Home2 Suites by Hilton Nokomis, FL

This was our second stay in just a few weeks, and somehow it was even better than the first. Everything was spotless and cozy, and the comfort felt carefully thought through. The kindness is what makes the place special. Everyone was genuinely warm and welcoming, and made us feel more like family than guests. We'll be back again and again.

The staff were friendly, helpful, and welcoming, and the location worked well for us: about a mile from the beach, a few minutes from Venice, and roughly 30 minutes from parts of Sarasota. Our room was clean with a comfortable bed and enough space to relax. Breakfast was good, too. We'd definitely stay here again when visiting the area.

There were some good parts of our two-week stay: breakfast was good, well stocked, and replenished often, and the location was convenient for a short drive to the beach. But the stay was disappointing and didn't meet the standard we've come to expect from Hilton. When we arrived after 8 pm, no agent was behind the desk. She was talking with a friend at a lobby table, then came over after I waited about 30 seconds and asked if we were checking in. As she handed me the key cards, the phone rang and she answered it, so I got no check-in information. We know hotels well enough to manage, but never figured out housekeeping. Hilton's website says service should be every other day, but that wasn't happening. My husband asked a housekeeper to service our room, and she said we had to request it at the front desk. The room was spacious, but not cleaned to the standard we expect from Hilton. The shower caulking was black and badly needed replacing. When I sat on the sofa, I found animal hair all over it, and it covered my clothes. We should have asked to change rooms. I had allergies throughout the stay from the pet hair and dander that hadn't been cleaned up. There was also a leak under the kitchenette sink. Housekeeping knew about it and wiped up the water, but it was never fixed. Only one washer in the laundry room was working.

The room looked clean, with tile floors, but they smelled like Fritos. I kept my flip-flops on the whole time. About 20 minutes after we arrived, we had to change beds because the sheets and pillows smelled strongly of perfume from the previous guest. When I turned on the light and pulled back the covers, it was obvious they hadn't been laundered, even though the bed had been made neatly. We've stayed in lots of hotels and motels in small beach towns. Laid-back shouldn't mean dirty.