Hampton Inn Indianapolis-N.E./Castleton

The only reason I gave the location three stars is that it's conveniently by the highway. My family and I won't return; it was easily my worst hotel experience. When I was loading my car to leave, the front desk woman berated me for blocking the driveway but said nothing to four other cars sitting there, not running or moving. Before that, there was noise from maintenance and housekeeping in the aisles from 8am to 10pm, and the loud Ptak HVAC unit plus the nearby highway made it noisy. Our mini fridge took a day and a half to get cold enough for drinks, and I still wouldn't trust it with food. The room was sold as sleeping three, but had a king bed and a chair, so I bought an air mattress for my daughter. There wasn't even an ice machine on the fourth floor. The elevator made odd sounds, seemed sketchy, and eventually stopped displaying the floor number. I booked thinking a Hampton, owned by Hilton, should be good. I was wrong.

The front desk staff were helpful and handled reassigning us well. They also tried to address our concerns about breakfast and the mouse. We were playing games in the lobby one evening when a mouse came out from under the couch, which made me wonder what the rest of the hotel was like for rodents, especially since that's where people eat breakfast. The breakfast was subpar compared with other Hamptons I've stayed at: similar items, just less, and mediocre coffee. Twice I asked for a fresh pot, and it took 10 to 15 minutes. At most other Hamptons I've visited, a fresh pot is ready around 8:00 a.m. before the old one runs out. The renovations look poorly done, with bad masking on the paint and an outlet by the AC unit halfway in and out of the wall. When we checked in, the TV had no stations at all. The office told us to keep pushing enter and call if it didn't work. It still didn't, and when someone came down they couldn't fix it, so we had to move rooms. It's a decent hotel overall, but it needs more attention.

This Hampton Inn Indianapolis/Castleton felt clean, comfortable, and well maintained from the lobby and hallways to the guest room. The staff came across as professional and accommodating, and the atmosphere was welcoming and quiet. Its location made getting around Indianapolis easy, with the interstate and major roads close by and plenty of restaurants all around. It seems a reliable place to stay for business or a pass-through visit. I'd happily come back and recommend it to anyone visiting Castleton.

The room was clean, and the front desk team and everyone else were as warm and helpful as I’ve come to expect at Hampton Inn. My only real complaint is the TV volume. I had it on level 10 and could barely make out what was being said while I ate my salad. I understand keeping the noise down for neighbors, but that setting is too quiet, especially for guests with hearing difficulties. Please let the volume go a little higher. Aside from that, I was very pleased.