Comfort Suites Columbia Northeast - Fort Jackson — Hotel in Columbia

Can I give it a ZERO?

I selected this hotel based on amenities and proximity. At first glance I thought ok it'll do. I don't need fancy just clean. But...

At my arrival I asked the front desk clerk to let me know where my room was, to know which entry is closest - her answer " I don't know, somewhere on the second floor." I was already unimpressed. But I shook it off. I asked if I there were any changes from the norm due to Covid -I was told no.

I unpacked with intent to iron my clothes as that was an amenity I KNEW I needed. There was a rack where one can hang with board but neither present. I called the desk to share that I needed one. The response " I don't know. I don't think we have any." I explained the website specified this and that there was a place for it. I was told " just tak to a manager tomorrow." That wasn't going to help my current situation. I needed to be ready to go for the morning. This was incredibly frustrating.

I then called the 24/7 relations number because I wasn't getting anywhere with the front desk. There was no manager on site. After 3 hours..... THREE HOURS..... of being on the phone I was told to expect a phone call from the general manager within 30 minutes to an hour. By 11pm I had received NOTHING. I ended up just hanging everything hoping it'll straighten - which it did not. Even had it in the shower in hopes that the humidity would help. It did not.

That night I called to ask what time the breakfast buffet was open because there was NOTHING in the room with any information about it. I was told "it'll be served between 7 am and 10 am. I arranged my morning schedule so that I could leave shortly after it opened because I needed to be on the road by 7. But opted to leave 10 minutes after to grab a bite. Turns out NOTHING was out. Better yet, I went to the desk to find out there was NO BREAKFAST BUFFET at all. I got a brown bag with a room temperature water bottle, a granola bar and a packaged muffin - so basically sugar. At this point I'm frustrated because this was THE reason why I opted for this hotel. I called in advance to verify they are serving breakfast and was told yes. Not to mention by the time I arrived they had a sign posted stating they are not serving breakfast anymore.

Tried to get ice. I was on the second floor and suddenly there is no vend8 on my floor. Went to the first, it was out of order. Told to go to the third. Something the front desk clerk could have mentioned when I asked if there was anything I needed to know. The signs with the maps by the elevators do NOT indicate where they are.

The room. Under par. My mattress - had a HUGE indentation in it. Oh my back is aching today. This mattress should have been thrown out years ago. It had a layer of padding I assume to accommodate its horrible sunken state.

The lamps had rust all around them. It felt gross to touch them.

The sheet of paper for the tv stations had writing on it and was all wrinkly. Clearly used by someone else.

Had a cockroach greet me this morning in my room. Spider web in the corner above the light.

Clearly in need of repair on the walls. Horrible paint over to cover something (I don't even want to know).

My bathtub.... it looked wet ... the walls... mold along the edges. I don't feel very clean after having showered.

The pillows are a joke. They are tiny, like 1ft by 1 ft ish....

I had 2 phones lines. One with ther incorrect room number. One didn't work. The one that did had the incorrect number, not safe if you had to call 911 and were giving the wrong room number?

Two days in a row I've tried to speak with management. They are gone by 5. I couldn't get back in time. And, if I can't talk to the manager apparently that also means I can't handle my issues. Ridiculous.

I haven't even tried to look for the pool. I wouldn't trust it for anything...

I will NEVER stay at this hotel again! I chose this hotel because other family members had already made reservations there during our trip and because it was listed as a non-smoking hotel. The room was disappointing; the floors were dusty all around the edges, needed vacuumed and cleaned, upholstered furniture was not clean, the bathroom fan did not work, and the air from the air conditioner smelled musty. I did not complain to the front desk because I was exhausted and when I reserved online, the site showed this was the only room available. However, what happened the next day after checking out went way beyond the conditions of the room.

Three hours after checking out, I received an email alert from my credit card company showing that a new $250 charge was made to my acvount by the hotel. I immediately called the hotel back to inquire about the charge and was told by the front desk clerk that they charged me for "violation of their non-smoking policy". I am not, and never have been, a smoker! I cannot stand to around smoke! I always choose a hotel that states it is a non-smoking facility. I avoid any restaurants and other businesses that allow smoking. I do not allow smoking in my home or vehicle. I even avoid visiting relatives who smoke.

During my call to the hotel, I told them that I did not smoke and there was no one else who came into my room and smoked. I was told that the manager is the one who had initiated the charge. I asked to speak to the manager and was told that she wasn't in. I was transferred to her number and I left a voice message when she didn't answer. I tried again later and when my calls were not not returned, I sent emails requesting to be contacted.

After a couple days, I called and emailed the corporate offices of Choice Hotels. Those who answered my calls and returned emails politely told me they were "sorry my stay was not satisfactory" but that "since the hotels are individually owned" there was nothing they could do and the decision regarding the charge was up to the hotel manager and out of their hands!

Finally, after several days, the hotel manager called me and stated corporate headquarters had contacted her about my complaint. She stated that she personally checks every room after a customer checks out and that there was a "strong odor of cigarette smoke" in the room I had occupied and she "had to have the room deep cleaned" because of it. I told her I was being wrongly accused, that there had been absolutely NO smoking in that room between the time I checked in and checked out. When she insisted that someone had smoked in the room, I said if she indeed smelled smoke, perhaps it was coming from another room, or outside the window, or perhaps it was a possibility that an employee had smoked in the room before she entered, she very adamantly stated that no employee was allowed in the rooms until after she had checked them. She refused to remove the charge.

I called my credit card company and told them I wanted to dispute the charge. After a few days, I received a letter from them stating that they had CONDITIONALLY reversed the charge to my account and that they had sent an inquiry to the hotel manager who would have 30 days to respond and provide proof that the charge was valid.

When I contacted my credit card company after more than 60 days had passed, I was told that they had received NO RESPONSE from the hotel manager and, therefore, the charge was permanently removed from my account. Finally! After more than FOUR MONTHS of my time spent on phone calls and emails (along with the emotional strain, aggravation, frustration, and lost sleep) because I had been falsely accused and charged for something I did not do! So, because of this incident, I will never stay at this hotel again and, if given any other option, I will not stay at another Choice...

It Was Good Until It Wasn’t

I’m updating my previous review after a disappointing turn of events that has left me frustrated and disheartened. I initially gave this hotel a 5-star rating for their exceptional hospitality and accommodating service, but my most recent experience was nothing short of a nightmare.

I’ve been staying at this property since December 5th, and during that time, everything was great until I was suddenly informed with just 24 hours' notice that I would need to move to different rooms. Apparently, there’s a policy I was never made aware of, which restricts guests who stay longer than 7 days. I was taken aback, as I had never been told about this policy, and this late notice was certainly inconvenient.

I requested to have the same accommodations, specifically an adjoining room as I had before, which was crucial given that I have young children, two of whom have disabilities. Instead, I was given two separate rooms: a double queen and a single king, located across the hall from one another. This arrangement was incredibly challenging for my family, especially given the special needs of my children.

To make matters worse, the double queen room had a broken air conditioning unit. I spent the night in the king room, which had functioning A/C, with all four of my children. At this point, I decided to reach out to corporate to address my concerns, hoping for some resolution. However, the following day, things took a turn for the worse. The manager accused me of “infesting” the room with bed bugs, which was not only unfounded but utterly insulting. Pest control was called, and they cleared the rooms of any bed bug presence, confirming my stay had been clean and free of pests.

I was left feeling disrespected and targeted by the upper management, whose actions seemed more retaliatory than reasonable. The experience soured what was otherwise a positive stay, and I made the decision to leave the hotel altogether.

While the hotel had initially been a pleasant experience, the recent actions of management and the lack of sensitivity to my family’s needs have led me to strongly reconsider any future stays here. If you're considering booking, I’d recommend proceeding with caution.

UPDATE**

My family found ourselves in need of temporary lodging through FEMA, and after facing many challenges in securing suitable accommodations, we finally found Comfort Inn & Suites. From the start, the staff was patient and understanding, ensuring we had everything we needed. Their kindness and efficiency made the process much smoother, and I truly felt like we were in the right place at the right time.

Beyond the hospitality, the hotel itself exceeded my expectations. The rooms are spacious, with modern furnishings and a cozy yet stylish design. The bathrooms are bright with great lighting, though I do wish the water pressure in the showers was a bit stronger. The Beautyrest mattresses provided an exceptionally comfortable sleep, and the in-room mini fridge and microwave added extra convenience. The hotel also includes amenities such as, an indoor pool, gym and laundry facilities.

Each morning, we enjoyed the complimentary continental breakfast, which was a great start to our day. Overall, Comfort Inn & Suites became my home away from home during a difficult time, and I am grateful for the warm and welcoming experience.

Would...