Red Roof Inn Charleston - Kanawha City, WV

I picked this hotel after several good nights at another Red Roof Inn, which had cost less. That was a mistake. The front desk person was courteous, but from there the stay went badly. My first key didn't work, and neither did the replacement after many tries. Maintenance had to open the second room with a master key, and even after repeated attempts mine still wasn't dependable. I couldn't risk being locked out, so I stayed in. The room was filthy. There were sticky footprints on the floor, yellow splashes on the toilet, which barely flushed, a red mark on the bedding, and a sticky, gross remote missing its “guide” button. The heater barely blew lukewarm air and couldn't warm the room. It was in the 20s outside and just as cold inside, maybe because the walls had lost their insulation or the door didn't seal. I slept in my clothes and winter coat with the hood up, under a blanket. My grooming supplies were in the car, but I couldn't go out for them without risking getting locked out. I didn't shower either, and could barely sleep before leaving, dead tired, before 5 a.m. Someone could get sick in those conditions. Don't these places get inspected? It was late and I was worn out from a long drive, so I didn't ask for a refund and leave that night, though I should have. This was the worst hotel experience of my 50-year life, even compared with stays in third world countries. Disgusting and dangerous. I won't make this choice again.

The night and very early morning staff were really sweet, and I appreciated that they kept trying to help. Because of the weather, we knew it would be below zero outside. Still, the first room door wouldn't open, so we went back to the desk and were “upgraded.” I'm honestly not sure what the upgrade was, but it was kind of them to try. The toilet in room two wouldn't flush and had weird stuff in it, so we moved again. By 3 a.m. we'd switched rooms three times. In the third room the heat didn't work even on the highest setting, the sheets were stained and nasty, and the place was dirty. I wasn't expecting anything amazing, but I didn't expect this. The little sleep we'd been looking forward to turned into basically no sleep. I know things happen, but if you're expecting guests, come on.

The location worked well for getting around, with restaurants and stores nearby, and the hotel was quiet. I felt safe during my stay. My room was clean, the bed comfortable, and everything worked as it should. Staff were helpful and friendly throughout, from check-in through checkout. Great value for the price. I'd stay at the Red Roof Inn in Kanawha City, Charleston again and recommend it to people passing through.

Libby at the desk was so pleasant, a really nice lady with great people skills. The room was great too. It would have been nice to have some breakfast items available, and I also would have liked to see staff in uniform shirts. Still, great place, a 10 in my book!