Residence Inn by Marriott Fredericksburg

This was the worst Marriott I've stayed at. The hotel was filthy, and there was a lot of dog feces left on the ground around it. They were stingy with toilet paper and lied about cleaning the room. Both my children came down with bad stomach-type flus during our stay, and I barely saw any other kids there. The hotel seemed unfriendly to children. Mario was overly inquisitive and harassed my children. The staff were exceptionally rude, especially Taylor at the front desk and Tammy Mullenax, the so-called manager. Neither should work in the hotel industry.

We had a good one-night stay in early November, and everything looked right when we checked out. The bill we received matched the online booking I had made a few months earlier. But the next day, the hotel put another charge on my account. Someone I called said it was their overcharge and would be fixed. Nearly two weeks later it was still there. A different desk employee then said the extra amount was because the tax estimate was wrong since I'd booked from out of state. Most of my hotel bookings are out of state, and that's never been an issue before. I left the manager a detailed voicemail after asking to speak with her, but more than two weeks passed without a call back. I eventually had to file a fraud claim with my credit card company to get the charge removed. I can't recommend the hotel despite the good stay, because they charged my card without explanation and didn't seem interested in fixing the mistake. Check your card after staying here, even for small charges. The manager's lack of response makes me wonder if this is common at this location.

We stopped here on the way home and had a nice stay. The rooms were clean and updated, parking was plentiful, and breakfast was decent. The person who checked us in was especially friendly and went out of his way to make sure we had what we needed. It's conveniently off I-95, with plenty of restaurants nearby.

There's lots to do close by, including plenty of food options, a movie theater, and indoor golf. They also offer a Gold's Gym pass during your stay. The location is great, and I'll stay here whenever I need to be in the area.