SpringHill Suites by Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront

The beachfront setting and balcony were a highlight, and the hotel has an indoor pool, fitness center, and bar/eatery. Parking was complimentary, and breakfast had lots of choices and tasted good. I arrived around 9 p.m. on a Saturday for one night and had a spacious one-bedroom room. Check-in was smooth. The only snag was that the door wouldn't close from outside because something was wrong with the lock. Thankfully, maintenance fixed it while we were out. I'd definitely return.

The oceanfront view is pretty great, and our room was clean, though worn. The bar shut at 10 p.m. sharp and had started closing 30 minutes earlier. I got yelled at for ordering pizza for our group, then was told to eat in a corner away from everyone else, even though I still had a large bar tab. I wouldn't say to avoid the hotel, but don't expect it to go out of its way to make your evening work.

We never got the three rooms I'd reserved as a Christmas present for my six grandchildren. We had been looking forward to the pool and boardwalk. The boardwalk was fine, even at 25 degrees, but staff kept saying they couldn't reach housekeeping. When we finally left, nobody apologized or seemed to care. The front desk manager was extremely rude. How can a hotel fail to honor a reservation and not care? It was infuriating. The Holiday Inn down the street went out of its way to make our stay great. I've also called the hotel manager four times and left messages, but he never called back. The customer service problem clearly starts at the top. Terrible place, don't book if you actually need a room.

We were there over July 4, and the sunrise from the balcony was breathtaking. The rooms are very spacious, with a separate sitting area and sleeping area, and the beds are really comfortable. Highly recommend.