Red Roof Inn Hartselle

I travel for work and stay at different hotels, and this has been the best so far. I don’t usually smell stale cigarettes or weed in a room, which was a big plus since I don’t smoke. The room, sinks, and shower were clean. I found one black hair in the bathroom, which I can accept compared with what I’ve seen elsewhere. The bed was okay, but they could use better pillows.

We were passing through on the way to a vacation spot. The hotel is conveniently off the highway and near a quaint, friendly town. We’ve stayed at about 12 RR Inns, and this was among the best, with clean rooms and lobby, friendly staff, and a continental breakfast, which some locations don’t include.

The manager at the front desk was very nice, and the shower was clean with excellent hot water pressure. The floors and surfaces looked clean too. I travel for work as a business owner and don’t usually post reviews unless something’s wrong, so these are honest thoughts. There wasn’t much choice in town, and this may be the best option, though I haven’t tried the others. The nicer hotel is about 25 minutes away, and its reviews looked much worse, so I’d guess those places may be worse. I might stay here again, but there’s a lot to update. On the way to my room I saw unfinished repairs. In my bathroom, the ceiling had been patched but not finished, and the paint had dirty marks all over it. The bed sheets looked clean but were so wrinkled they seemed as if someone had slept in them already. I can’t confirm whether they were fresh, and I wish I’d taken a photo. Every rag and towel was dingy and had dirty stains. Some laundry needs replacing, and those items should be inspected. The chair looked like it came from Goodwill and should have been thrown away. As a contractor, I may be a little OCD, but why use drywall mud instead of caulk along the top of the tile? I checked with my fingernail and it really was drywall mud. The metal door trim was splattered with paint too, as if whoever painted hadn’t taken care with the trim. Management should finish the repairs, freshen the paint, and replace worn laundry.

The hotel itself isn’t bad, but I don’t recommend dealing with the young woman at the front desk. On my most recent attempt to stay, I set my card on the counter and she snatched it up and swiped it, then got an attitude because the card was locked and the charge failed. She said it had cost her to run it. After I’d stayed there multiple times, this was the first time she suddenly required a $50 deposit, which I didn’t have. I didn’t get a chance to tell her before she grabbed and swiped my debit card, and the money was taken. Then I couldn’t pay the deposit or get a room. She got loud and rude while I was trying to explain, started speaking on her phone in a language I couldn’t understand, and walked away. When I asked for a refund, that made her even angrier. On a previous visit, the sheets looked dirty, as though someone had slept in them and they’d just been pulled up, and the towels and washcloths were covered in stains. She needs a different job if she isn’t a people person. I especially don’t recommend a woman having to deal with her, since she’s real buddy-buddy with my husband.