Living in the Mid-Atlantic region and having family in New England, we often find ourselves on the New Jersey Turnpike. We generally time the trip to include an overnight in Bordentown, NJ, largely because it is a charming little historical town--and because it has three or four excellent restaurants. Having stayed at several Bordentown motels through the years, moreover, we have zeroed in on the Hampton Inn as the best of those available.
Last week's stay, however, started out badly. (This is the "bad news" part.) Our second-floor room seemed fine at first, with all the good layout and amenities we have come to associate with Hampton Inns. Then we turned on the air conditioning, only to be overwhelmed by a rancid, gag-inducing odor which permeated the entire room. When we turned off the air conditioning, it went away. The room was warm, however, and we needed the AC. Turning it back on immediately restored the smell. Clearly the room was unacceptable.
And now the "good news." We reported the situation to the woman at the front desk, Melissa by name. She was most accommodating and helpful, immediately and cheerfully giving us another room directly across the hall--which turned out to be a two-room suite. That room was fine, of course, and all ended happily. I was also pleased, upon our return home, to find a phone message from the motel's General Manager, apologizing for the problem and inviting feedback regarding the resolution.
In short, the motel's personnel graciously and efficiently made the best of a potentially bad situation, and we are quite grateful. We're curious as to the cause of the smell--a dead bird, mouse, or other animal in the AC unit, perhaps?--but I'm confident that they will resolve the problem. We'll certainly continue to stay there when in Bordentown.
- Bordentown Hampton Inn
