SpringHill Suites by Marriott Denver Anschutz Medical Campus

We were in town February 9-14 because of the hospital, and the included breakfast had kind staff but below-standard food. The Hyatt down the street was a much nicer stay two weeks earlier, and an easier walk to the hospital. This one was disappointing. Our first room had no water reaching the toilet. I checked the valve, but it still wouldn't work, so the apologetic front desk moved us down the hall. In that second room, late that night, we found small animal droppings, maybe from a ferret or something, in the corner by the sofa and floor lamp. We reported it first thing in the morning and were moved to a top-floor room. They called that an upgrade, though it was just like the first two rooms, except the toilet worked and there were no droppings, plus the closet was smaller. When we asked for two bottles of water after moving, they added them to the bill. I also went to the bar for a drink. There was one person at the bar eating, who turned out to be the bartender. Earlier I'd seen her carrying buckets of ice from the hallway ice machine and thought she was a guest. The bar apparently doesn't have its own ice, and staff eating there while working was enough to put me off ordering a cocktail.

The pool is always clean and really enjoyable, and it's a short drive to restaurants and boba. The area feels sketchy, though I don't notice it as much when I'm staying here. I've been back many times because the location right across from the hospital is perfect. Some room details can be hit or miss, like a bulb that needs changing or something small that's broken. Front desk friendliness varies too, from very friendly to just friendly enough. But I want to give a huge shout-out to the staff, especially housekeeping. I see them working hard, and the sheets and towels are clean. They use the on-site laundry room for blankets and other things. Thanks for all the hard work, I really appreciate how clean the place is. One thing: breakfast waffle makers seem to be in high demand, and the line can be a problem for people who don't have time to wait. More machines would help.

When my wife got out of the hospital, she was brought to our hotel. She stepped outside to look at the Christmas lights, tripped, and fell on her face, breaking two teeth and bones in her hand. Management filled out an incident report, and our lawyer is looking into it. During an already difficult stay, that was awful. I booked 13 nights here only because it was close to the hospital. I wouldn't pick it again unless location was the only thing that mattered. The property feels old, poorly managed, and short on flexibility or empathy. The furniture was dated and visibly worn and stained. The bed was hard and lumpy, and the shower took several minutes to get hot. The TV's Netflix volume was so low I had to sit about a foot away. A technician said he'd installed the TVs himself and intentionally capped the sound to protect the speakers. Even after agreeing it was too quiet, he wouldn't adjust it. A local organization sent $250 toward our hotel costs, but the hotel wouldn't apply it, saying the full bill would go to our credit card. We still don't know what happened to that money. Cleanliness and attention to detail were inconsistent. After a windy night, leaves covered the floor by the front desk and stayed there past noon. I mentioned it to the clerk, admittedly with some sarcasm, and got no acknowledgment. Breakfast was standard and nothing special, though the dining room staff were friendly and helpful. We had to move rooms twice. The first had no water to the toilet, and the second had small animal droppings on the floor. The front desk was apologetic about the first problem and moved us, then moved us again after we reported the droppings. The third room was supposedly an upgrade, but was otherwise the same as the others and had a smaller closet. Two bottles of water we requested were charged to our bill.

The pool was clean and refreshing, and the staff were helpful and friendly. This worked well for an early appointment at Anshcutz campus. The front of the hotel is around back, and there isn't a sign on the building from the entrance side; the signs face colfax.