General Francis Marion Hotel

We like being able to ride motorcycles around the area during the day and walk to dinner when we get back. My wife and I have stayed here a number of times over the last few years, in different room types, and always enjoy the hotel and its closeness to local restaurants. The staff have consistently been friendly and helpful. Already looking forward to another visit.

The lobby has lots of steps, and parking is tight, so keep that in mind. I still really enjoyed my one-night stay. It's a historic hotel with a strong early 20th Century feel, right in downtown Marion. Good restaurants and shops are nearby, and the Lincoln Theater is only two doors away if you want a bit of culture.

Hannah made the hotel's history come alive for us. She told us about the Ballroom and Card room, showed us the old operator switchboard and the original key in a shadow box, and was so enthusiastic that we forgot to check in for a while. I was impressed she knew so much at her age. My husband had broken his foot, so he was in a wheelchair / Roller, and I was hauling the luggage. The stairs looked daunting, but Hannah took him down a flight and through a door, then revealed a hidden elevator that looked like a dumbwaiter. She even moved furniture so he could get through to see everything. We returned later with Little Debbie Christmas snacks for her, but her shift was over. The hotel is wonderful, and the staff made the little hiccups feel minor, even when my husband got stuck in the elevator after it stopped working.

I found the hotel clean and beautiful, and it has an interesting history, but I paid a premium and didn't find it luxurious. The room lighting was too dim, the coffee tasted burnt and too strong, and I wasn't even sure it was coffee. The small college dorm refrigerator whistled so loudly it woke me every 20 minutes, even with my own sound machine. The HVAC on the roof kept the room rumbling with vibration. I could feel the bed's circular metal springs through the mattress, and the shower temperature swung between too hot and too cold, needing adjustment every couple of minutes. This place was hard to navigate with a disability. The halls have awkward stairs and are dark, and I was lucky not to be more badly hurt when I fell on a poorly lit stairwell. Apparently there's a handicapped entrance and elevator, but neither was well marked or easy to find. I didn't see any dedicated handicapped parking, which is badly needed. Some staff were excellent and some weren't. I can't comment on the food since I didn't eat there. If your eyesight is poor or you have a disability, I'd avoid this hotel.