Top 10 Jere Hotels

I'm always surprised to find that, decades after passage of the ADA, new buildings still make it hard for you to get in the door. The hotel had double sets of doors that weren't automatic and had no automatic door openers; it took 2 people to get a bell cart into or out of the lobby - 1 to open the doors, 1 to push the cart. We weren't the only ones having that issue but if any Marriott staff noticed, they didn't offer to help. The hotel had a big banner near the check-in desk claiming that Morgantown welcomes everyone; it's not very welcoming if it's a struggle just to get the door open. (We may have been spoiled by the staff at the Raphael in Kansas City, another Marriott property; they had bellmen by the door 24/7 to open doors and help you with luggage.) The main entrance is poorly lit and poorly marked; after a long day's driving, we had trouble finding the correct entrance in the dark. Parking cost $12/night, which is notated in tiny print on the home page. The indoor pool looked nice; unfortunately, we checked in too late and left too early the next morning to get to use it. That was disappointing, as the indoor pool was a key reason we booked this hotel for our overnight. Our room left a bit to be desired. It was big and had a nice view of the river, but the only lighting bright enough to read by was over the door and in the shower. However, there was *lots* of ambient light once we turned off the lights - even the electrical outlets had little glowing lights on them. You can drape a washcloth or something over the phone and microwave displays, but not on a wall outlet. There wasn't much storage space, and most of it was smallish open cubicles, not drawers. The bathroom was big and had decent counterspace, but the mirror wasn't sufficiently wel lit for doing your makeup. There was a hook in the shower but no hook or towel bar outside the shower to put a robe or towel. The bathroom door was barndoor style, installed crooked (see photos). The main room door stuck; we had to push or pull it to make sure it closed all the way. Dinner at the restaurant was overpriced but good. I ordered the caprese flatbread, thinking I was getting a caprese salad (I was too tired to read the menu carefully); it was quite good, as was the french onion soup. My husband's filet came out medium-rare rather than the medium-well he'd ordered. We opted for the breakfast buffet the next morning. I always appreciate having real (rather than instant) oatmeal available and most of the fruit was neither under- nor overripe, although the coffee was too strong to be drinkable.

Everyone was very nice. The hotel was clean. Check in was easy. The location was right off the highway and near many chain stores (Target, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, Bed, Bath, and Beyond), restaurants, and a grocery store. There was a free grab-and-go breakfast (muffins, oatmeal, yogurt, juice, coffee). I only had one problem. I am allergic to feather pillows. There were 6 pillows in our room, all were feather pillows. I called down to the front desk and asked for a different pillow. They said they would have to check to see if they had other pillows. Minutes later a very nice person from housekeeping was at my door giving me another pillow....which was also a feather pillow. We ended up having to buy new pillows for our stay.

This was one of the cleanest and well presented Hampton properties that we have stayed at. From the moment you walk in to the lobby, the adjacent dining area, the hallways, and the room, this property really stood out. The small firepits outside the hotel were a great touch, especially for the cooler late summer evenings. The room was very clean, without anything to note on the contrary. Even the A/C unit in the room (something that in many hotels is loud all evening as it turns on/off) was relatively quiet. Finally, the staff and their helpfulness were the final exclamation point, giving this hotel a much deserved 5/5 rating.

Look - this place is not fancy. But if you're looking for a reliable, comfortable, safe and friendly place off the interstate then this is the place. This is a halfway place for us in our travels and we are never disappointed. It's clean, affordable and easy. We look forward to staying here.