Hampton Inn Mt. Airy

I booked three days so my son could stay for work during the snow, but the email confirmation initially showed only one day. I called the hotel and got that corrected. He stayed Friday and Saturday, then waited for his manager to say whether they’d be open Sunday. The call came at 1 p.m., and he checked out right away. Since his manager hadn’t called before the 11 a.m. checkout time to say work was canceled, the hotel charged him for all of Sunday. I called that day and asked for a supervisor to call me, but nobody did on Sunday or Monday. When I called again, both reservationists said there was no supervisor there either day who could discuss it with me.

We were in room 149 next to a storage room, where something kept switching on and off through the night. It sounded like a chainsaw in the wall and kept us awake. At the price we paid, that room should have been discounted. When I mentioned the noise, Denise at the front desk rolled her eyes and didn’t answer my concern, only saying, “Your receipt will be in your email.” I’ve never been dismissed so rudely by a business, especially after making a polite observation as an honors member. The hall and room smelled so strongly of air freshener that we would have left if it hadn’t been 10 p.m. and we hadn’t been so tired. The carpets were filthy, and I kept my shoes on. The cleaning crew seemed to handle the surface, but the dirt and odor had built up over time. Maybe that strong fragrance is why other reviewers thought the place was clean. I wasn’t greeted as an honor member or offered water, but that part wasn’t a big deal given how late it was. I expected a Hampton because we’re usually loyal to the brand when we travel, and this was a terrible experience.

Our room was clean and the water pressure was good. The beds were okay, though the sheets weren’t pulled tight. But the shower didn’t drain, so we stood in ankle-deep water the whole time. That’s unacceptable and unhygienic. The outside of the property wasn’t well kept, and the staff weren’t as welcoming as at other Hampton Inns nearby. The building is clearly old and looks like it has had some updates. I wouldn’t stay again unless there were no other nearby choices.

I’m a Diamond member with Hilton and stayed here three months ago, when I reported black debris in the ice machine on the second floor. I came back and found the same thing. I’m African American, and I learned that Mt Airy was a Sundown Town not too long ago. The desk clerk was extremely dismissive. I thought it might have been a mistake the first time, but now I believe it’s a business practice. Every bad review I noticed was from a person of color. Avoid this place if you’re a person of color. Beware of mold in the ice.