Days Inn by Wyndham South Hill

I was exhausted, out of state, and didn’t know where else to go, so I stayed despite being disgusted. Men were roaming around constantly, and I didn’t return for the next night, but was never credited for it. I know this wasn’t the Marriott, but I still paid and deserved a clean room. The dirt started outside and continued through the lobby and into my room. I had reserved a smoke-free room, but it smelled of smoke, including the bedding. The rug had stains and visible dirt. In the bathroom, there was a nearly used-up toilet paper roll, urine spots on the floor, one towel with a large reddish stain, and the others were dingy. The bathtub wasn’t properly cleaned either. It felt like they’d only made the bed before renting the room.

The night clerk was kind and helpful, but I felt unsafe here. People were hanging around the parking lot, there were broken-down cars, and the area outside the rooms was filthy. Noise went on all night. Our first room hadn’t been made up, so we had to move. The second room had its own problems: long black hairs in the tub, a faucet that kept dripping and left a rust stain, and crumbling plaster on the ceiling above the sink. The drapes were hard to move along the vent rod. I was in a hurry and trusted Priceline’s “Recommended” label, but I should have checked the reviews online instead of assuming Priceline was more accurate and selective.

I booked three rooms through the Agoda app, and the service issues made this a two, maybe three star stay. I was on the second floor in a clean room that smelled good and worked fine for our two nights, though the toilet wouldn’t flush because its water had been turned off at the back. The problem was fixed right away. The room phone didn’t work, whether unplugged or for another reason, so I was glad to have my cell. The other people in my group had rooms on the first floor and were disappointed, saying theirs were unclean and poorly kept. One room booked as smoke-free smelled of cigarettes and air freshener. Their TV didn’t work, so my friend had to call the desk. It seems the front desk person also has to handle rooms, and calls often go unanswered. I don’t think they have enough staff, and the service fell short of what I expect at a hotel.

Guests were somewhat noisy, and the pool area was too crowded for us to enjoy, which is why I’m taking off a star. Otherwise, we were pleased. This is a simple hotel, not a romantic getaway and without frills, but it’s family-friendly and pet-friendly, has smoking rooms, and includes breakfast with waffles, bagels, eggs, sausage, bacon, rolls, juice, and cold cereal. Staff treated us respectfully and were very polite. The check-in area was nicely kept, and the woman at the desk was sweet and gave us directions and ideas for places to visit, including a winery. Our room was clean and well maintained. There’s an outdoor pool, and the hotel is easy to reach from I-85, Lake Gaston, and the surrounding area. Renovations are underway, and they seem to be taking care to avoid eyesores. I’d recommend it to visitors to the Lake Gaston and Lake Kerr communities.