Residence Inn Madison East

We've stayed at quite a few other Marriott properties including other Residnece Inns and this place was very disappointing. As Marriott loyalty members we don't expect special treatment but we do think we deserve better treatment. That didn't happen here. Our room faced a blank wall and had six air conditioner compressors right outside the windows. Being the summer they ran almost constantly. One of the reason we chose this location was because they had an indoor pool. Given that state Covid restrictions had been lifted and there was no mention of the pool being closed on their Web site we naturally assumed it would be open. It wasn't until we checked in that we were told it was closed. And one rather odd thing about this place is that while the breakfast area had coffee in the morning they didn't have any plain old (natural) half-and-half, only different selections of the chemically-enhanced, sugar-laced International Delights creamers. I've never encountered this before. Bring your own cream or milk and keep it in the fridge. Those things aside, the front desk staff was attentive, we didn't notice the place being dirty as others had found, and it was quiet while we were there (other than the air conditioner compressors constantly running outside our windows).

The negative reviews are all true. Just dirty, grimy everywhere, especially the public areas. This place could work if they just cleaned it. Opened the freezer in our first suite and was almost knocked over by the putrid smell. No way to get rid of it. Second suite had a 500 watt light shining in the window. The curtains are sheer so it was like sunny day noon all night. I don't think I slept ten minutes. I see they have dropped the Marriott affiliation in the name, I think Marriott pulled the plug. There is an outside seating area with a gas fireplace thing for warmth. It would be okay except for the beer bottle caps, cigarette butts and the dead mouse. Nasty place!

We had a wonderful Residence Inn at Eau Claire, Wisconsin so we surmised all of this type were very good motel hotels with suites. Wrong. And this motel was beat up and run down. It also housed military or Guard guests so the place was noisy like a dormitory at various times. I have not experienced such a circus for a hotel even in busy tourist locations.

Let’s start with the positives: the location is good - right off I 39 and TH 151 and near plenty of food places. The towels appeared to be new, and the shower curtain in one of the bedrooms was also fairly new (although it was not completely hooked on the top, so it sagged in places). The not so positives: the room we were given (309) was a two BR suite. You would think that it would be one of the nicer rooms (and it probably was 20 years ago). It was very dusty, there was pet hair all over the couch and the desk chair, the table had two legs that leaned, the carpet and flooring needed to be replaced, the refrigerator was dented, both tubs and toilets were stained (we considered whether or not to shower in the morning), etc. this room should not have been given to a customer. We carry cleaning supplies with us during this time of COVID, so we cleaned up all the surfaces that we used, so we were able to stay there (and we were tired from driving ten hours). In the hotel’s defense, I didn’t review Trip Advisor before we booked. If I had, we would have stayed at the Hampton Inn that was just a block or so away. The front desk staff were friendly and nice, and the lady in the morning even mentioned that they had planned a full refurbishment for 2020 and then COVID happened (this would have been a great time to close and re-do the hotel, in my opinion). COVID protocols: the front desk staff had masks that they wore, although there was no protective plastic shield up to protect them from all the people coming in. There were hand sanitizer packets in a couple of places in the lobby and by the elevator. There were signs in place telling people to social distance and to wash hands. There was no evening food/drink, and the breakfast was a ‘grab and go’. I am not usually writing a negative review, so I hope that Marriott does something to remedy the situation at this hotel, because it could be so much better. The ‘bones’ for a very good hotel are there. We stayed at other Residence Inns in the past three weeks, and this is by far the one in most need of TLC!

You’d think Marriott means good, right? Wrong. Gross room. Pet hair and crumbs in hide-a-bed. Sounded like we were sleeping in an asylum (baby crying, dog barking, plumbing so loud I thought someone was taking a shower in MY room at 2am). Late night staff was nice and cleaning, day time staff was talking on phone loudly to friend about being ‘loved on more’ by some guy and took conversation to back when I came by. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. Do not go here. It’s like a nasty motel.