Wyndham Columbus — Hotel in Columbus

Traveler Warning: DO NOT BOOK THIS HOTEL! I have stayed in this hotel 2x - here is my detailed review:

1st visit: My husband and I booked this hotel in September of 2022 for 2 nights. It was a very typical 3 start hotel and I had no complaints other than the breakfast was lack luster.

2nd visit: My husband, myself, and our 1 year old son stayed in this hotel from April 10 - April 13 and it was an absolute NIGHTMARE in every sense of the word.

Phones: I had placed a number of phone calls to the hotel regarding early check in and no one ever answered the phone.

Check-in: When I got the the hotel it was like my presence was the biggest inconvenience, person was on their cell phone, service was atrocious. No cookies were ever offered.

Front Desk Staff: Hands down the most unpleasant people you will ever meet. After days in this hotel, I think 1 gentleman at the front desk said "Good Morning."

Hotel: It is very clear the floors are unclean in common areas and could use a vacuum taken to them.

Hotel Room: Half the lights in the hotel room are broken, tv remote has exposed batteries (this would only bother someone like me, a mother with a toddler). I had requested cleaning service daily and it was never done.

Ice: The ice machines on more than half of the floors are broken. My husband couldn't find one that worked so he came back to the room and called downstairs. He told them he checked a number of floors but they all seemed to be broken and asked if someone could bring up ice. He was told to go to the 3rd floor and that no one would bring him ice and that they also have no one who can help him. On Hilton's room keys it says "Your Stay, Your Way" .... WHAT A JOKE!

Breakfast: The woman working the breakfast is beyond rude and unpleasant. When I asked for a highchair she was clearly annoyed by the request and never brought my husband coffee. Breakfast is also so disgusting, food looks and tasted so old. When asking about the omelet station, we were told the person who works that station is "multi-tasking." ie. they have no desire to actually make you breakfast. Half the lights are off in the breakfast area too which makes it super unpleasant.

Power Outage: On Thursday, the 11th, after yet another disgusting breakfast, I left to get coffee and came back to an entire hotel without power. No power means, no elevators, no A/C, etc. I had to carry my 1 year old and and a stroller up and down 6 floors by MYSELF. When asking someone who works at the hotel which stairwell would get me closest to my room they pointed and I was sent to the complete wrong side of the hotel. I was wondering around LOST with a baby in the DARK because half of the security lights don't work and more than half of the EXIT signs are not illuminated. This place is a GAINT FIRE CODE VIOLATION! There was 1 gentleman that worked at the hotel that was able to help me down the stairs with the stroller and he is the only person in this entire hotel who deserves praise and thanks. The hotel also informed myself and other guests that NO compensation would be made for the 8hr power outage.

Homeless Problem: During the power outage, I met some people in the stairwells and one gentleman informed me that when he checked into his room he went up to put his things in his room and found a homeless man in the room already (squatting). You can also find homeless people in the lobby on the chairs - their smell is noticeable along with their "under the influence" behaviors.

Bathrooms/Toilets: From people in our party and other people we spoke to in the hotel, half of the toilets don't work/don't flush.

Pipe Burst/Water Issue: On Saturday morning we went to check out and my husband started to load the car early. When he came back he said, "we are leaving right now." The room next to us had a water pipe burst and there was water on coming out of the room and he wanted to leave before this became our problem. The water issue effected a room on the 6th and 5th floor.

DO NOT BOOK! This place is a nightmare - spend a little more and go...

When it comes to booking a hotel, affordability can be an attractive feature. However, my recent stay at this Hilton-affiliated hotel has taught me that the adage "you get what you pay for" rings especially true in the hospitality industry. Despite the Hilton name, this property falls drastically short of the standards one might expect from such a reputable brand.

First Impressions: A Troubling Start

The Parking Lot Woes Upon arrival, I was greeted not by the warm welcome I anticipated but by a parking lot filled with large potholes. Navigating these craters proved to be a challenging task, and I feared for the well-being of my vehicle's tires. It's evident that these potholes have been a longstanding issue, and the management's neglect in addressing them speaks volumes about their commitment to guest safety and satisfaction.

Room Troubles: From Bad to Worse

The Bed Bug Incident My initial room seemed fine at first glance, but the horror unfolded as I settled in. Bed bugs. Yes, bed bugs. This discovery was both shocking and appalling. Not only was my comfort compromised, but my health and peace of mind were also severely affected. I immediately contacted the front desk, and to their credit, the lady was kind and promptly switched me to another room.

New Room, New Problems The relief of escaping the bed bugs was short-lived. The new room, while seemingly clean, had its own set of issues. The television was missing a power cord, rendering it useless. After a long day of travel, all I wanted was to unwind with some TV, but this simple pleasure was denied.

Management's Response: Or Lack Thereof

The Manager's Indifference The following day, I spoke with the manager about my bed bug experience, hoping for a straightforward refund process. Instead, I was met with a frustrating bureaucratic response. The manager informed me that a refund could not be guaranteed immediately as they needed to hire an exterminator to confirm the infestation. While I understand the need for due process, this response lacked empathy and urgency.

Poor Communication My frustration was compounded by the manager's subsequent lack of communication. Despite assurances that I would be updated on the refund status, I received neither a call nor an email. Repeated attempts to contact the hotel were met with an automated system, making it impossible to speak to a live person. This lack of responsiveness and accountability was perhaps the most disheartening aspect of my stay.

Other Notable Issues

Non-Functional Ice Machines Adding to the list of inconveniences was the non-functional ice machine on my floor. It's a small amenity, but its absence was keenly felt, particularly during a hot summer stay. This issue, combined with the others, painted a clear picture of a hotel that fails to maintain even the most basic of services.

Final Thoughts: A Hotel to Avoid

My experience at this hotel was marred by a series of unfortunate events and poor management practices. The issues I faced were not minor inconveniences but significant problems that greatly impacted my stay. The bed bugs, faulty room amenities, and unresponsive management are indicative of a hotel that is not only affordable for a reason but one that does not prioritize its guests' well-being.

Recommendation I strongly advise potential guests to reconsider staying at this hotel. The lure of a lower price is overshadowed by the potential for a deeply unpleasant experience. Spend the extra money and save yourself the trouble. Your peace of mind and comfort are worth the investment in a more reliable and guest-focused hotel.

In conclusion, this hotel has tarnished my perception of the Hilton brand. The combination of neglected facilities, poor management response, and overall lack of care for guests' experiences makes it a place I cannot recommend. Learn from my misfortune and choose a hotel that truly...

2024, update:

I've been attending an annual convention of approx 200 people at this hotel since 2016 (minus 2020). Over the last few years I've seen a rapid, serious decline in the quality of both the hotel itself and the service provided by the staff. It was finally bad enough this year that I had to write something.

One of the elevators always breaks while we're there and is out of service all weekend. Always. Last year some people even got stuck in one of them and had to be rescued.

The food in the restaurant itself is passable, but that's the best I can say. The convention has a special banquet evening with a catered dinner, and I have serious dietary restrictions. The first year I tried asking the staff whether there were certain ingredients included, and NOBODY could tell me or even knew if they could ask someone. They shrugged and told me that they didn't think so, but they didn't know for sure. I decided not to chance getting sick and missing my entire weekend.

Because of this I always order groceries and eat in my room over the weekend, and the fridge in my room either froze everything or would barely keep anything cold. There was apparently no medium on the dial. When I turned it down a tiny bit after it froze my eggs, the freezer portion thawed entirely and water spilled out everywhere when I opened it.

The banquet is held on the terrace behind the registration desk. The terrace is a great place for my group to hang out when we don't have events scheduled, but the (fake leather) pads on the chairs kept up there are extremely cracked and worn through. In the past two years I've started noticing that my clothes actually stick to the chairs after I sit in them, which is really gross. It's very obvious, you can't miss it--and in two years, they haven't replaced the chairs or even re-upholstered them. The ones in the conference rooms are in a little better shape, but that just makes me think they move all the gross ones to the terrace, which is... a choice, I guess.

Worst: the first thing I saw when I got to my room that evening was a pile of towels left on the floor outside the door. It made me wonder if my room had even been cleaned, but at least it looked like it had. I started a text chat on the app to ask someone to come check and the app promised someone had been notified and would reply soon, but they never did. However, when I returned to my room several hours later the dirty towels were gone, so maybe they got the message and just didn't follow up with me...?

Housekeeping came by the room the first two days, but not the third--which was when I actually wanted them to come by. I saw them in the hall, and my door sign wasn't up, so I'm not sure why they never came in.

To top everything off, the hallway I was staying in smelled very strongly of pot the entire weekend.

2016: Breakfast in the hotel restaurant was great, lots of variety and a custom omelet station! Convention space was comfortable and convenient, and the front desk staff were very helpful. The water pressure in our room's shower wasn't great and the temperature occasionally inconsistent, but otherwise it was a very...