Red Roof Inn Hickory

I’ve spent 34 days over the past few months at different Red Roof Inns around the eastern United States. I usually like the chain because the rooms are clean, the beds comfortable, and things are generally quiet. My night at the Hickory North Carolina Red Roof Inn was a real letdown. The room itself was in poor condition. The bedspread had multiple burns, the bathtub and shower had exposed rust and black mold, the hairdryer was filthy, and the door’s security lock had been kicked off, leaving a hole in the wood trim. The shower and tub did work, but that didn’t make them pleasant to look at. I always book the superior king room, which costs extra and includes a coffee maker. This one had a maker that didn’t work. I called the front desk at 6:45 a.m. to report it, but no one offered a fix. I asked them to refund the difference between a room with a coffee maker and one without, since they charge for that feature. The person was friendly but said nothing could be done. They charged for a service they couldn’t provide, then took no action when I raised it. Maybe that extra seven dollars could go toward a working machine for the next guest. I don’t expect luxury for a budget price, but I do expect the room and services I paid for. The main problem was that management didn’t seem to care or try to correct anything. For shame.

There was no refrigerator, microwave, or housekeeping. After three days, I still couldn’t get the trash emptied. There are ants flying out of the sink drain, and they’re refusing to return all my money.

Aside from Ashley, the very nice woman who checked us in, the stay at Red Roof Inn Hickory, NC on Tue night Feb 17th was horrible. The room was filthy and noisy, with roaches, mold in the bathroom, and hair everywhere from the floor to the sink. There were cigarette burns all over the bedspread in a non-smoking room, holes in the bedding, and stained sheets and blankets. The pillows were gross. Things were barely intact, and nothing seemed to work. The remote didn’t work, so I had to get up to change TV channels, and the microwave wouldn’t heat our food. We were exhausted, so we showered and tried to sleep. The next morning we returned the keys and reported what we’d found. The front desk said they’d leave a note by our name about our experience. I called later to see if I could get a reduced rate on a better room next time, but they said there were no notes and wouldn’t honor a lower price. The Head Manager, who took my call on Feb. 21st at 9:50a.m., was nasty and short with me and didn’t seem to care at all about the night we’d gone through. Next time I’ll pay extra to stay somewhere else.

The rooms have been renovated, and they’re not bad. If you tried this place before and didn’t like it, maybe give it another go. It’s either red roof or Econolodge for me. The woman at the front desk was nice this time, thankfully, and there are new people and new rooms.