The Clarion website shows you pictures of a nice bathroom with large tub.
Our room was not that room.
We had a small bathroom with a small stained dirty tub. The toilet handle did not work we had to hold the handle down to flush it. There was a hole in the wall behind the toilet.
They would not allow us to have a rollaway bed I had to sleep on a chair.
The room was small dirty The service bad. The hallways smelled so bad we had to hold our nose to walk down them. Paid 150.00 for this room will not ever be back.

Having read all the glowing reviews I was certain that this was THE place to stay in Hagerstown. Excited by the non-smoking policy of the hotel and the pristine reviews I was ready to enjoy the luxury that other reviewers raved about. Well, the room was smelly.....as if someone had smoked in it....so it just had that stale smell about it...not horrible....but I expected a cleaner smell as per the reviews. Well, regarding the big expensive renovations the room may have received a paint job and some new lighting over the bed but I felt like I was in a dungeon. The ceilings were low and the walls were that shiny, bumpy style with worn furniture. The beds were comfortable and the bedding was decent. The bathroom was small and functional but all in all the room had a dingy feel. We had a poolside room which has no windows to the outside. There are sliding glass doors which make it convenient to enter the pool area. But I had no idea a pool room meant that there was no access to fresh air or light. The pool area is interesting as the pool is in the middle of a large room surrounded by the pool rooms on 2 levels. The room was noisy as the sounds and echoes from the pool area resonated into the room. The pool is large and kids definitely had fun. It is a mineral pool so no red eyes from chlorine. I did not venture around the hotel as it seemed dark and mysterious from my seat around the pool. There is a long hallway that leads you directly to Barefoot Bernies so you can't beat the convenience. I also took a walk outside to get to the restaurant and observed grounds that were worn and unkempt. The hotel and complex to the restaurant felt dated so I felt that I was taken by the reviews that raved about the extensive renovations and luxurious feel. The food at the Bernies was fair as well. I had the crabcakes and they were very uninteresting...so boring I could not finish...and I am a big eater. The service was fair too as we waited a long time for our dinner. The staff was courteous. The staff at the front desk of the hotel was courteous too. We needed directions to get to the other side of Hagerstown for an athletic event early in the morning and the directions that the front desk rep gave us did not work once out on the road. So I don't agree that this should be the #2 hotel in Hagerstown. This rating and reviews were very misleading and another family stayed at the hotel too via my research and I was quite embarrassed. At $100 a night, I felt taken. It was worth about $75 for the area.
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Very luxurious rooms. Hotel is spotless, comfortable bed & linens. We stayed in the jacuzzi suite which is perfect. The staff were all very courteous. Hotel is connected to a very nice restraunt. We really can not say enough about this hotel.

My wife and I moved from the D.C. area to Colorado in 2005. Before that time, I had worked as a lawyer in the District and traveled to Hagerstown frequently for business. I had stayed in many Hagerstown hotels over the years and honestly avoided the Clarion like the plague. Prior to the remodeling in 2009, I considered this hotel to be a run-down shell of what it had been. Fast forward to the present. My wife's family is from Hagerstown. We travel back to Washington County several times a year and enjoy the privacy of a hotel (long family related story not included). This past Christmas/ New Year, we traveled back to Hagerstown for a ten day visit. Ten days is a LONG time to stay in any hotel, and I did quite a bit of research on where to stay. Much to my surprise, the Clarion had allegedly been remodeled and was the subject of rave of reviews on Trip Advisor. I checked the rates and was surprised to find a nightly rate under $60.00 with AAA. I decided to take a chance and make the reservation. It was a fantastic decision.

For anyone who stayed in this hotel prior to 2009, the change the ownership from "down-under" has made is nothing less than extraordinary. Gone are the dank rooms and horribly dirty pool area. Gone are the mediocre staff and wretched food of the now defunct Barracuda's. The multi-million dollar remodel of the hotel is nothing short of outstanding. The mineral pool is spotless and refreshing to swim in. The entire pool area has been upgraded with coy ponds and clean new tile and landscaping. Overall, the pool area was that of a 4-5 star resort. The rooms had also been completely redone with new fixtures, bathroom and lighting. The wireless at the hotel was also fast and never an issue with my iMac.

The overall attitude of the staff has also improved on a dramatic scale. Requests for accessories items and extra pillows were met with a cheerful smile and never a feeling of annoyance. On the night we checked in, we arrived late from DCA due to flight delays. I joked with my wife that previous reviews on Trip Advisor has reported the staff actually waiting for reserved guests at the front of the hotel. I did call the hotel after we landed and informed them we would be arriving after midnight. Sure enough, when we arrived at the sally port in front of the hotel, the night staff was waiting and actually addressed us by name and stated they were glad we had finally arrived. It was one of those moments an international traveler expects a punch line, or to be fleeced. What it was, was genuine hospitality.

A couple of tidbits of advice. First, take advantage of the free hot breakfast every morning. Their local restaurant offers a great biscuits and gravy meal, as well as eggs, fresh fruit, cereal and a variety of fruit juices to choose from. They also offer free ice tea and mineral water all day to hotel guests by the pool. Second, make a trip over to Barefoot Bernie's connected to the hotel. Their crab-cakes are delicious and the menu is surprisingly affordable. Definitely a must stop place.

Overall, I woud rate this the top hotel to stay in the Hagerstown area. It is centrally located and by far the best hotel in town. If you check my reviews, you will see that I a frequent business traveler and have an extremely high level of expectations for a place to stay away from the confines of home, I can recommend this hotel without question. You simply will not be disappointed. Feel free to contact me at devauxlaw@msn.com if you have any questions about this review.

Jason A. DeVaux
Woodland Park, Colorado