Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Lexington, VA

The pool was cold, and there was a sign saying its pump needed replacing. My kids didn’t mind and had fun, and we were glad it was open at all. The area was clean, the water had no debris, and even though public pools usually give me a bit of an ick feeling, this one didn’t. There were plenty of extra towels. We had trouble getting on the Wi-Fi, but didn’t ask for help since we didn’t need it. I’d read recent reviews about beetles, but maybe because of the season we visited, they weren’t an issue. Some rooms on our floor were under mild construction, though the noise was low and the halls stayed clean. Room service was good when it came. Our room layout worked perfectly, and checking in was easy after we booked. We arrived a day late because the trip ran long and we needed rest. The hotel called to make sure we were okay. The woman with blue hair was kind when she came to tell us pool time was over, and she patiently answered my young kids’ many questions. The price was excellent, and we’d book again.

The pool was decent, and the area seemed safe. The room, though, smelled musty, like an old refrigerator, and we had to keep the window open just to stand being in there. Several outlets didn’t work, with plugs falling straight out, a light was out, and the bathtub drain stopper didn’t work. After spending 12 hours at horse shows, we left a day early and drove 6.5 hours through the night because we couldn’t face another night there. The front desk wasn’t very helpful. I was told to call some 1-800 corporate number about the problems. When I checked out around 8 p.m., the woman said she didn’t know how to do it and would leave it for the day shift. I wasn’t fully checked out until the next day, when I finally got the email. The hotel is quick to answer bad reviews by saying how great they are, but don’t be fooled. Save the few dollars and book elsewhere.

WARNING, the service was terrible. My wife and I arrived at Country Inn Lexington, VA around 8 p.m. on Wednesday Nov. 5th. I’m a Choice Hotels Platinum member. We waited at the desk for about a minute before the clerk came out of the office, looking annoyed that she had to come over. To management, I think the employee was a young woman, though I’m not sure based on their presentation. They had dyed blue hair, baggy sweatpants, and a hoodie, and looked very sloppy and unprofessional. We identified ourselves as Choice premium members and asked if we could see the indoor pool before booking, just to check that it was heated. She visibly huffed, paused, and said, “Well I suppose so.” She took me toward the pool and said, with attitude, “well, there ARE people in it,” as though there was no reason to check. Guests in the hot tub told her it wasn’t working. She replied “we know,” again with attitude toward them. After that customer service, I decided to look at another nearby hotel. I asked what time her shift ended in case we came back, because we didn’t want to check in while she was there. She responded, “why do you want to know?” with more attitude. We went across the road and stayed somewhere else, where they greeted us with a smile and said “sure” when we asked to see the pool. If you stay at Country Inn Lexington, VA, you may get extremely rude treatment from a blue haired clerk who seems to hate her job and maybe the public in general.

Breakfast was prepackaged, so at least you know it’s somewhat clean. Beyond that, there were plenty of problems. Our first room was infested with stink bugs, not just one or two that might get in. We live an hour away and know how stink bugs can happen. We had photos of how bad it was. We asked to move right away. Who pays $300 a night to sleep with bugs? The second room was a furnace, blowing hot air from the vent. We tried to manage for an hour or so, but couldn’t with our baby. He was red-faced and sweaty in a room that was 80° and climbing. The third room had just a couple stink bugs, which was manageable, and the temperature was okay. We were there for a birthday with another party, so leaving for one night wasn’t an ideal option. The HVAC and maintenance room was unlocked, which felt absolutely unsafe with little ones. I’m pretty sure it won’t go over well when I bring it up in my corporate email. The last maintenance date written there was 2020. And Destiny may sound sweet over the phone, but she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I expect management will reply with a backhanded “thanks for the review, but we’re actually perfect” and they can save it. No need to waste their precious time.