TownePlace Suites by Marriott Kalamazoo

The staff quickly moved us to an upgraded room when the first one smelled strongly of cigarette smoke, which I appreciated. The hotel is older, and the rooms look a bit worn and dated. It was okay for a single night and did what we needed, though the rooms could use some updating.

Room 331 was dirty, with debris and who knows what else under the bed and couches. I have a photo of the mess under the bed. There were white marks on the floor beside the bed, glitter on the couch, and the living room curtain was torn. The bedroom chair looked like it dated from 1990 and might have been chewed by a dog, and I have photos of that too. There was a dirty glass in the kitchen cupboard, and we had no luggage rack, Do Not Disturb sign, or hair dryer. The shower light wasn't bright enough to shave by, and the water pressure was awful. When I went to get water for our toddler, the juice and water machine spouts were black with mold. From inside and outside, we could see broken seals in most of the windows. The hotel also smelled of weed. The elevator nearest our room was out of order, with no sign on the third floor. My husband booked through Chase Travel, and I'm a Marriott Rewards member. This was the worst Marriott property I've stayed at. My husband is a WMU Alumni and plans to tell his contacts about the hotel. We expected better and will not stay here again. Highly disappointed.

Breakfast was on time each of the five mornings we were there, with something different from the day before and options for many diets. Staff kept the food stocked and the area clean. There was plenty of room to sit and move around, even with an oxygen tank, and tables came in different sizes. They were wiped down quickly for the next guests. The pool was clean and usable, just right for what I needed. I wish I'd spent more time swimming and less time in the room. Our room was very clean too, with the surfaces in good shape and no holes in the furniture or carpet. I didn't notice the cosmetic problems mentioned in other reviews. The hotel was quiet at night. There was ordinary hallway noise from around check-in until 8 p.m., mostly doors closing as designed, then it was almost silent. Everyone I met on the staff was friendly and helpful, and they made our stay nice. I can't find much to complain about. A lot of the bad reviews don't seem deserved to me. It's a 2 Star hotel, and some people seem to judge it by a 5 Star standard.

The quiet here was a plus, especially with I-94 and downtown Kalamazoo so close. TownePlace Suites in Kalamazoo felt comfortable and a little like home. The spacious rooms have full kitchens, handy for longer visits or if you like cooking your own meals. The beds were comfortable, and the hotel was impressively clean.