Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Washington Dulles International Airport, VA

The twin queen rooms were just okay. In ours, the air conditioner barely worked and there was a vape smell throughout the room. We had to ask for fans, since no service person was around at about 11 pm. Otherwise, it felt like a basic place to sleep for the night.

The housekeeping staff were excellent and the only consistently pleasant, professional part of the stay. Everything else left me very disappointed, and I wouldn't return or recommend the hotel. We booked an accessible room, but the bathtub grab bars were loose, which felt unsafe. There was visible mold in the shower and an unexplained black spot on the wall. Although the room was on the ground floor, the curtains left gaps and didn't provide comfortable privacy. The lobby also had a strong unpleasant odor every day, and nobody addressed it. Groups of men, who seemed to be friends of staff, often lingered in the lobby and outside the entrance. I felt uneasy coming and going. Front desk staff were frequently in the back, and when I did approach them, they seemed rude and unhelpful. The stay fell short on safety, cleanliness, service, and comfort.

I paid $115 through a third-party site for a discounted room, and it was nowhere near worth the money. The place felt about as clean and comfortable as a $48 two-star hotel. Lesson learned. The bathroom floor had dirty boot prints, the rugs were filthy, and there were bits of plaster in the corners and around the doors and walls. I found loose change near the couch, which made me think the room hadn't been cleaned. The front desk was usually unattended, and I had to yell to get someone. I booked because the listing promised free airport transportation. From the airport, I was first told the shuttle would come in 20 minutes, then 30, before they hurried off the call. It was a beat-up minivan. The driver said nothing and stood by while I loaded and unloaded my own bags. When I asked about a 7 am ride back, I was told the shuttle was by request only and the driver didn't start until 8:15. I pointed out that I'd chosen the hotel for the free ride, and the response was that it was on their website. Their site showed a 404 page when I checked, though Expedia, Priceline, Hopper, and other booking apps all advertised airport transportation. I needed a quick work-night stay near the airport, and the midrange price seemed reasonable compared with the cheapest and most expensive options. It still wasn't cheap for what I got.

The shuttle was the main letdown. You have to call after reaching Dulles to request it, instead of getting a regular pickup every 20 minutes like at other airport hotels. That could be difficult for international travelers without US phone service. I was told to expect it in 20-25 minutes, but waited over 40. The hotel is only three miles away, and while I waited the Marriot shuttle passed FOUR times. I also saw Hyatt, DoubleTree, Holiday Inn, and other hotel shuttles making several loops. In the morning I was told at check-in that a ride would be available with 10 minutes' notice, but when I tried, staff said service didn't start until 8 am. I ended up taking an Uber. Next time I'll pick Marriot, or just Uber to another hotel instead of counting on this delayed shuttle. The place has the old-fashioned look you'd expect from a "country" inn, including a wooden staircase in the lobby and a bit of a Cracker Barrel feel. The room had a Hamilton Beach brewed coffee maker, which I didn't try because Nespresso has spoiled me. Charging was convenient, with plenty of outlets and both USB types. The mattress was quite firm, but the bedding was soft and clean. Loud tapping or banging came from inside the ceiling around 3 am and 4:30 am, waking me up. It didn't sound like noise from guests upstairs, which would have been more muffled. The bathroom toiletries were odd: a huge industrial-size bottle of body lotion, a used half-full travel shampoo bottle from another brand, and hand soap in a wrapper that looked like it had been carried in a purse for decades. Breakfast runs from 6 to 9 am, with sausage patties, hash browns, reconstituted scrambled "eggs," and make-your-own waffles.