NH
Norman Herrin
Apr 14, 2026
Yes, I'm the same person who left a 5 star review just two weeks ago during the outbound leg of our international travel. It's amazing what a difference 2 weeks can make, all because of one individual who demonstrated the true lack of reliability of this hotel. So, pay attention to what previous reviewer 'no name' also just wrote days ago regarding hotel employees.
Here are the facts, followed by a strong recommendation:
From north Florida we had driven to Atlanta to get a direct flight overseas. So, we needed to return to Atlanta to retrieve our car, have an overnight stay, and supposedly drive home the next day. When our multi-leg return flights became delayed, I responsibly called the hotel earlier that day from another airport to say we would not be arriving until 1 am. We were given the logical advice that it's no problem, because we have a confirmed reservation, including that it is a non-refundable, pre paid commitment. Also, a note was supposedly added to our reservation notes so that "Deondre" (black male, probably in his 20s) would see it during the night shift.
After a 23 hour total flying experience, we arrived at the hotel around 1 am. Deondre checked my wife in while I was parking the car. We should have known this reservation was going to be miserable when (1) there was a line of travelers at the desk who had apparently just experienced flight issues and suddenly needed a room and (2) Deondre gave us a key to an occupied room where we quickly closed the door after seeing lights on and an ironing board set up when glancing into the room. When we returned to the desk, Deondre said they had no more rooms due to the sudden, unexpected arrival of many walk-in customers. What? When I reminded him we had properly made reservations, he said it didn't matter. During our exchange, he became very dismissive, flippant and told me we "apparently didn't understand how hotels work". Yes we do, we use hotels monthly and have never, ever experienced this. In politely making my case for needing a room that we truly reserved, he said I was a distraction while he needed to check in the rest of the line (into a hotel that he said is supposedly 100% occupied at this very moment? Yes, people were getting rooms, including one that should have been ours?)
Deondre never offered even an apology and lacked the customer skills we experienced just two weeks ago. But he is the true face of the hotel.
So, we walked out to our car at 1 am and started our 5 hour drive to North Florida, extending our total trip into 29 hours. We had no reservations elsewhere so we had little choice.
Recommendation: Avoid this hotel at all costs. Your reservation means absolutely nothing and if there's the occasional airline glitch for others, the walk-in customers will be given all rooms, first come first served. This is a reflection of not only a careless, lazy employee named Deondre, but is a reflection of management. So, do yourself a favor and safely reserve at the Holiday Inn Express next door, where Deondre is not employed. It's so close by that they even share the same parking lot. Travel planning involving flying at night is just too critical for this level of incompetence, even if you made a solid reservation. At Best Western Plus Atlanta East, your reservation means absolutely nothing.
I recently stayed at Best Western Plus Atlanta Airport-East, and while there were some positives, my overall experience was disappointing.
The location is excellent—very close to the airport and surrounded by a variety of restaurants, which makes it convenient for travelers. The room itself was beautiful and spacious, and I truly appreciated that aspect of my stay.
However, there were several issues that significantly impacted my experience. First, this location does not accept virtual wallet payments, which is inconvenient for frequent travelers who rely on modern payment methods.
Communication among staff was inconsistent. When I called with questions, I often received conflicting information. I requested housekeeping service but was told it wasn’t available due to the hotel being fully booked. Yet on the morning of my checkout, housekeeping knocked and entered my room multiple times—one instance involving a male staff member walking in while I was undressed. This was extremely uncomfortable and should never happen.
Additionally, I called the front desk the night before to confirm shuttle arrangements and requested a slightly later checkout so I could catch the 11:55 shuttle. When I followed up, there was no record of my request. To make matters worse, the shuttle dropped me off at the South Terminal when I needed the North Terminal.
My interaction with management was also disappointing. When I raised concerns—particularly about the privacy issue and switching payment methods (since I had a physical card available)—the manager was confrontational and dismissive. This lack of understanding and professionalism added to my frustration.
Overall, while the property itself is nice, the service and handling of guest concerns were unacceptable. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy my stay and would not choose this location again.