Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Rocky Mount, NC

The lobby is nice, breakfast is great, and the staff are fantastic and friendly. Beyond the first floor, though, much of the hotel is very run down and badly needs renovation. Elevators feel scary, with duct tape on some buttons. The pullout sofa was rickety and had a lumpy, ancient mattress that wasn’t suitable for sleeping. There were also only a few working washing machines, a huge split in the bathroom door, and a very old room door with loose latches. The undermount sink wasn’t quite flush, and cabinet doors were nearly off their hinges. Some furniture seemed to have been spruced up and the lamps looked newer, but the rooms still aren’t worth the usual $175 nightly price. They feel like $79 rooms.

The room was dated and not cleaned properly, with tobacco all over the table despite being a non-smoking room. We’d booked specifically for the jacuzzi and good breakfast reviews, and both were a letdown. There were no towels at the pool. The front desk told us to wait 15 minutes, rudely said they wouldn’t bring towels to the pool, and we ended up standing wet in the lobby for two towels. The pool area was chaotic, with screaming kids, adults blasting music, and children running around and cannonballing into the jacuzzi. Breakfast was even worse. There were no eggs or fruit, just orange juice and water, and burnt oatmeal stuck to the bottom of the container. I don’t understand the “good” breakfast reviews. We paid over $100 for one night and regretted not staying at the Holiday Inn right up the road. It was the last night of our trip, and all we wanted was a nice, clean hotel with a good breakfast. The stay was completely ruined. Absolutely unacceptable, stay somewhere else.

I noticed right away that the trash hadn’t been changed, there was no extra toilet paper, and the hand soap was the same bar left by the previous guest. The curtains were shut with a hanger that also looked like it belonged to them. It made me wonder whether the sheets had even been changed or the bed had just been remade. So the room didn’t feel clean. At check-in, the staff member interrupted her food order to get us checked in quickly, but didn’t tell us breakfast time or explain any amenities. She seemed eager to get back to ordering food with her friend. Breakfast itself was standard, what I’d expect from a hotel, though not amazing. The staff were rude when I tried to get my daughter a waffle. My husband, who works in electrical, was also very concerned about exposed wiring around the up/down arrows in the first elevator. There are MANY other choices in Rocky Mount, so book somewhere else.

Our car broke down just before Christmas, so we needed a room at the last minute. The staff were amazing, really helpful and accommodating with us and our dogs. The Christmas decorations were cute, and breakfast in the morning was great. Beds and pillows were comfy too. I’d definitely stay here again.