Homewood Suites by Hilton Windsor Locks Hartford

Our sleep wasn't good, and the $250 deposit made me especially upset. I had prepaid, and other hotels charge $75-$100. Paying that much for a room that seemed barely maintained was frustrating. The first room was dirty, with garbage everywhere and food left in the fridge. It didn't seem anyone had checked that it was ready. The front desk was accommodating and moved us, and the second room was okay, but it had its own problems: the toilet took forever to flush and ran all night, there was less than half a roll of paper towel in the kitchen, and the microwave stopped working after one use. I had to ask for dish soap and a sponge. Breakfast was horrible, with little variety and no containers to take food back to the room. The suites were very small. After it snowed overnight, salt had been put down but no one shoveled, and there were no mats to wipe our feet, so we tracked snow inside. Other hotels I've stayed at, even ones that weren't Homewood Suites, were much better.

Our apartment was well laid out, and check-in went smoothly. The living room had plenty of space, a pullout couch, and a TV. The bedroom had two full beds, though we prefer queens, and a convenient closet. The kitchen was small but had what we needed, aside from dish soap and a sponge, so bring your own. There's no oven, and the sink is tiny. The bathroom has a spacious area with the sink separate, but the toilet drains very slowly. We skipped breakfast because it was cold and we didn't want to go outside to get it, so we made our own. I wish the lobby were indoors like at other hotels. The building isn't soundproof: I could hear my family walking from another room and worried the people downstairs could hear us too. My husband didn't see any lights on below, which helped me relax a little. The location felt safe, and we didn't hear planes despite being near the airport. Popeyes, Wendy's, and two gas stations are close by. We were disappointed there was no indoor pool. The kids love swimming, so we'd only stay again in summer.

There were lots of restaurants and stores nearby, which made this a great location for my work trip. Staff were incredibly kind and helpful, and the room was very clean with a good amount of towels. The bathroom also had nice quality shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. The kitchen setup was great for a week: stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, and a spacious refrigerator. The beds creaked and shifted around, but were still comfortable. My only other gripe was that there was no sponge or dish soap for the kitchen sink. Breakfast was complimentary with plenty of options, and I really enjoyed my stay. I'd definitely come back.

The hotel was clean and well maintained, but I couldn't sleep because the walls were so thin. I was in a two-story property with a unit above me, and all night the ceiling cracked while the tenants walked around. It felt like they might come right through the ceiling. I also left my license behind. I've contacted the hotel several times, but nobody has returned my calls.