Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island

The room on the third floor was a big improvement: clean, comfortable, smoke-free, and with really comfortable beds. We started in a first-floor accessible room that smelled strongly of smoke and looked worn, with stained walls and peeling bathroom wallpaper, but were able to switch rooms. The hotel was decorated for the holidays, which we loved. There were big nutcrackers at the entrance, several Christmas trees, twinkly garlands, and a menorah. Rosa was especially friendly. She saw me looking at the decorations and suggested the nearby Hilton Garden Inn for its bigger tree and good restaurant, which she said was close by. Breakfast was included and had the usual continental options: pastries, bagels, fruit, cereal, waffles, and yogurt. It was good value for the area, though tolls and parking can eat into the savings if you're going into the city. Parking for the Staten Island Ferry cost $28 a day, and the tolls added up fast.

Our Valentine's Day trip was supposed to be romantic, but the room was over 80 degrees the whole time because the climate controls weren't working. The phones couldn't reach the front desk or housekeeping, so at 1 a.m. I had to go down to the lobby and ask for maintenance in person. The women at the desk wouldn't call anyone until I checked their ridiculous instruction card and confirmed I'd followed it. It just said the temperature might be controlled by a wall thermostat or a window unit. Very helpful, thanks. Security arrived half an hour later, couldn't fix it, and said someone would inspect it after we checked out the next day. I got no sleep. Since we had an eight-hour drive ahead, I asked to stay a second night in another room at a reduced price. The manager refused, saying they had to inspect the units and confirm they were malfunctioning before offering a discount, and that couldn't happen until later. Security had already confirmed it was like a sauna and said they'd have it checked the next day. That wasn't enough? The customer service was absolutely horrible. My autistic partner and I were both so disheartened, and this experience made for a miserable Valentine's Day.

The free breakfast was a real plus, and I loved the Hampton Inn. They're making improvements, so I hope soundproof windows are part of the plans. Traffic from the freeway and highway is loud enough to disturb sleep. The doors also slam and make a lot of noise, so slower-closing ones would help.

AAS Truck & Trailer Repair deserves a lot of respect. The Ukrainian mechanics work hard, know their stuff, and take quality seriously. They treat your truck like it's theirs. Honest work at a fair price, with a good attitude. That's rare these days.