Griffin Hotel, an official Colonial Williamsburg Hotel

The Gold Wing room was huge, clean, quiet, and well maintained, with a mini fridge and a very large safe. The shower had great pressure, and I loved swimming in the hotel spa pools. The wooded property is just beautiful, and I’m looking forward to coming back. My room was ready at 4:00 pm, and check-in staff were friendly and efficient. You check in at the Inn, where you can park in the oval drive out front if it isn’t crowded with guests unloading. My only downside was the lack of an elevator, though two very friendly staff members helped carry my bags down the steps when I left. I’m glad the negative reviews didn’t put me off booking.

The best part is the location for visiting Colonial Williamsburg, and you can use the parking amenity. Beyond that, I wasn’t impressed, and it wasn’t worth what we paid. The place is very dated, with dim lighting, no elevator, no on-site assistance, and no complimentary breakfast despite what hotels.com advertised. Check-in is across the street at the Williamsburg Inn. The mattress was awful, I could feel the box springs no matter how I turned. The HVAC unit rasped all night, and the smoke detector flashed like a strobe every 30 seconds. You’d be better off at one of the other nearby hotels. Best of luck!

Traditional decor makes the room feel a bit dated, but it looked clean and well cared for. There’s a lot of space, with a separate sitting area and big windows, so it feels more like a suite than a typical hotel room. It’s comfortable and practical, with room to spread out instead of a modern look.

It’s hard to beat the location right by the park, and the room is large, but I wouldn’t stay again. The room wasn’t ready at check-in, and once we got in, there was hair in the shower drain. It felt like a motel, which might be fine at a lower price. There’s no dedicated WiFi, and the historic district code they gave us didn’t work at all. That’s not acceptable for a modern hotel. The TV was about 15 feet from the couch and faced it, but not the bed, and it doesn’t swivel. Luckily I had a good book. I really like Colonial Williamsburg, but this is the worst hotel I’ve stayed at in years.