Residence Inn by Marriott Sacramento Folsom

For my three night work trip, this was a good value. The room was clean and spacious, the breakfast was simple but good, and the staff were friendly. Natalia at the front desk was especially welcoming and helpful.

We stayed ten days and I’ve barely slept for a week. The hotel gave us the same top floor room, 310, where we’d had a good experience with family last Christmas, but it reeked of dog this time. The lighting is poor in every room we saw, kitchen items were stocked randomly, and each room had maintenance problems. After the first night, my daughter and I noticed bites on our ankles and torsos. The room had fleas. The hotel offered a temporary room for the second night, then moved us the next day to another two bedroom suite. It was on the second floor, and the desk had told me noise above was only an issue with children. That was a blatant lie. You hear every footstep from upstairs, loud talking through the walls, and all the outdoor noise by the front door if you’re trying to sleep in the living room. This place attracts families, and kids can be loud. On another night, someone cooked what smelled like burgers, made too much smoke, and set off the fire alarm. We all had to leave our rooms and stand in the cold for an hour. On multiple days, the breakfast bar ran out of eggs and other food well before closing. We get to go home today. Next year, we’ll use an AirBNB.

The location worked well, with a bottle shop almost next door and plenty of shops and restaurants within walking distance around Palladio. Getting an Uber was easy, with a marked pickup and drop-off spot. I also liked the shaded patio, the heated jacuzzi, and the daily hot breakfast. My room was spacious, with a stove, dishwasher, microwave, full size fridge and Netflix. Free wifi worked well throughout the property. I arrived early and they held my bags while the room was being prepared. Reception were friendly and helpful with rearranging fees, sorting out wifi, and finding a nearby store for something I needed. A few room issues stood out. The handle on my door stuck, so check it closes and locks before leaving. Cleaning was inconsistent: they mostly removed towels and rubbish, didn’t reliably vacuum or wipe tiles and surfaces, left footprints in the bathroom and put recycling in with the trash. There was a stain on the office chair. Toilet paper wasn’t replaced properly, and after about a week I had to ask a cleaner outside for more. There’s no kettle, so I used the coffee maker for hot drinks, but the first few bursts of water tasted of old coffee. At least there’s a stove to boil water. The table and chairs weren’t ergonomic for my height, as the table was too high, but the portable couch table let me work comfortably from the sofa.

We come here for a couple of days away. It’s near a theater, shopping and some decent restaurants, and the kitchenette is handy when we feel like eating in.