Savannah Suites Newport News

After driving 15 hours from Mississippi, I found the front door locked and the lights off, even though I'd booked online for a week. The person I reached by phone, who I assume was a manager, sounded annoyed that I'd called. He let me in after I explained I had a reservation. Before I even got to the room, there was a horrible marijuana smell and a few people hanging around in the dark by the outside door. I felt nervous about my safety and the valuables in my car. The room was a letdown as soon as I opened it. There was leftover food in the dirty kitchen, and although it had a stove, the cooktop didn't work. The cabinets were filthy and falling apart. The barely working AC was propped up with a scrap of 2x4, like it was ready for the scrapyard. The bedside lampshade was melted and the bulb was broken. The shower had hair and dirt everywhere, so I wouldn't even bathe, and the room badly needed sweeping. The bathroom vanity smelled strongly of mold or moisture. There wasn't a single towel, washcloth, soap, toilet paper, or anything else to use. The bed was dirty, stained, and covered in hair from who knows what. It was also the hardest thing I've ever laid on. After about 30 minutes, my arms and legs were numb from the pressure cutting off circulation. I've never had that happen before, and I don't see how anyone could sleep on it. I was exhausted from the drive and couldn't get comfortable. I'd almost forgive a dirty room if the bed were decent, but this was awful. The Wi-Fi was barely faster than dial-up. If you're here for work, you'd be better off doing it at McDonald's. I spent only an hour in the room, and this is an honest review from a worn-out traveler. It's not kid-friendly or human-friendly, and I would never recommend staying here. The website is false advertising. You'd be more comfortable in your car, and any money saved on the room could go toward a chiropractor. Spend a few dollars more for a decent bed. I'd rather have slept on concrete, even a slab with rusty nails. I can't describe how bad that bed was. I have a hard time believing any positive review of this hotel is real. No way anyone actually enjoyed it.

When my flight was delayed, it took over 45 minutes to reach anyone at the hotel. The place is listed as non-smoking, but the marijuana smell when I arrived was unbearable. The person there made me sign something asking if I wanted to see the room, then said I was already checked in anyway. The room was filthy, with bug traps in the cabinets and hair and a dirty, moldy bathtub in the bathroom. It made me sick, so I refused to stay and asked not to be charged. I went back three times and spoke with different people, who assured me I wouldn't be charged. The reservation office said it was up to the manager. When I spoke to her myself, she said I would never get a refund. I've taught in the area for 25 years, and my students know I don't lie or exaggerate. Stay away from this trap. It's not even in the city center.

We only got a downgraded room because the premium room we'd booked wasn't available after someone failed to check out. There were broken things in the bathroom, and they charged us $400 extra for the lower-grade room. It took the front desk six hours to get management to change it, which was really frustrating. The only upside is the location. The Wi-Fi doesn't work, so you can't get work done here if you're on a business trip.

This hotel seems very unfriendly to families with kids. People apparently complain when children walk around, crawl, or play a little in their rooms during the day. Guests should remember that this isn't a Marriott or Hyatt, and kids do make some noise while playing. Please be considerate. The front desk is often very rude and unprofessional, except for the older lady. Management is hard to reach when there's a problem because nobody is at the front unless they just opened, or you happen to get lucky and find someone there. They need more employees who care about people, not just getting a paycheck.