Residence Inn by Marriott New York Long Island East End

The conference rooms were clean and had good ventilation, and I liked the entertainment room for guests. Hugh and the twins in the kitchen deserve a shoutout. The place was well kept, and the staff were accommodating and helpful. My room had a slight odor, but otherwise I was pleased with its cleanliness and the customer service. It's close to Tanger mall, restaurants, Walmart, Target, and a few of my favorite stores. The continental breakfast is a big hit. Rooms cost a bit, but I felt they were worth it, and you can use the pools and other amenities. I was here with a group of 200-plus. This was my second stay, and I can't wait to come back in a few months. I'd recommend checking it out.

We booked one night for one person. I stopped by in the morning because I wasn't feeling well, and my dog makes her smile. That's when we found out about a $75 pet fee, which hadn't been mentioned. I called the manager at 8 am to talk it over, but by 5 pm there was still no call back. If I hadn't noticed the fee, I'd have been stuck paying it. Customers deserve a response, don't they? I'm still waiting.

The room was supposed to be cleaned, but apart from fresh towels, it didn't seem properly done. There was a pinkish-orange stain on the comforter, blue spots on the counter, no tissues in the box, and the shower conditioner dispenser was broken off the wall. They also don't clean rooms daily, though I suppose that may be expected here. The staff were fine and nice at check-in and checkout, and gave us bottles of water when we arrived. For $170 a night, they do the bare minimum, which is okay if all you need is a place to sleep. Don't expect an enjoyable stay. The other guests didn't help: one woman stuffed her bag with free breakfast items, a man walked barefoot and dripping wet through the elevator, and many people were in pajamas at breakfast. You see it all here. This isn't considered a nice hotel, but I still expect basic cleanliness and tissues.

The room was excellent and breakfast hit the spot, but getting help from the front desk was frustrating. I asked three times in one day to have the room serviced, and it never happened. Towels took 45 minutes to arrive after I went down to ask, even though I'd already called and been told they'd be sent up. We stayed four days, and the room was never serviced.