We made reservations to stay there, which is closest to Rex Hospital, because a family member needed surgery the following Monday. We made the reservations when the forecast was for a wintry storm. In Raleigh, roads become impassable with a small amount of snow, so we thought staying the night before, and being a mile away, would be a good thing. The man who took my reservation assured me that if I canceled the reservations at any time that there would be no problem, and my credit card would not be charged.

I called to cancel today, because the roads seem to be somewhat better. The woman who took my cancellation was MISERABLE. She DEMANDED to know the reason, and I told her why. She then asked nastily, "WEATHER?" I said, Yes." She said, "Well USUALLY there is a 48-hour cancellation policy, but THIS TIME, we'll let it go." I said calmly, "The man who took my reservation said there would be no problem." The woman replied loudly, in anger, "THAT IS NEVER OUR POLICY!!! NEVER!!! NEVER!!!!" and she kept yelling at me(!)(!)(!). I interrupted her, telling her I'd never stay at her [--] hotel and hung up.

Beware.

This was a big hotel and the only one I could find in the area. Room was very clean. price was over 80 dollars with tax . Carpets were pretty worn in room 161. No mention a complimentary breakfast. They did have a resturant but was pricy , I just went to McDonalds. Have stayed at better for less money and with the breakfast included, but for the area I guess this is to be expected.

Location! The Ramada was definitely in the right spot for our events at: 1. RBC Center - a super-short drive; perhaps walkable but didn't try due to high heels and rain; 2. State Fairgrounds - a short, easy walk to Gate 9; fairgoers have to pay, park, and walk anyway, so we kept our car right where it was at the hotel after checking out.

The room was clean, the front desk clerk was quick and friendly, and the hotel was quiet, even with a large group of MMA fighters in-house.

On the downside, the hotel presented potential safety issues. The first floor rooms all have sliding glass doors which open directly to the parking lot. Not only was this creepy, but we couldn't open the curtains without a wide view directly into the room. Since this was the only window, the room had no natural light; there are, however, plenty of (too) bright lamps in the room. Also, no keycard scan was necessary to open the side door!

Inside the room, there were pronounced body-sized dips in the beds. There was no refrigerator, but the room did have coffee.

Strangely out of place was a display case of very ordinary cakes and pies in the lobby. A sign showed that Sunday brunch at the on-site restaurant cost $14.95 for adults. We skipped it and went the short 6 to 7-minute drive down the highway to Whole Foods for coffee and breakfast.

The decor seriously needs updating. The hotel is nothing pretty to look at, but the old stuff is well-maintained and clean.

This is a basic no-frills hotel, but recommended for proximity to RBC, the State Fair, the NC State Vet School, and nearby attractions and businesses. It's overpriced for the quality or, rather, lackthereof, but they can justify the price due to the great location.

I would like to say that we enjoyed our stay at the Ramada Blue Ridge very much! The room was clean and the beds were super comfortable. The pool and surrounding courtyard are very nice, not to mention the great food offered at the hotel's on-site restaurant. The front desk staff were helpful and friendly. This hotel is so close to the places we wanted to visit, we will definitely be back. Thank you for a great weekend!