there was the hair raising elevator trip through the corridors before you get to your room.

We came from Canada for a long planned trip to Charleston, hoping for a great review despite worrying reports about bugs and dirty rooms. We’d stayed at Wyndham hotels before without problems, and this was our first stop at one of three on the journey. On arrival, the staff were lovely and helpful. We’d asked for an exterior room because my friend smokes, but were told those doors were being replaced, so it wasn’t possible. We didn’t complain. The room seemed clean and cozy at first, but on day two we were accused of smoking indoors and charged $75. We did not smoke there. I have asthma and sleep apnea, and there was no way smoking had happened. We hadn’t complained about marijuana smell in the hallways and elevator, assuming management would deal with it. My friend talked to assistant manager Dante, who said he’d been in the room, saw no sign of smoking, and said the room sensors detect air changes and this was a common occurrence. He promised the charge would be reversed. By the time we got the bill, the $75 had grown to over $500. More than 24 hours later, Dante again said the “cleaning fee” would be removed and told us not to worry. He mentioned that ownership was changing that day and he’d have to tell the new owners. He gave us his personal number, which we appreciated. The day after we left, another fee of over $500 appeared. Dante then said the new owners refused to reverse it because it wouldn’t be “fair” to take the money from them. No money had been taken from them. It was stolen from us. After that Dante stopped answering, while more charges kept showing up on the card. A three day stay that should’ve cost around $440 CAD was now about $1900 CAD. There was no smoking and nothing to clean. Our room wasn’t cleaned once during those three days. We had to ask for toilet paper, and the towels weren’t replaced. This put stress and financial pressure on us that affected the rest of our trip. If the new owners can’t run the hotel without ripping off guests, they should reconsider the purchase. This was the only one of the three Wyndham hotels on our journey that felt like a complete scam. Do NOT stay here. They’ll take your credit card and do as they please. Coming from a country that’s very apprehensive about traveling to the US right now, this doesn’t make us eager to recommend trips here. Maybe not the whole US, of course, but I’d never stay at this hotel or any La Quinta if this is how they do business. Absolutely shameful.

The staff were the best part of my visit. They were friendly, accommodating, and apologetic, and they moved me when I asked to change rooms. The continental breakfast was nice too. My first room was in an exterior building, where the bed was comfortable but large insects crawling around made it hard to sleep. For the price, this was the best deal in the city, with an excellent location near downtown Charleston and the surrounding Islands. With a different room and better cleanliness, I’d stay again.

It’s worth paying extra to stay somewhere better. Your sleep, hygiene, and peace of mind matter more than what you might save here. This was one of the most disgusting hotel experiences I’ve had. The room felt dirty, neglected, and unsanitary, and it was unsettling trying to sleep after what we saw. Cockroaches crawled out of the sink, and I’ve never packed up toiletries so quickly. When we pulled back the sheets, one bed had a smeared, pasty crème-colored stain, and the other had what looked like rainbow-tinted blood stains. I don’t know how long the sheets had gone without proper cleaning, if they were cleaned at all. Absolutely awful. Do. Not. Stay. Here.