THE STAFF WAS EXCELLENT!! Every single person with whom we had contact was professional, polite, personable, helpful, and could not have treated us any better.
I booked our reservations on August 28 in anticipation of evacuating our home (near Daytona) with the approach of Hurricane Dorian. We booked two rooms – the other for my elderly parents. With a predicted possible storm surge of as much as 20 feet, their home could have been badly flooded, and with both of them having mobility problems and medical issues, we had to get them to a safe location. Not knowing how far inland the storm would affect Floridians, we chose to go to Valdosta.
From the time I booked the reservation online, to my phone call with Sandy the Manager the following day (to extend the reservation due to storm changes), to our check-in and check-out, the staff was outstanding and compassionate to us and our situation. Everyone made us feel like family (we were there five nights because the storm kept changing!). I have no idea what kind of salaries they make, but they all should get a raise if this is how they treat all your guests! Because of all the evacuations, they were extremely busy, constantly on the phone, yet immediately responsive to any question or request, in spite of the needs of a sell-out crowd.
Aside from the outstanding customer service, the rooms were spotlessly clean (we are extremely fussy about that). The complimentary breakfast was very adequate compared to many chain hotels we have used in the past. In fact, we stayed in one franchise EconoLodge in Wyoming a few years back that was so bad corporate refunded our charges. The place looked like a crime scene! This location is convenient, clean, and comfortable.
I know that EconoLodge is a “budget” chain, but the convenient location and attentive staff knocked it out of the park for us. We would not only stay there again, but highly recommend it to anyone else going to that area. Valdosta State University is very nearby and this would be a great hotel for family members coming to visit for a weekend or a few days! We had a queen suite that was like an efficiency apartment with a full-sized refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, microwave, and a cook top.
The only reason I do not give this a 5 is because it is a budget chain and can't compare to a Hilton or 5-star resort. Also, we never did use the pool so I cannot comment on that. Otherwise, this place was perfect for our needs.
PS - PET FRIENDLY (but let them know in advance). We had two (very angry) cats evacuate with us. The rooms seem to be well insulated because even though the cats were not always behaving the staff told me they never heard them!
