Clarion Hotel Conference Center South

We took one look at the room and walked straight back out. It was gross and smelled awful, with filthy bedding, a dingy feel, a dirty threshold, and a door that looked badly scuffed and hastily covered with black paint. The property’s polished online marketing and booking site photos suggest a bright, modern, well-kept boutique hotel, but that wasn’t what we found. It’s also right next door to a strip club, something left out of the property descriptions. We refused to stay because of the condition and how unsafe the place felt. Even though we didn’t spend a single night there, management refused to refund us. It felt like a bait-and-switch, showing clean-looking photos to draw people in and keeping their money when they won’t sleep in those conditions. Save your money and peace of mind, and book somewhere else.

Breakfast was a mess. The “fresh hot breakfast” wasn’t fresh or good: the sausage looked expired, the waffle mix was watery, no drinks were available, and the toaster was dirty with hair in it. The owner also came to our door at 11:00 PM claiming there was a payment issue, though we’d paid over $1,200 in full for all the rooms. He kept trying to charge our card even after confirming he could see the payment. We were there with a group of cheerleaders and booked several rooms. Nearly every room had serious problems. They were oddly lit, with no proper lights, just ring lights and outdoor-style string lights. Black walls and black pull-down shades made them dark and uncomfortable. Several outlets didn’t work, TVs wouldn’t turn on, and our fridge was broken. The bathroom lights flickered, and the small entry light only worked now and then. At least two rooms had dirty sheets when we arrived. The rooms felt unsafe too. Even with the doors shut, there was a visible gap that let you see into the hallway. Plumbing failed in three rooms, and we ended up fixing things ourselves because nobody helped. Staff were rude and unresponsive, and our calls to the front desk went unanswered. There was just one very small elevator, and all its mirrors made us uncomfortable, almost as if we were being watched. We used the stairs instead. The hotel is dirty, poorly maintained, and feels unsafe. I don’t understand how it’s still in business. Save yourself the trouble and stay somewhere else.

We stayed Friday and Saturday for a sporting event and were out most of the day. The room was small but sufficient, mostly clean, and I saw no apparent bed bugs. Outside the main entrance, the other doors needed a room key, which felt safer. The doors locked properly, and traveling with two female minors, I didn’t feel unsafe. I’d stay again if needed, though I might choose somewhere with friendlier staff and better accessibility if I had the option. There were practical annoyances. The luggage carts were wonky, and the room doorways were so tiny that we had to kick our Yeti Cooler toward the center to get the cart through. The bathroom was modern and cute but oddly remodeled and not very functional. It was cold, and water escaped through the opening. Its barn-style door didn’t close unless you used your foot to kick out the bottom and drag it shut, leaving about a 1-inch gap by the baseboard otherwise. There was no lock. We got only half a roll of toilet paper and one set of towels for a 2 queen room, so we had to ask the front desk for more. The lighting was strange too: a super bright light at the far outer wall and a plug-in light using one of the few free outlets on the inner wall. When my child was in the bathroom, I had to sit by the armoire thing to dry my hair in dim light. With no mirror outside the bathroom, I used my front-facing camera as a mirror. It wasn’t a deal-breaker, but with two female teenagers, it wasn’t convenient. There also weren’t enough outlets for chargers or hygienic purposes. We ate at the downstairs restaurant our first night. The food was good, but service was terrible. It was before 9pm, though they closed at 10, and we stood at the front desk for 5-8 mins before a server said we could sit anywhere. There was no sign explaining the seating. We had to flag someone down for refills, and drinks came in plastic solo cups. We were told our first server had been let-go and the regular cups were dirty. We were glad to get drinks in clean cups, but it was still strange. The renovations looked half-assed. I work in restoration, so it bothered me, though most things were functional despite not looking good.

After traveling 11 hours, we arrived at 3:10 and asked to check in. They said yes, for a $30 fee. Seriously, for 45 minutes? We left and came back at 4:15, but our rooms still weren’t ready. What if I’d paid for early check-in? I’d already checked in online, and the process still took about 30 minutes. Our room had coffee pods with a regular coffeemaker, so we had to get that switched out. Dinner from the hotel restaurant was bad too. My husband ordered chicken strips and got a salad, while my pizza was rock hard by the second half of the slice. His chicken strips eventually arrived, but were extremely overdone. The next morning, the body wash bottle was completely empty. There was barely enough shampoo to wash my hair, so I had to use it as body wash. Breakfast was awful: the eggs tasted terrible, the bananas were brown, and I heard another woman say the bread was hard. We went to McDonald's across the street. The bed was comfortable, and the kids liked the pool, though they were disappointed that only half the games worked. I’d highly recommend staying somewhere else.