Hampton Inn Pittsburgh-Mcknight Rd.

The price was good, the location just outside the city was decent, and the front desk staff were very nice. Our clean room was fairly close to the elevator. Still, it felt dated and had several problems: the toilet only flushed about half the time, the wallpaper was peeling, and there was a musty smell. The advertised continental breakfast turned out to be grab-and-go, with a granola bar and bottle of water. It was fine as a place to sleep, but I wouldn’t come back until it’s fully renovated.

The north side location makes it easy to get downtown without going through tunnels, so I’d give it three stars for that. The pool was closed and there wasn’t a hot breakfast, though they offered brown bags with a bottle of water, fruit cup, and cereal bar, plus hot coffee and tea in the lobby. It was a nice gesture and better than nothing. There was no pantry on site or nearby service, so you need to drive to get food or snacks. Bring those services back and it could earn more stars.

My girlfriend and I booked for a couple nights because the deal was genuinely good, but things felt off as soon as we arrived. The photos on the site seemed to hide the problems, and the original Hampton logo was covered with a tarp. The pool and exercise rooms were abandoned and being used to store tools and gardening gear. There may have been a working ice machine, but no vending machines, and there was very little staff. The rooms were only somewhat clean. Our AC was broken or smashed, and another unit sat unplugged down the hall for our whole stay. The two elevators had multiple problems and seemed unsafe, and should be inspected by professionals before anyone uses them again. This hotel is why my girlfriend and I now agree to book four star or better.

There was mold in the bathroom, blood on a pillow, and all the pillows were flat as pancakes. I’ve stayed in cheap motels, but this place was worse than any of them. They said there was no cleaning lady over the weekend, even though I saw her twice cleaning other rooms. I asked for more towels and toilet paper before we left, but late at night I had to go down to the lobby and get them myself. There wasn’t a light blanket, so I was too hot and cold all night, and the AC was the weakest I’ve ever felt. Customer service was awful too. This place is absolutely disgusting. Avoid it and spend a couple extra dollars somewhere else.