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.

Very disappointed in the Red Roof INN. I am a Senior citizen and was in a strange city because of surgery for my husband in UVA hospital. When I booked my reservation through someone at the desk directly, they told me that I could stay until Saturday or Sunday because of not knowing the day of discharge for my husband. Then they proceeded to book my room for someone else during my time of stay!! They did not offer any assistance in finding me another room locally. I was completely at a loss and had to pack everything up in the car and went to the hospital. Fortunately, I was helped there and booked a room at the English Inn and it was so much nicer than the Red Roof INN. I would highly recommend the English Inn for anyone. It was clean and served a nice hot breakfast!! The Red Roof Inn offered nothing but TROUBLE!!

My husband was having surgery at UVA Hospital. I booked a room beginning on Sunday night and asked for an open ended reservation with an expectation it would end on Friday or Saturday. The desk clerk said this would be no problem, but apparently entered into the computer as ending on TUESDAY! Consequently, my room was re-booked beginning on Friday night. The hotel staff were very unhelpful and the corporate office said it was just my word against theirs -- so here I am spreading my word about their ineptitude. I have found another room for the remainder of my stay, but the last thing I needed was such horrible customer service during this stressful time.

I had serious doubts about this hotel. I'm not a hotel snob, but clean is at the top of my list. I was nervous driving down. We were pleasantly surpised by the cleanliness of the newly renovated hotel. Great location, too. I would absolutely stay there again. To this day, I can't figure out why (after putting all of that money into a renovation) the owners of the hotel wouldnt put a different flag out front--they could probably charge 50% more if it was even a courtyard or something.