Hampton Inn Winter Haven

Fay, the manager, was compassionate and went out of her way to help during a difficult visit after my father suddenly passed away. I had traveled from NY to FL and didn't know the area, so I'm grateful I chose this place. The rest of the staff were pleasant too. Joey in the kitchen was attentive, kept the breakfast area clean and stocked, and the included breakfast was fresh and delicious. I'd stay here again if I were in the area. Thanks again, Fay. You made a hard visit a little easier.

We drove from Miami for our son's soccer tournament and asked Shelly at check-in if she could switch the lobby TV to the Inter Miami game. She said it had to stay on the news because of “hotel policy.” This was disappointing, especially since it's our second stay here and nobody mentioned that policy before. Last time, our request to change the channel was handled without a problem. It wasn't just the refusal, but the dismissive way it was handled, with no effort to help or offer another option. After driving hours to support our child, watching a game in the lobby seemed like a reasonable request. Good service depends on attitude and effort, and this interaction didn't feel like the customer service we'd expect from a Hampton Inn. I hope the hotel revisits this policy and trains staff to make guests feel welcome and help them when possible.

Within an hour in the room, we all had stuffy noses and were breathing through our mouths. It felt damp even when the room was freezing cold. Going outside unclogged our noses and made them start draining within minutes. Over our three-day stay, we developed coughs and sneezes and avoided the rooms as much as we could because we knew the nights would be miserable. We switched from the third floor to the second, which was slightly better but still bad. Something is seriously wrong with the AC system, and it ruined our trip. I definitely wouldn't recommend staying here until they get their crap together.

Breakfast was in the reception area, with a small buffet and a make-your-own waffle station the kids loved. You could also grab a takeaway bag with a water bottle, bagel, and apple. We were surprised by how well the Hampton Inn at Winter Haven accommodated our family of five. Our room was big, with two queen beds. There's also a gym and a small heated pool, which we didn't get to use but was a nice touch. We had a great two-night stay.