Hampton Inn & Suites Napa

Breakfast is included, with waffles, cereal, muffins, fruit, oatmeal, eggs, potatoes, sausage, bagels, toast, juice, coffee, and tea. The complimentary coffee and tea bar was appreciated too. Parking costs an extra $18, and the front desk snack bar is extremely overpriced, so bring your own snacks and odds and ends. There’s a small but pretty nice gym, plus a pool and spa. Rates are great compared with other places nearby, and there’s shopping and a movie theater close by, with downtown Napa about five minutes away. Service was average. Breakfast seemed understaffed, and the desk staff sometimes looked bothered when we needed help. During our stay there was a wedding, and the crowds made it harder to get around. We left something behind at checkout, and housekeeping kindly put it in lost and found. We’d stay again. Napa restaurant we recommend: Con Amor. Napa bar we recommend: 1331.

We stayed three nights and got a very good rate for the area. The included breakfast was some of the best we’ve had at a Hampton Inn in the US. Rooms are roomy, with large bathrooms and big walk-in showers, plus a fridge, sitting area, and plenty of storage. There’s also a pool, outdoor seating, a gym, and a small store. It’s easy to get to several restaurants, a movie theater, and a large health club. Parking can be a real pain, and they missed cleaning our room one day. Those two issues kept this from being five stars. Still, it’s a nice addition to Napa’s lodging options, and after our first stay here, we’ll put the Hampton Inn & Suites on our shortlist. We come to Napa two or three times a year.

We came from far away to celebrate New Year’s Eve at this hotel, our first time staying here, and were looking forward to a comfortable, pleasant visit. Instead, things went wrong from check-in. The front desk employee was very unfriendly, with no smile or welcome. We don’t know her name, but she was a petite woman of Asian appearance. She told us breakfast on January 1 would run from 7:00 am to 10:00 am, and we trusted her without checking. The room’s shower gel, shampoo, and soap were almost empty when we arrived. They all ran out after one use, so they clearly hadn’t been replenished. That evening we ordered pizza delivery and waited a long time. When we called the desk to ask about the courier, the same employee rudely said he’d already arrived and she’d sent him to our room. He never showed up, apparently because he’d been sent to another room. We ended up without dinner on New Year’s Eve. The next morning we came down around 9:30, believing breakfast was served until 10. We were told it had ended and weekday breakfast only goes until 9. The general manager came out and said the same. We explained that the desk employee had given us different hours, but nobody apologized. Instead, they took us into the kitchen and offered leftovers, speaking as if missing breakfast was our fault. The kitchen staff member was kind and attentive, repeatedly offering us different food, and was the only truly pleasant part of the stay. Still, we had paid for breakfast in the dining area, where we could choose what we wanted, not leftovers in the kitchen. Our first stay was extremely disappointing. I hope management addresses the service, front desk conduct, and communication with guests so this doesn’t happen to others.

Room 300 looked out over the parking lot, theater, and hills in the distance. Not a bad view for a city hotel. The room was clean and spacious, with a large bathroom, plenty of hot water, and good pressure in the glass-enclosed shower. The sink had a long faucet head, which I always like. The bed was softer than I prefer, and I didn’t like the unlocked barn-style bathroom door that also served as a closet door. Small annoyances, though. Staff were very nice, and the free breakfast was basic but hit the spot. There was plenty of parking, but they charge for it for some reason. The location worked well for what we wanted to do.