Pros: Near I-10, the airport, Wal-Mart, restaurants, shopping (walking distance no car needed), large facilities for conferences, microwave and fridge, easy access to parking. If you can find staff, they will work with you to have a pleasant stay. Facilities for large conferences. Great for people who have pets. Lots of easy access to first floor rooms. (Be sure to say hello to the Waffle House night shift and leave them some good tips. As of this writing, they remember southern hospitality.)
Cons: After midnight, no staff on duty (what they say and what they DO is not the same.)
Small rooms, double beds are small,
Some rooms-- remodeling jobs are not good-- hastily done without touchups, stained
carpeting.
Black mold in ceiling of at least one bathroom (I have photos)
Cost: $73 with tax
Traveler Advise: I am a Road Warrior. I stay in a lot of hotels. I travel a lot. I've stayed in some terrible places and this was not my worst hotel stay but certainly was unusual and one of the worst rooms I've stumbled across in many years of travel. Get there early to inspect your room. Ask for help early before the night staff leaves. I have this facility a "poor" rating and was saddened to do so because I could see they were trying to upgrade this facility and it will hopefully be great when they finish. Get a good room then tell us about it on TripAdvisor :-)
Maybe Gulfport has been left behind in this new age of technology. The Internet is a powerful tool. Travelers now have a voice because of sites like TripAdvisor.
This Ramada has been updated with fresh paint and furnishings. We had a poor stay but I will write this review for other travelers so they can have a better stay. I booked using Hotwire and as always I read the reviews on TripAdvisor. I NEVER travel without reading TripAdvisor first...well one time I did not follow my rule and had a terrible stay. This time I read the traveler reviews and found them helpful.
We arrived after 11pm at night and a room was ready for us. Because one of my party was unable to walk far (we were on our way to the Mayo Clinic in Florida) we were given a different room. I do not now what the first room looked like.
The second room was a remodeled room that had a bad paint job, hard beds, rusted refrigerator on the outside and mold on the inside. Mold on the bathroom ceiling. A musty smell. Large stains on the carpet. A dusty air conditioning unit.
We turned on the air conditioner hoping the air would clear the musty smell. As in many older hotels the fan was loud. I left to get food at a 24 hour food place. When I returned I discovered that as time passed the fan became louder and louder then began making a sound like a tornado siren in the distance about ever 15 minutes. It was clear that no one was going to get sleep that night because the air conditioner acted as an alarm clock snooze button. The only option was to turn off the air conditioner then deal with the musty smell. I called the front desk to see if we could change rooms. No answer.
I went to the front desk which was in another building. No desk clerk. I rang the large gong they use as a bell. No clerk. After waiting a while for the clerk, I almost called the police for worry maybe something bad had happened to the clerk. I did not see any blood so I assumed the clerk was maybe taking care of another guest's problem.
I returned to my room and started feeling sick and sneezing. I called Hotwire. Hotwire also called the front desk. No answer. Hotwire tried the call again. No answer. There was no emergency number for Hotwire to contact hotel management. Because we could not sleep, we chose to keep driving for the rest of our 1,000 mile trip to the Mayo Clinic. Time had passed and by this time morning was near. Hotwire staff promised that our hotel fee would be reversed in a few days and we would be given points for our next trip as I have used Hotwire for years without a complaint. I am a true road warrior, so if I had to leave a hotel, something was truly wrong.
Other reviewers had a great stay at this Ramada and I believe their reviews. When you travel with children or people who are sick, you need sleep so your body can rest then you can have the energy to keep your party encouraged the rest of your trip.
I did not have a good experience at this Ramada. I typically do not stay at Ramada because they are unpredictable. Maybe I might possibly stay at a brand new Ramada, but not the old ones. I cannot tell you to avoid this Ramada because that would be unfair to travelers who might get a great room.
I advise traverlers to try to get to the hotel early enough to actually see the room. Those with mold allergies would be wise to ask for another room if the room smells musty or stale. I am very allergic to black mold so I believe the absence of the clerk may have saved me from an allergic reaction. Had I not been so tired, I would have asked for another room immediately instead of trying to make the room work for me.
If I had children, I would not want them there in that room number 123. People who don't care about cleanliness would probably love the same room and the noise from the fan would cover other noises they make. If you don't like your room, immediately ask for another. Don't try to make it work. It will only get worse as the night goes on. Only use Hotwire for booking an unknown hotel in Gulfport MS if you just want a bed and don't care about comfort, allergies, noises, or cleanliness. I am glad this Ramada is updating itself. Room 123 needs a total overhaul. Get rid of everything to the bare floors. Start over. Cut out the mold.
I believe the clerk was trying to help us by keeping us closer to the parking which is a real plus for that hotel. I am not offended with the clerk-- he tried to help. Service is rated low because when I had a problem, there was no help.
Room Tip: Good for people with pets. Inspect the room first. If there is a musty smell, there is mold. If the...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
