Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Panama City, FL

I booked rooms for my aunt, cousin, uncle, and son so we could take turns visiting my mother in a nearby hospital ICU, where only two visitors were allowed at a time. At 4:45 pm, nobody was at the desk. I called repeatedly, knocked on the office door several times, and walked the hall looking for someone. On my fourth knock, the clerk came out angry that I’d woken her. She said I hadn’t waited long and laughed when I explained I was trying to get to the hospital and asked if we could check in quickly. She charged my card and a deposit, then refused service. Choice Hotels told me they couldn’t help. I got the refund seven days later, and I’ve had no luck reaching the general manager. I’ve been a Choice member for years, and I’m very disappointed in Choice and Country Inn and Suites. I’ll use Hilton Hampton from now on.

The front desk staff were helpful, but I have no reason to return. I booked this cheaper hotel for a work trip and didn’t know about the $100 check-in deposit until I arrived. I never got that money back, even though I left the room as I found it. There was already some scraped paint on the wall and a hole in a door when I got there, and I took pictures afterward. Next time I’ll document everything as soon as I walk in, in case a hotel tries to blame me for damage I didn’t cause.

We’ve been here for eight days without a single problem. It’s a quiet, convenient spot, and our room was clean and comfortable with air conditioning that worked perfectly. April went out of her way to make me comfortable, and housekeeping quickly brought what we needed. The front desk was friendly and efficient, and everyone was helpful. We aren’t big breakfast people, but when we went down a couple of times there was plenty to choose from. No complaints from us, and we appreciated the affordable, comfortable stay.

My work trip meant I couldn’t switch hotels, and I’ll do what I can to avoid staying here again. The desk staff were nice, but the floors were either foul carpet or sticky enough to turn my feet black. The whole place smelled bad, and my room was worse than the hall. The bathroom was worst of all, with a smell like a dead animal mixed with wet, dirty clothes. The air conditioner worked only sometimes. The shower water got scalding unless I turned it almost all the way off. There was a mat that seemed to make slipping easier, and because the drain was slow, dirty-looking water stirred up underneath it. I saw what looked like black mold under there and worried about standing in that water. Breakfast was sparse: grits and a biscuit with sausage or bacon, plus waffles and two pastries, but nothing was replenished. I had to ask the desk for toilet paper, trash bags, and other basics. People yelled outside until early morning, and car alarms went off repeatedly and woke everyone. The one washer only put out extremely hot water, which was a problem for my work clothes that need cold washing. The only dryer stained clothes with what looked like dirt or rust. Laundry was expensive, too.