Hampton Inn Columbia

Room security became a major concern after we found papers in our room that weren’t ours and the DND sign we’d left on the door was gone. At the front desk, the evening woman was unpleasant and visibly irritated. I asked whether housekeeping had entered or whether someone had been given a physical key, since I only used one digital key. She said housekeeping hadn’t gone in and insisted no physical keys had been issued. She offered no apology or solution, just said I was wrong and shrugged off the concern. Later I learned from family that a male relative had asked the desk for a key to my room that day, saying he was family because he wanted pool toys. They didn’t ask for ID or contact me before giving him one. The staff member had lied about it. That’s a serious safety issue. The hotel texted asking about my stay, and after I rated it 1, they asked when to call. I gave them a time, but got no follow-up beyond a generic auto-response. My emailed survey got a vague “it's being investigated” reply, with no questions about who was involved or when it happened. I have no confidence that anything is being investigated. Eugeneio (spelling?), the one employee I found friendly and helpful, was a bright spot. The rest of the stay had plenty of problems too. There was black mold all over the bathroom ceiling and in the grout, strange stains or substances on the bathroom walls, and tiny hairs in the sink toiletries from a previous guest. The room was humid, and the high ceiling made everything echo. The pool regularly ran out of towels, and the trash cans stayed full. They charge for parking in their private lot, which feels greedy. The location is convenient to travel routes and restaurants, but I absolutely do NOT recommend staying here.