I stayed at the Red Roof Inn for three nights while attending a conference at UVa. The price was low, the location of the Red Roof Inn is excellent and the reception staff were helpful and courteous.
The accommodations are spacious but basic. My room was enormous, with a kingsize bed, small business desk area, and a small microwave and refrigerator. There was an iron and hairdryer, but no kettle/coffee maker. Compared to other similar chain hotels I have stayed in, I felt the "budget" element here - the toiletries, tissues etc felt cheap, like the hotel was going through the motions rather than providing something nice for the guests. My room, in a corner of the hotel, was quite cold, especially given the thin bed coverings, and it did not seem possible to switch the heater on, so I resorted to sleeping in a robe over my pyjamas. Coffee was available from a machine at reception, but was barely drinkable. No food is available at the hotel, though there is a convenience store a short walk away.
Freshness is also an issue. When I checked into my room, it smelled strongly of stale smoke (despite the no-smoking signs displayed). I wasn't able to change room as the hotel was full, and it was impossible to ventilate the room as the windows don't open, and the AC didn't seem to work. In the end, the reception staff gave me some air freshener, and I resorted to leaving the door open, which helped, but it was still an unpleasant environment to sleep in, and my clothes came home smelling stale. The elevators and reception area also often smelled stale, and one time a pile of filled trash bags was left right outside the elevators.
Overall, I found the Red Roof Inn OK. Other than the stale smell, my room was clean, and my colleagues did not report similar problems with smoky rooms. It is a good choice if you are simply looking for a convenient, budget place to sleep, with no frills. However, next time I would consider paying a few more dollars for a hotel chain that invests greater care in looking after its guests.

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