Governor Dinwiddie Old Towne, Ascend Collection

Check-in was easy, the staff were friendly, and my room was clean. My floor was very quiet, and I had an excellent view from the window. The elevator felt a little shaky, though it's an old hotel. On weekends the lot gets crowded around 9 p.m., so if you're exploring nearby, leave the car and walk. Griffs Bar & Grill and Roger Browns are close by, with great food and reasonable drink prices.

The Dinwiddie staff were wonderful: always polite, very accommodating, and fine with our 70 lb pit bull. We're grateful for the experience with them. One front desk lady seemed worried about my dog, but rode the elevator with us and then said how calm and well behaved he was. He's a training demo dog, so he's used to these situations. They also readily granted the late checkout we requested the night before leaving. The rooms were acceptable but outdated, with an old CRT TV and limited channels, and a thermostat that wasn't easy to find. The hotel is pet friendly and doesn't discriminate, if that matters to you. The area gave us some concern. Walking to the docks one morning, we felt watched by the local population. After I dropped my spouse off there, a homeless man approached asking for change and acted suspiciously. I gave him a dollar, my dog growled, and he moved on harmlessly. Local restaurants and retail places seemed not to care about customers. I was surprised by the service at the local Walmart Pharmacy when asking for Mucinex. I would gladly stay at the Dinwiddie again, though weekend parking leaves something to be desired. It's a solid two-star hotel with a five-star staff. I loved the stay, and the only thing I regret is not trying the Mexican restaurant downstairs, which smelled delicious.

Before entering any card details on Travelocity, here's what I learned: GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. If you've already booked, you can return to the booking site and cancel. Reservations shouldn't be made without reading reviews first, in my opinion. We booked through Travelocity on April 24, 2015, for April 27 to 29, 2015. We arrived early and tried to call the hotel to check in, but nobody at the front desk answered. Since it wasn't far, we drove over. The front door was locked, so I rang the buzzer. A man inside gestured for us to go around the side. I thought that was odd, but figured it meant tight security. At the side entrance, a moving truck was backed up to the building. That's not a good sign when the business has taken your reservation and money. A nice man asked if we were there to pick up furniture. Once we explained, he told us they'd closed the previous Wednesday and he didn't know why they were still taking reservations.

The staff were extremely nice, and the rooms were reasonably clean, though outdated. The stairs and elevator felt slow and creepy. It's an acceptable hotel, not a great one. Stay if the price is right, but know what you're getting.