Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Wilson, NC

The stay was fine, and I’d stop here again while traveling through. The staff were polite and helpful: the front desk clerk was pleasant when I asked about our restaurant choice, a housekeeper gave us directions after overhearing our room number, and the dining staff greeted me right away. Checkout at noon was handy since we weren’t rushing down the road. It’s in a cluster of hotels just off I-95 in Wilson, NC, with fast food nearby. The rooms were clean and in decent shape. This route gets busy, and on January 2 there were no rooms left, so book ahead during peak periods. Breakfast was okay, with turkey sausage, egg patties, sausage gravy, apples, and a couple of waffle makers. There were biscuits, bagels, English muffins, other sliced bread, butter, cream cheese, yogurt, and juice. It runs from 7 to 10:30 a.m. The hotel allows pets; I saw dogs on the first and third floors, but don’t know whether there’s an extra charge.

The bathroom was the biggest problem. It showed a lot of wear, there were hairs left on the floor from previous guests, and I found a dead cockroach there. I didn’t see any live ones, at least. I can’t really recommend this hotel. It’s an older place that needs renovation. The bed was comfortable and looked clean. The front desk clerk was neither friendly nor rude, just stoic. As a light sleeper, I could hear other guests walking around and opening and closing doors.

I was only in the room for about an hour before I spotted a cockroach in the bed. I panicked, started packing to leave, and then noticed two more in the room. The room was also very outdated, the front door didn’t shut all the way and had a large gap underneath, and the bathroom looked moldy with a stained tub. There were a lot of unpleasant spots in the room. The receptionist was wonderful, kind, helpful, and professional. Thankfully, she refunded my stay.

It was great being just five minutes from my job site. The room looked recently refurbished, though the workmanship was only okay. The bed was too soft, the pillows were little squares, and the door took a yank to close. Breakfast was about what you’d expect from a buffet. Staff were mixed, some were great, while others seemed bothered when you needed help.