American Inn and Suites Ionia

Apart from two rough mornings, I had a fairly good stay. Both days I was woken at 6am by the people upstairs making a lot of noise. The pool water was very cloudy, and my daughter got a rash from it.

Nice people, but I felt uncomfortable throughout the place 😕. There was a strong marijuana smell in the hallway, and it seemed like quite a few people lived there full time. In the back parking lot, someone was leaving cat food for the feral cats.

The continental breakfast turned out to be a bright spot: fresh waffle batter in several flavors, ripe bananas, bagels, yogurt, and hard-boiled eggs, thankfully not powdered. Coffee and eggs were kept replenished, and the front desk worker was exceptionally kind. She did what she could to make our stay comfortable and even gave my fiancé disposable razors for free when she realized they weren't sold onsite. The staff were outstanding, though the hotel itself was a real disappointment. We booked a non-smoking king room, but the carpet, walls, and our belongings all had a musty smoke smell. It was so strong that I went to Walgreens for an air freshener and Febreze and sprayed everything, including the air conditioner filters. That helped a little, but the damp, stale odor stayed. The hallways smelled like a wet ashtray wherever we went. Sleep was difficult after our 12-hour drive because both the mini-fridge and air conditioner were so loud. During our 3-day stay, the keycards stopped working several times. The hotel also felt only partly renovated. Some rooms had gray walls and newer décor, while others still looked like the 1970s, with yellow walls and worn furniture. The staff did their best with what they had, and deserve credit. The owner needs to deal with the odors, renovate the rooms consistently, and replace the noisy appliances.

The morning front desk staff were friendly and understanding when we told them about the smell. We were in room 209, where a damp odor mixed with cigarette and weed smells, partly masked by overpowering laundry detergent. The bed felt old, hard, and full of springs, and the sheet was inside out.