Tru By Hilton Battle Creek

The rooms are a little small, but perfectly fine for a minimalist hotel. There’s no microwave in the rooms, just one in the lobby. The elevators were quiet and smooth, the bed was comfortable, and it was easy to control the room temperature. There’s a check-in deposit that, I was told, gets refunded in 3-5 days as long as there’s no damage. Thanks to Caleb for the warm welcome and quick check-in. One small safety suggestion: don’t say room numbers out loud unless a guest can’t see the written number.

We visited the pool on both our arrival and departure days. Each time, the trash was overflowing with empty alcohol cans, the hamper was packed with soggy dirty towels, and fresh towels hadn’t been brought out. At breakfast around 8:00 AM, there were no utensils or napkins, most of the bread was gone, the pancake machine wasn’t working, there was no fruit, and the tables were dirty and crusted. The breakfast attendant was friendly and helpful, and I don’t fault her. The biggest issue started when we entered our two connected rooms at Tru by Hilton in Battle Creek on New Year’s Eve with our three children. One room was accessible, so its extra floor space made it a better fit for the kids. It was snowy, and we took off our shoes right at the entrance without walking beyond the bathroom doors, but the accessible room’s floor was still so sticky our boots stuck to it. Within minutes, our 15-year-old’s white socks had turned dark brown and made a Velcro-like sound with each step. Our 11-year-old, who slides around on floors all the time, got tar-like grime on his socks and feet, as though layers of dirt had come up from the floor. It was genuinely disgusting. The bathrooms weren’t clean either. There was visible, smelly urine residue around the toilet seat hinges. In the adults’ bathroom, sticky puddles were in front of the shower door, and paper scraps from a previous guest were scattered around the trash can. The shampoo dispenser in the kids’ bathroom and the conditioner dispenser in the adults’ room were both empty. After we left, I tried contacting management to report everything. I gave detailed feedback, said I had photos documenting the conditions, and asked for a call back. Nobody ever responded. Between the housekeeping, facility upkeep, and lack of follow-through from management, this was a failure at every level. Given the stay and the silence afterward, I can’t recommend the property.

The room was perfectly clean and the bed was comfortable, but the amenities weren’t being looked after. The body wash was completely empty, and there were hardly any pillows until I asked for more. Around 8:30am, during breakfast, I went to the lobby for coffee and found it all gone. At the breakfast bar, with only one other couple eating, there was no milk for cereal, the yogurt at the parfait bar was empty, the pancake mix was gone, and only two sausages were left in the warmer. Meanwhile, two employees were chatting at the desk about their weekend and ignoring those obvious duties. This could be a great hotel if someone cared enough to stock things and support the amenities. It just needs more care and management to become one of the best places to stay.

We were here for a floor hockey weekend with about 30 children. Jake the assistant GM went above and beyond, and the staff were super friendly and accommodating. We’ll probably stay here every year when we come back. Thanks!