Tazewell Hotel & Suites Downtown, Ascend Collection

The location was pleasant, but I’d avoid staying here if possible. I was sent over from the Wyndham because they said my room there wasn’t ready due to a maintenance problem. Here, I found stained sheets, a mildew smell, crumbling plaster, filthy hallway carpet, and several flickering lights. The worst part was no hot water. I told the front desk, and an employee got the boiler going, so I had hot water that night. By morning it was cold again. The staff seemed indifferent and inconvenienced when I politely brought up the boiler, which other reviews suggest has been a problem for a while.

After NorVA concerts, I’ve stayed here three times since 2009, and I’m planning to come again this summer. The location is great and the staff are very friendly. It’s an older hotel, but that doesn’t make it bad. Some rooms sit right beside a busy street, yet the noise hasn’t kept me up.

I like that they’ve kept much of the old look of this building. It’s a short stroll to the restaurants and shops on Granby, and the price is very low for a place one block from MacArthur Center’s main entrance. Parking costs $15, which seems fair. My bathroom was nice, and the surfaces I’d touch were clean, though there were some scratches and dents. The spot where the ceiling meets the wall looked a little iffy, but I left it alone.

The rooms have been clean, and the staff friendly, on both of my pleasant stays. The hotel is a bit old, but it’s priced better than most nearby places and gives you easy access to Norfolk nightlife. Parking can be tricky to find; I think there’s paid parking around the corner.