Hampton Inn Virginia Beach-Oceanfront South

We came for the light show and could see a good portion of it from our balcony. The hotel sits right at the start of the display, and we’ll come back again. Our room felt new and was clean, making for a very comfortable stay. Check-in was a pleasure too, thanks to an incredibly friendly and accommodating guest service representative.

We wanted to be near the holiday lights, and the hotel turned out to be right at the start of the drive-through route. My kids could walk along the lights without paying the roughly $40-per-car entry, which was a huge plus. We could see the ocean and beach too. The room had plenty of space, multiple mirrors, a desk area, and a comfy chair with a TV tray, so two of us could sit and eat comfortably. The beds were queens, not full size, and I liked the easy-to-clean LVP flooring. The view was spectacular. The hotel’s on the main strip, within walking distance of the Dome, amusement park, probably the Waterpark, and the marina where dolphin and whale tours leave. I usually stay at the Hampton North Beach, but choosing this place for the lights was a great call. Most staff were super nice, though one desk agent wasn’t very friendly, so I rated service four stars. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

We paid a very low off-season rate and still enjoyed our time, but I’d have been much more upset at $200 or more a night. I had a better stay the week before at an Econ lodge for amenities and overall conditions. This hotel’s location right on the beach is great, street parking was free and plentiful in the off-season, and breakfast was decent. But people from outside were coming in and taking lots of breakfast food while the security “guard” ate in the back room. They coughed over the food and carried away stacks of plates. Once they cleared the trays, paying guests couldn’t use the breakfast amenities. It wasn’t just uncomfortable, it directly took away something we’d paid for. Staff other than Celeste seemed detached, as if breakfast was community service or didn’t need monitoring. The hotel could serve food after guests finish, or find another way to handle it. There were other problems too. There was dog pee in the elevator, possibly from guests drawn by the low rates. Our non-smoking room kept smelling of cigarettes, so we left the deck door open despite the 40-degree weather, which we didn’t mind. The sink faucet barely dribbled, though the shower was fine. Even set in the 70s, the AC cycled on often and caused big temperature swings. I was also charged for parking I hadn’t used. The general manager said they were sorry about my feelings, but didn’t mention an action to address the real problem. I’m sorry they think paying guests should carry the cost of feeding the general public. I doubt that approach helps the hotel or its revenue.

The ocean balcony view was a real bonus, and there was lots of natural light in our clean room. Breakfast had plenty of variety and tasted great. Staff were friendly and welcoming, and the gym was clean, though it didn’t have much equipment. There’s a small pool too. We had a great stay.