WoodSpring Suites Chicago Darien

The one part of our stay that bothered us was a musty smell in the room. We couldn't tell if it came from another room or the previous guests, and spraying cologne only helped us get used to it. Otherwise, everything worked, the bedding was clean, and we didn't see any bugs. The place was fairly clean overall, with employees always around cleaning, and the staff were friendly and professional. They even let us check in an hour early since the room was ready. We booked through booking and had no deposit to pay. Seeing people walking their dogs added a nice family feel. I was a little concerned at first because it's an extended stay, but we had no other complaints.

I was told on the phone by the receptionist that my reservation was all set, but when I arrived at 10:02, the receptionist who had just started her shift refused to check me in because it was past 10:00. The original receptionist was right there and confirmed she'd spoken with me and had everything ready, but they still wouldn't let me in. I hope Wood Springs doesn't consider that acceptable.

I had to revise my review because I now think this place is a huge scam. Employees who live on site, including those supposed to be available overnight, are instead sneaking people into their rooms and can't be reached for help. There's a sign at the desk asking guests to call a number, and ringing the bell does nothing. The manager, Tia, is only on site during the week, opens the desk at 9am, and leaves around noon. When I asked why she went so early, she said she had to pick up her daughter every day and would come back, but she never did. She also took a random seven-day vacation during an issue I had, saying she needed to attend to her daughter again. After checkout or being kicked out, they may keep charging your card on file, sometimes hundreds of dollars. I was told to ask Tia about the charges, but she said they had a weird new system she didn't really understand. Employees repeatedly told me the billing system and charges were above their pay grade, and that I had to come in the morning to talk with the manager, who might be in a meeting or gone by noon. I have recordings of three employees saying this, and at least six video or audio recordings overall, including one call with my lawyer asking questions. They said more than once that no one understood how or when charges were made, and I say they try to take as much as possible from your account after checkout. The place ran great when Tia, the general manager, was there working all the time. But with employees spread thin and the manager leaving early, nobody seems to care about the job. If you have a question, you're told to see a manager who's never available. I have recordings and pictures of what happened, and my lawyer is about to have a field day with this place.

It's surprisingly quiet here even with so many people around. The staff are making our temporary stay easy, and housekeeping does a really thorough job.