Quality Inn & Suites Northampton - Amherst

The location is great, and I found the staff very helpful. Breakfast was just okay, though, and there’s no pool. It’s been closed for years and isn’t going to reopen. I’ve stayed here a few times, and the place could be decent if they took care of basic things. Cleaning the carpets and maintaining the rooms shouldn’t be so difficult. There’s a lot of potential here.

We’d hoped for a good meal before a long day at UMass for our grandchild’s graduation, but the whole stay was a letdown. There was no pool, and breakfast was so disorganized that the counters were dirty with spills left by previous guests. We waited ten minutes for hot food, then decided to go elsewhere. The fridge was nearly empty, with only two or three milks, and we couldn’t find butter for our bagels. Things were either dirty or gone. A family near our room said they’d seen bugs in theirs. They were very upset, but nearby hotels were sold out because of all the graduations. I also found out that the young lady mentioned in these messages no longer works there. We paid hundreds of dollars more per night because of the local college graduations. I understand rates going up, but we’re talking $200 to $300 more per room, per night. The washcloths and towels felt like cheap Amazon brand, were rough enough to take your skin off, and didn’t look like they’d been washed before being put in the room. I’ve never seen a Choice hotel use Amazon stuff. There weren’t any hangers either, even though we needed to unpack our dress clothes. The front desk said they had none.

Breakfast was the best part. There were only two staff I saw: a young woman running around serving breakfast, taking out trash, and mopping while another person sat curled up on the couch. Parking was easy, with lots of spaces, and we could park right in front of the room. The location is convenient, close to downtown. The room was basic and seemed only surface-cleaned. Hair was on the bed, walls, and even in the tub. The carpets looked like they’d never been vacuumed, with dirt and salt stains from shoes. The ice machine was broken, and I was told to buy ice at the gas station across the street. There’s no pool, either. When we arrived, the room was freezing because the heat was off. It took at least 45 minutes to warm up, so we waited in the car. We expected a warm, clean room and didn’t get one.

The bed was amazing and our room was very clean. Breakfast was one of the best we’ve had at a hotel: lots to choose from, a very friendly young woman who greeted us with “Good morning,” and kept the food replenished. The breakfast area was spotless, and the staff were all very nice. It’s also close to downtown. Getting anyone’s attention at the front desk was difficult. I waited at least six minutes while the Spanish girl there put her phone down and noticed me. She was somewhere out of sight in a back office, so we stood in the lobby until I leaned halfway over the desk to see her. Around noon I came down to buy a soda and again had to lean across the counter. She looked like she might have been asleep and I’d disturbed her. She was nice, but not welcoming like the desk staff at most hotels, where someone is always there.