DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek

Clean rooms, a decent gym, good food, and even better drinks. Amara is great behind the bar and makes a killer old fashioned. If you're staying around Battle Creek, this is the place to be.

The Pantry was one of the best I’ve seen, with an impressive, eclectic range of snacks and food. I enjoyed the rest of the hotel too, from the beautiful restaurant and rooms to the shower, layout, and décor. Plenty of staff around the building and in the restaurant were wonderful and helpful. A gentleman handled the restroom issue I reported with real professionalism. I plan to return from time to time. The front desk experience didn’t match the rest. My room was prepaid, but during check-in the woman kept trying to charge the full amount to my card. When I showed proof of payment, she said my bank was “lying.” She also announced that my card wasn’t going through, which could have embarrassed someone. Later, when I came back to the desk, she realized she hadn’t finished checking me in. At checkout, she rolled her eyes and made faces that made me feel my questions were irritating her. The front desk could use better hiring and training to match the quality elsewhere in this lovely hotel. I also paid at the parking lot, then saw a parking charge on my room. I’m not sure what parking normally costs, but $24 altogether seems steep, and I’m unsure whether that was an overcharge.

The bartender was kind when I stopped at the bar for a drink, but the night was frustrating. We’d reserved three rooms for New Year’s Eve so my sisters could come from Farmington Hills and Lansing for a night together, even with the unexpected snowstorm. A water main break had affected the hotel, which wasn’t their fault. Still, I was told about it at check-in and checked in without being offered a chance to cancel. When another guest arrived, the woman checking him in offered that option because there was no water. I asked why I hadn’t been offered the same choice, but got no real explanation. After we checked in, we learned all the restaurants were closed, though the bars were open. Around midnight I asked if the water was back, and was told it had been restored around 9:30 p.m. Nobody had let guests know. If the staff had handled the situation better, this could have been a five-star stay. I paid good money for three rooms and didn’t feel treated like a guest. Also, downtown Battle Creek was extremely lame on New Year’s Eve, with most places closed. For a more fun night out, go to a city like Grand Rapids.

I’d gotten completely lost in a snowstorm and was having a terrible night when I had to pull off the highway in unfamiliar Battle Creek and find somewhere to stay. Whitney at the front desk was so kind and comforting, and went out of her way to help. She made my whole day better. I’d recommend this place to anyone.