SpringHill Suites by Marriott Albuquerque University Area

There are places to eat and get drinks in either direction, and a few are within walking distance. I don't know the area well, but getting around seemed easy. The parking garage needs a key card to enter or leave, and new arrivals have to be buzzed in. The hotel shares a building with Ronald mcdo and house, so that setup makes sense. The suite was spacious, with a couch and living area that made it feel more like home. The hotel seems fairly new, and the room was in good shape. Housekeeping has done a great job keeping the rooms and property up. It's directly across from a hospital. A lifeline helicopter came one night, but it wasn't too loud. It was a brief inconvenience, and someone's life could depend on it. Breakfast was the usual complimentary spread, eggs, bread, sausage, cereal, porridge, fruit, and so on. Hard-boiled eggs would be handy to grab quickly. The front desk also sells snacks. Good value for the space and cleanliness.

The room was ordinary, but the walls were so thin I could hear people talking and snoring next door, along with noise outside all night. There was a lot happening outdoors late, and I had trouble sleeping. There was no room service either. The exterior doors stay locked around the clock, so you need a key card to get in. Maybe that's for security, but the area by the university and hospital district didn't feel safe. I wish I'd looked into the hotel more before coming, because I would have chosen another place and area. This was the least pleasant Marriott property I've stayed at, and the noise and outside atmosphere made it hard to relax.

This was my second stay, and both times check-in with the same front desk was pretty awful. Getting into the lobby isn't straightforward. You press a button and hope someone isn't too busy to let you in. During a windstorm, I waited outside for ten minutes. The woman at check-in was rude on both visits. I often ask for an early check-in because of my flight schedule. This time she said my room was ready, but I then learned there's a $40 early check-in charge, more than 20% extra just to get in early. If I'd known, I wouldn't have stayed here. I asked when the policy changed since I'd been here a few weeks before, and she didn't know, saying, “About a week ago.” I travel a lot for work and am usually easygoing, and I rarely leave reviews. The rooms are decent and standard, but service and convenience are lacking.

I only stayed a night at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but it would've been easy to stay all week. The location makes it quick to get around downtown, the staff were excellent, and parking felt secure. Just remember to get a parking pass at the front desk when you check in and display it on your dashboard.