DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Biloxi (Biloxi, USA)

If you can get a 'corner' room, they have the best Gulf views. It's worth making a definite request so that you get best value from this location and your visit. The hotel is across the road from the beach, next to MGM Park and an easy walk from casinos, bars and restaurants.

All staff are OK to varying degrees but the most constantly pleasant and helpful are those wonderful cleaning ladies. Bottom of the list are restaurant personnel.

This has got to be one of the cheapest 'on the beach' hotels in the area, so you're happy to overlook the occasional glitch. With the massive improvements in the pipeline, either the value for money will then be spectacular - or they'll increase the prices and make it less attractive.

From your room, you can hear conversations in neighboring rooms. Beds vibrate when doors slam closed and depending on your room location, there's the constant sound of voices coming from the public areas. There is no sound insulation here.

It seems to be run on a shoestring and it's normal practice to pop along to Wal-Mart to replenish supplies of coffee etc; missing from the rooms. So 'housekeeping' should be in hot water over this. They'll be alone though, for there's a real shortage of the stuff in the rooms, forcing you to take a cold shower!

Requests to add a refrigerator and/or microwave to the room are ignored. Restaurant staff are miserable, the WiFi is unreliable to say the least and the pool is in a really bad place overlooking the main road.