Cambria Hotel Manchester South Windsor

The attached restaurant has a relaxed feel and really good food. I recommend the BLT + E at breakfast. The rooms were clean and comfortable, with up-to-date amenities, and the location is handy for shopping at Evergreen Walk while being away from the busy roads.

The one staff interaction we really liked was with the shuttle bus driver, who was fabulous. The hotel itself is new, nice, and clean, with a large lobby, and it was extremely busy throughout our stay. But the service was a mess. As a group, we were told several things would be handled at check-in and they weren't. There was no water anywhere in the hotel, not in the rooms or even for sale from a vending machine. We were told to go to a gas station, and there were no extra pillows either. We ordered food at the bar and waited 90 minutes without getting anything. When I asked for a Jack and coke, they gave me Jameson and said, "its the same thing." We were shocked. The rooms are nice, and having no carpet makes them easy to clean, but that doesn't make up for the service. I've never stayed somewhere with no water for guests to buy. Even in New York City, where bottled water can cost $4, we've been given two bottles. That's basic hospitality, and this was unacceptable. With a Costco one minute away, there really shouldn't be an excuse if they normally stock water for sale or for the rooms. It was also quite loud, with people constantly audible through the very thin walls. The website does say quiet accommodations aren't guaranteed. Still, we wouldn't stay here again. Service makes or breaks a place, and ours was poor.

I've never given a one-star review before. I'm usually someone who likes to compliment rather than complain, but this was an extraordinary example of a place that seemed not to care about its clients. The idea of service feels lost with the people working here, and probably with the chain in general. This was worse than I'd expect from a bargain motel, let alone a lower-mid hotel. Our room hadn't been serviced when we arrived. It had no body wash, shampoo, Kleenex, or coffee. We eventually got replacement bottles and some coffee, then went to the desk at 12:30pm to say the room was ready for service. They told us, "You're too late," because they were "already done with that floor." After a heated exchange, they said they'd clean it. But when we got back from the trade show at 8:30pm, nobody had even entered the room. We were told the cleaning staff had gone for the day. The handicap shower soaked the bathroom, so I had to get upset just to get towels. The front desk was actually pissy about having to provide them.

The hotel itself was lovely, and the bed may have been the best either of us had ever slept in at a hotel. The room had a quirky layout and plenty of space for our casual bags and hanging dress suit bags, which we don't usually bring. Wall buttons controlled the blinds and shades, the place still smelled new, and the ceiling-mounted shower was a relaxing treat after nearly 19 hours of driving. Nearby there are shops and businesses, Costco, Dave & Buster's, restaurants, and a phenomenal walking trail. We came from several states away for a friend's wedding and expected this to be the treat-yourself highlight of our trip. Instead, the staff made us feel unwelcome. We stayed three nights, and from the first man at the desk to the last woman at checkout, interactions were rude and uncomfortable. Everyone we dealt with acted like we were bothering them, so we started using the side door to avoid the front desk. When I asked the first man what time the indoor pool closed, he rolled his eyes and mumbled. He raised his voice when I asked him to repeat it, saying, "I said 10:00!" He and the other woman working there were both on their phones. After that, nobody greeted us. I'd made a rewards account the night before and had questions about its benefits. When I came to the desk, the woman said, "What do you want?" and only asked for my email address. On our way out, I reluctantly stopped to return the keys and tell someone about the staff, since others down the hall had similar complaints. The woman wearing an Abercrombie jacket pointed beside her and said, "Go over there. She'll be back." I waited, but that was the last straw, so I left my keys in the container and walked out. The staff we encountered were dressed unprofessionally, disrespectful, and unhelpful. We only approached them when we had to, but still felt unwelcome. Despite how nice the hotel was in every other way, we won't return unless the staff changes. It's ridiculous.