Residence Inn by Marriott Saginaw

The room condition was awful. There were stains on the walls, fridge, and couch, and a half-eaten bowl of soup had been left in the microwave. In the second room, I found a hat on the chair and a water bottle with its cap off, and for a moment I thought someone was still staying there. The pool lights barely worked, so my kids, who love swimming, were too scared to get in. We'd booked a two-bedroom suite, but were told on arrival that a leak meant we could only take two separate rooms. I wish they'd called ahead so I could have found somewhere else. We had to split up the family. At check-in I waited around for about ten minutes before saying hello, and then the staff member came out from the back after the lights came on. I wondered if he'd been napping. We stay at Marriotts a lot, from brand-new ones to those due for a remodel, and this was the worst experience I've had. Cleaners need to do a much more thorough job. People pay good money and should at least be able to feel the place is somewhat sanitary.

The halls smelled musty and smoky, and the room looked dingy. There was black mold on the shower liner, which was super gross. I asked for a ground-floor room because my dog is afraid of elevators. At check-in the desk person acknowledged the request, but put us on the second floor and said nothing was available. Residence Inn used to be my go-to, but not anymore.

Our rooms were nearly 80, with broken air conditioning and a portable unit that couldn't keep them cool. They said they had no other rooms big enough for our group, so we had to find somewhere else for our three-day vacation. They could have called before we arrived. There was also furniture in the hallway with visible bugs on it. I'll never book this hotel again.

Rachel at the front desk was really kind and clearly cared about making my stay okay. The TV wasn't working and there was a strange smell. She handled both, and even stayed in my room while on the phone with their IT department to make sure the TV worked.