Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin

For the $100 a night I paid for the AccessU conference, I was quite pleased. I’ve stayed here two years in a row for it. It’s not fancy, but it’s comfortable and just the right size for running into other people at the event. My room had a lovely large desk, a fridge, microwave, and coffee maker. The bed was medium firm, neither too soft nor rock hard. The quesadillas and chocolate cake I had at the hotel bar were generously portioned and fairly priced. I didn’t get to try the pool or exercise room, but it was nice knowing they were there. My only disappointment was the broken ice machine on the 5th floor.

The room smelled like wet dog and felt neglected, and we left after arriving Friday evening and spending the night. We went to a competition Saturday morning, then came back in the evening to find one bed completely unmade and the other only partly made, as if someone had napped on it. I asked my husband if he’d done that before we left, and he said no. I called the front desk to ask about cleaning and explain what we’d found. The receptionist guessed our daughter had left a blanket on the bed, but that didn’t explain the other bed or how badly it had been made. She also said they don’t clean on the first night, only the second. So why had someone been in our room? My friend said her bed was made nicely, with two blankets folded on it. That made the receptionist’s explanation sit even worse with me. The booking link said a complimentary breakfast buffet was included, but we were told at arrival that breakfast wasn’t included. I went downstairs to raise both issues and show photos. The receptionist was very sweet and kept apologizing. There were torn curtains, a missing sink stopper, a tub stopper that wasn’t attached, a phone with no buttons that didn’t work, and a clock that wasn’t set. The closer was missing from the door, and the bed skirts were dirty and nasty. It made me wonder whether they clean the rooms properly or change the sheets between guests. This place needs a complete renovation. I won’t book here again. Whoever cleaned the 2nd floor, especially room 212, needs closer supervision and more training. Kudos to whoever did the 5th floor for taking the simple step of folding both blankets for the guest.

The hotel’s dated, and the hallway carpets were soiled. The ice machine didn’t work, and breakfast isn’t included, though there’s a separate on-site restaurant where you can buy it. The location was good for downtown Austin and other attractions.

For our anniversary stay, my boyfriend and I found a treat in the room with a cute note. I believe I spoke with Claudette before checking in, and she’d left it for us. The receptionists I met and the housekeeping team all seemed nice. I gave 4 stars because the ice machine on my floor didn’t dispense ice and the hall floors could’ve used a little TLC. Thanks, everyone!