Hampton Inn Jacksonville-I-295 East/Baymeadows

Denise greeted us warmly at check-in and was friendly throughout. We slept fine and would stay again on another trip. The room was nice and generally clean, though the floor behind the bed had dust and debris and could use a better cleaning. I checked for bugs because I work in pest control, and found none or any signs of them. Hot water was more warm than hot, but usable. The free coffee downstairs was great. Breakfast was mixed: the potatoes seemed undercooked and the sausage links were bland, while the scrambled eggs and grits were decent. We chose this hotel at 8127 Point Meadows Dr., Jacksonville FL 32256 while visiting St Augustine.

The bed was comfortable, but the room had a bad odor that we eventually got used to. The hallway smelled like a strange chemical, and the elevator banged and clunked on the way to the third floor. There was no shampoo or body wash in the shower, one bottle was empty and the other missing. That made me wonder how closely the room had been checked. Breakfast was poor too, with no orange juice and eggs and meat that seemed microwaved.

Jorge at the front desk is pleasant and attentive, and speaks well with both adults and kids. He makes guests feel valued. Mrs. Donna in breakfast dining brings the feeling of a bright, sunny morning, and Nikita in housekeeping is very helpful, communicative, and attentive. Service like theirs makes a hotel stay special.

The first room, 521, had a strong moldy, musty smell. Since other people have also mentioned that odor, it seems the hotel has had an ongoing issue. We switched rooms and things seemed better. Breakfast was okay, but choices were limited mostly to waffles and eggs. Check-in and checkout were smooth, but the hotel needs major updates to protect the health and safety of both guests and workers. I’d booked expecting an ordinary stay, and that wasn’t quite what I got.