Extended Stay America - Austin - NorthwestArboretum - The Domain

The one good thing is that they allow dogs. Beyond that, this three-week work stay was a stressful mess. The building seemed seriously understaffed, people didn’t communicate, maintenance and desk staff weren’t helpful, and I had to walk to the desk and wait for someone to appear because calls went unanswered or the phone only worked if I held the cord in place. The room wasn’t clean when I arrived. Food still made the desk surfaces sticky, trash was under the bed, and I found cockroaches on the desks. The bed was broken; maintenance didn’t help, so we fixed it ourselves, which is how I found the trash. The shower drain didn’t work, and I had to call two or three times per shift for maintenance, with many requests never recorded. They didn’t change my towels, and when I asked for clean ones, staff said none were available. Rooms are supposed to be cleaned weekly according to the posted notice, but they only clean every two weeks. There are three washers and three dryers for the whole complex, about 30 rooms per floor, two floors per building, and three buildings, but only one dryer works. Breakfast was listed but wasn’t offered, and there were no kitchen dishes or utensils to borrow, despite the website. The TV had no remote, a small complaint compared with the rest. This place caused so much stress, I’d stay elsewhere even if it cost more.

The lobby was really nice, but building 3 had one of the roughest-looking rooms I’ve stayed in. The hotel definitely needs updating. I didn’t see any bugs, and the main bed was comfortable, but the peeling floor laminate and the sofa bed were awful. My buddy and I had planned to split the bed and sofa bed, but the latter was truly disgusting. Breakfast still wasn’t being served. It did the job for one night, though I’d dread staying longer.

The convenient location is what kept me here for about a month while I waited for my apartment. It did the job, but I still feel like I paid way too much. The room had crumbs and sticky surfaces left behind, and the pool was dirty enough that I only used it once. There was no room service or free breakfast, even though the website said there would be. The desk would sometimes be unattended for long stretches, and we had to replace our own towels and sheets. I’m really disappointed.

We paid for a room and had told the third-party booking service we’d arrive late, but getting inside took forever and nobody answered the phone. At check-in, the staff member said arrivals after 11 p.m. might not be possible, even though we’d made our timing clear. When I tried to ask about it, she cut me off, then said she’d make an exception. None of this had been mentioned online or in the emails. There were extra fees, and she ran my card twice after taking it. I still don’t know how that will turn out. The whole place smelled strongly of weed despite being listed as smoke-free, a problem for one of us with severe asthma. Our room was filthy, with hair, dust, and old food, and it was missing basic things. The front desk staff disappeared, so we couldn’t ask for help. There was supposed to be breakfast, but there wasn’t. Stay somewhere else.