Country Inn and Suites By Carlson Cedar Falls

Our hallway smelled of smoke even though the hotel says it’s smoke-free, and the whole place felt dark and dingy with a funky smell. The website photos are very misleading. Breakfast was terrible, and the small gym had old, broken equipment. Our room had no carpet or rugs, which made a mess in winter. I wouldn’t recommend it.

The room itself was fine, and housekeeping was excellent. The front desk, though, was another story. The morning manager came across as rude and condescending. Breakfast was overcooked, the bread was stale, and guests weren’t allowed to take any breakfast items to their rooms. Even though I booked through a third party, they added a daily fee to my room, called it tax, and wouldn’t give me a receipt. I’ll never stay here again.

The room was spacious and clean, breakfast was good, and the kids had a great time in the pool and hot tub. The front desk guy was really nice and helpful. We also saw maintenance worker Mark working hard and cleaning nonstop whenever we ran into him. I’d been unsure about booking because of the mixed reviews, but I’d stay here again if I’m in the area.

I’ve stayed at this property many times, but my mid-December stay in room #205 was by far the worst. I couldn’t report the problems when I left because no one was at the desk. The heating controls didn’t work, and a raised tile between the beds seemed to be bulging from moisture. I kept hurting my feet on it. The floors were dirty throughout, there was hair on the shower wall and in the sink, and a used hair tie was left on the coffee tray. Every surface top was dirty and spotted with coffee. The door slammed shut, and I felt bad for the neighbors. The room quality at most of the hotels has declined over the years, and I’m considering leaving Choice. I thought Country Inn would stay nice for a while, but there doesn’t seem to be much maintenance, and the cleaning staff need training.