Hampton Inn Williamsburg

The location worked well for our drive south. We were happy to set off in the morning and take in the amazing views as we continued toward the Smoky Mountains. The standard breakfast was fine, though the sign inviting guests to ask about special dietary needs was odd: when I asked, I was told I could have an apple or an orange. I wasn't expecting much for gluten-free options, but it was funny. We stopped here on the spur of the moment, and the beds were terribly uncomfortable, so I hardly slept. We also waited almost an hour for an extra blanket after arriving, maybe because there were a lot of check-ins. For the price, it wasn't worth it.

The front desk staff were very nice, and each bed came with four pillows, which I liked. The mattresses themselves are very firm, with little padding, and one had a dip on one side. We could hear showers and toilets flushing from other rooms. Although the hotel sits back from the highway, there was still plenty of traffic noise. It was a decent mid-range hotel, about what I expected, but I'm still struggling with the $150 per night price.

The breakfast spread was a nice perk, with eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, juices, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal and English muffins. But the eggs were salty, which was a problem for me as a heart patient. I was counting on them for protein without sodium, and that didn't work out. The elevator also looked dingy and could use some attention. My room was neat and clean, though someone had left dryer sheets between the mattresses. I had a hard time getting a hot shower. The sink had hot water, but the shower took a long time to warm up and still wasn't great. The staff weren't rude, but they didn't seem particularly glad to see guests either. Maybe she was just having a bad day, but first impressions reflect on the hotel. It wasn't a bad stay, and I'm probably being picky. Still, a couple of small fixes could make a real difference.

The staff made this stay. They were ready to provide earplugs or whatever else I needed at the desk, no matter the hour. I couldn't sleep and had been sitting in the lobby all night, so they even opened breakfast a few minutes early. The room was clean, and the shower was great. I appreciated the workers so much that we stayed here again on our way back.