Wingate by Wyndham Horn Lake Southaven

We lasted about ten minutes before booking a room at the La Quinta next door, where the rooms were actually livable. We'd reserved ahead because we were in town for a wedding, but both the hotel and our room smelled of mildew and cigarettes. There were holes in the wall, broken dresser knobs, and the bathroom faucet wasn't attached to the sink.

The bed was comfortable and clean, but the rest of the stay was frustrating. The bathroom faucet was loose, water pressure was very low, and the door squealed whenever it was used at night. The towels were so thin they barely dried anything, and the toilet paper felt like tree bark. There was no coffee or cup in the room; when I asked, the only option at the desk was decaf. The woman at the desk was rude and spoke so quickly I couldn't quite follow her. Breakfast was pancakes or cereal, and the syrup was running low in its tin dispenser with nobody around to refill it.

The staff handled my room change promptly and the service was fine, but the condition of the property made the rate hard to justify. I was paying over $100 a night for a room in that state, while I've stayed at cheaper hotels that were maintained much better. At first the fresh paint, newer appliances, and modern fixtures made the place look recently updated. A closer look showed mostly surface work: plaster was falling in the shower of my first room, making it unusable, and the walls and ceilings looked neglected. Some doors and fixtures were broken or loose. More thorough renovations and ongoing upkeep could make this location much better.

The bed was nice, but that was about it. The bathroom was tiny and the water pressure was terrible. The chair tipped all the way back when I tried to lean into it; I told the front desk, and they said they were all like that and would tell the manager. Nothing was done. There was no air conditioning in the elevator or lobby, and noise at all hours was horrible on three of my four nights. I won't stay here again.