Hampton Inn St. Louis Wentzville

I've usually been easy to impress when it comes to hotels, but this one has raised the bar for me. The way they treated my wife, kids, and me was something I haven't seen from many hotels. If I come back to the area, I'll definitely book here. I also haven't seen a hotel with such a wide variety of free breakfast options.

I've stayed here several times over the past four years, but this latest visit left me very disappointed. They now charge for parking, even though the lot is shared with a movie theatre. No one asked whether I was using their lot or asked for my license plate. As a Planet Fitness member, I would have parked in their adjacent lot for free, just on principle. I don't mind paying when there's a secured, patrolled lot, but this location has neither. The first-floor interior hallway needs touchups, with scraped and dirty walls and doorways. The bed and linens were very comfortable, though the pillows were a bit small. Staff seemed put out when I asked for a physical key as well as the digital one in the app. I've learned that some doors don't always work with a digital key, and for safety after dark I want a physical keycard for leaving the building. Breakfast had plenty of choices and the coffee was great.

The hotel is decent, but the gap under the door was about two inches. I had to put a towel along the floor to block it and cut down the noise. They also charged a parking fee without asking whether I had a vehicle or having me fill anything out. What if I'd carpooled with a coworker or parked at the movie theater? The fee doesn't pay for security staff or a maintained security gate, so it feels like a total scam and a way to nickel-and-dime guests without calling it a resort or destination fee.

The room was comfortable and clean, but the soundproofing could be better. The people above us sounded like they had kids jumping around all night. Breakfast wasn't great, though it wasn't a deal breaker.