Residence Inn by Marriott Boston-Franklin

The Friday afternoon desk staff member around noon on 1/16 made the whole interaction feel unpleasant. She seemed like she didn't want to be there, and the way she treated customers left people around her feeling bad. The front desk is where guests first deal with the hotel, so this kind of attitude makes people not want to stay or work with you. Marriott should hire people who appreciate customers and want to do the job. Chick-fil-A has the sort of welcoming attitude this desk needs.

The room was nice and everyone on staff seemed friendly, but there were serious problems. On our last night a mouse came into the room. It had been in the dishwasher, and I pulled the fridge out to block its hiding place. Behind the refrigerator there were lots of droppings, so this clearly wasn't new. The front desk had no solution when I called. Corporate only engaged after I said I had photos and video. They said the GM would contact me, but several days have passed and nobody has. The laundry room was closed when we checked in, then reopened with only one working washer. I got quarters from the desk, but that machine smelled strongly of funk, like it hadn't had a cleaning cycle in years, so I went to a laundromat. I also saw a roach in the stairwell by the elevator.

The facilities and amenities were excellent, and my family enjoyed the setting and the staff's kindness. The billing, though, was aggravating. We were on a tight budget, extended our stay more than once, and asked to pay in advance through our planned departure. Twice, when we returned to pay for another week, staff said we still owed for the previous week. We thought those nights had already been covered, and had been told there was no balance due. Each time they said it was a mistake and that we hadn't paid through the full date after all. If you pay ahead, get a receipt signed by a manager stating, “Paid in full up to . . .” We were told we owed nothing up to that point and had paid the full amount, aside from any possible damage fines, so the repeated confusion was frustrating.

We were in town for a dance competition and stayed one night. The location worked well, close to Wrentham outlets and good food options, and the room had plenty of space. But there were hairs on the bathroom floor and pillows when we arrived. The heating and AC were very loud, and the shower faucet dripped all night. In the morning the bathroom floor was wet, and I couldn't tell why.