The Flats

Some rooms have microwaves in the pictures, and I think every room should have one, especially if it’s called a suite. I didn’t see one listed, so I assumed there wouldn’t be one, but without it we couldn’t heat up restaurant leftovers. The coffee machine in the downstairs hall was annoying to visit every time we wanted a cup, and when it ran out of water, we had to figure out how to refill it or go without coffee. People talk about fresh cookies, but our room had none and we didn’t see any during our two night stay. The room was lovely, but C4’s big, low light fixture is easy to hit your head on if you’re 5’8 or taller, since it’s just past the bed on the way to the bathroom. Two towels weren’t enough. Three would be nice, especially if you have long hair and want to wrap it after a shower. Before the trip, I emailed to ask whether the rooms had glasses and got no reply. That made me worry problems wouldn’t be addressed. For anyone wondering, there were a few plastic wrapped plastic cups on the bathroom sink. We booked this for our 18th wedding anniversary, and it was just okay at best. The photos felt misleading because only a few rooms were shown, and they all showed couches. I expected a couch, but we had only a small bench by a thin, drafty window that was bone chilling. You couldn’t lean back on it, and the bed was uncomfortable to sit on because you sank into it, even though it was comfortable for sleeping. We spent much of the time on the floor. That’s when we found beer cans and a flip flop from a previous guest under the bed. Housekeeping clearly hadn’t cleaned or even checked there, so we cleaned it ourselves because sleeping above someone else’s trash was gross. The thin windows also let in constant traffic noise, so this isn’t the place if that bothers you. We’re trying to support locally owned businesses, but we’ll probably go back to chain hotels for the convenience and consistency of their rooms. This place wasn’t worth the inconveniences. I’d have given it four stars if they’d replied to my email and there hadn’t been trash under the bed.

Getting help was the worst part. I tried contacting someone a week before the trip, again two days before, and on check-in day, but nobody replied. With the whole process automated, there was no one to turn to when problems came up. The shower gel was empty, and the A/C kept blowing cold air regardless of the setting. It also made a high-pitched screech. We could hear noise from every room around us and from outside, so any issue left us feeling stranded.

The room was huge and had all the amenities, with a relaxed, more European feel than a hotel. Getting the door code shortly before check-in was easy and caused no worries. Mulberry street is noisy, though at night you can hear a pin drop in Fort Collins. We also liked the value, the accommodations, and the location. For breakfast, head south to Rainbow Cafe, or stop by Alley Cat for coffee.

The room seemed clean, though I found a dirty washcloth hanging in the shower, so I wasn't completely sure about the cleanliness. Light from the street, the glass-front mini fridge, and the illuminated thermostat kept the room from ever getting dark. We could hear plenty of traffic as well as footsteps from upstairs. We stayed at The Flats for two nights, and the room was nice and seemed to have potential.