We have just returned from a one-night stay at the Days Inn on S. Kentucky Ave. in Atlantic City. Our family had booked two rooms. We wanted two non-smoking rooms, but were told only one was available at time of reservation (booked months ago). We didn't want to stay at different hotels so decided to book, after asking over the phone if we could please be moved to another non-smoking room if there were any cancellations.
We never heard back about any cancellations, so called back first thing in the morning the day we were going to check in to confirm when we would be arriving and to check on the room status. The clerk at the desk said there were no more non-smoking rooms. Once again, I politely informed the clerk that we were hoping to be changed to a non-smoking room if anything opened up. When we arrived later that day to check in, a couple was in front of us on line. They were just walk-ins and had no reservations, yet asked for two non-smoking rooms and were given them.
I was very annoyed because I had distinctly asked the man (the same one at the desk when we arrived) over the phone about changing rooms. It did not occur to him to grant this request when the non-smoking rooms opened up. I was literally 2 minutes too late (I saw the couple who took the 'last' non-smoking rooms in the parking lot on the way into the lobby). The clerk took forever to take care of their reservations. I waited patiently and when it was my turn, I told him who I was and then reminded him we had spoken on the phone at 7 that morning and so I was wondering why I, who had made a reservation months in advance, didn't get the room but the walk ins did even though I called that morning to confirm so he knew we were coming. It didn't occur to him to do anything to attempt to grant the request. I could understand if I had not confirmed my reservation and he didn't want to take a chance we weren't going to show up, but that wasn't the case.
He was not the least bit apologetic. Instead, he told me there was no way they could have saved the room for us. He was argumentative and rude. At the same time, I realized that he had started helping me mid-transaction with the first couple. As the clerk (his name tag said "Kevin" but it appeared this was an anglocized version of his real name) continued to argue with me, the walk-in guest started making noise like he was annoyed because he was still waiting to finish booking the room. I didn't want to be inconsiderate of him so I told the clerk it was fine if he finished taking care of him, but "Kevin," who I think was also the manager, preferred to continue arguing with me!
At this point, there was now a line of people waiting to check in. This didn't seem to faze "Kevin." He continued repeating to me that there was no way he could have helped me, this after I had told him I believed he had bad customer service, which he took offense to, apparently. My brother-in-law heard him and walked over to tell him that it was a waste of our time to have him repeat the same thing over and over again and it would have simply been nice if he had apologized for the inconvenience, but that totally didn't occur to "Kevin." My brother-in-law also brought up that beside an apology, a small discount would have also been appreciated but neither was offered. I repeated to "Kevin" I thought it was just bad customer service and that's all I had to say to him. Yet he persisted in arguing with me. I knew I wasn't getting anywhere and I didn't want to lose the $218 I paid for the room, otherwise, I would have gone somewhere else. Believe me, it wasn't worth it, for the seedy neighborhood it turned out to be which they don't tell you in their description of course, and especially when I found out my brother-in-law had booked a room at the Red Roof Inn a few blocks down at the last minute for only $88!
I finally just gave up and paid and we went up to leave our luggage in the rooms. To add insult to injury, a few minutes later, the phone in the room rang. I figured it was the "Kevin" to say 'did you find the room OK?' as other establishments have done in the past, or, silly me, to apologize for the scene downstairs. Not even close. He called to say 'you booked a double room, but I saw 6 people go up there.' The genius forgot that my sister, who had checked in right before me, had another room, therefore we had 2 people in one room and the four in the OTHER DOUBLE ROOM, as we had said when we booked both rooms! So he was accusing us of trying to pull a fast one! Unreal.
Besides that, it was a real joy. Loud arguing in the streets and shouting in the halls late at night, potato chips discovered behind the night stand when I tried to find an outlet for my cell phone charger and a bathtub which clogged up after the first one in our group took a shower in the morning. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the decor in the lobby or the elevator, which looked like they hadn't been updated since the building was built in 1965!
Learn from our mistake: Don't stay here or you'll probably regret it. Unless of course, you enjoy arguing with the desk clerk, just like I, and the four other guests who I saw him disputing something with the next morning did.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
no way!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Gambling / Casinos