Residence Inn by Marriott Lexington

We needed space for our family of four during a quick overnight on the drive home from Spring Break, so we chose this older Residence Inn-style property. We're Marriott Vacation Club owners and Platinum Bonvoy members, and usually loyal to the brand. Check-in was fine, and we expected the room to be dated since we only needed a place to sleep before driving on. But the toilet started malfunctioning that night and was completely unusable by morning. The room phone didn't work, so I called the front desk from my cell several times before reaching anyone. They said maintenance was coming, but it took more than 30 minutes. None of us could use the bathroom or shower while we waited, disrupting our plans to get ready and leave early. The worker arrived without the right tools, made things worse by overflowing the toilet, then seemed frustrated and was rude to our family before leaving. We had to go to the front desk area to find a restroom, only to learn the women's restroom was also out of order. We gave up on showering and left without basic facilities. At the desk, I raised my frustration and was told we'd get all the points back and a manager would follow up. A week passed without a call or refund. When I contacted the property, the manager, Sarah Hudson, showed little empathy and insisted maintenance had arrived within five minutes, contradicting what I experienced and my call log. I provided proof, but she dismissed it and offered only 2,000 points back. When I asked for her supervisor's number, she refused to give it, saying he would call me. Four days later, I'd had no call and no refund of any kind. This wasn't about compensation. We needed a working toilet and basic customer service. Instead, there were slow responses, poor communication, rude staff, and no accountability from management. The property's age is understandable; the lack of responsiveness, professionalism, and care for guests isn't. Offering another room could have made all the difference. If dated accommodations and subpar service work for you, this may be fine. Otherwise, I'd strongly recommend staying elsewhere.

Ashley at the front desk made my phone call such a lovely experience. She brings the kind of warmth, welcome, and professionalism you hope for in someone representing a hotel. She used to work in healthcare and wasn't sure hospitality would suit her, but she told me she loves it. Thank you, Ashley. The digital world could use more of your humanity.

We had excellent service and the location worked really well for us. The room was fantastic, though it could use another lamp or an overhead light since it was a bit dim. Then a big overnight snowstorm dumped, no kidding, 3ft of snow from the roof right in front of our door.

We liked the suite's size and layout, and the amenities were great. The staff were courteous, too. Still, the sofa bed had no pillow and its mattress was badly stained. The living room chair looked dated and was stained as well. I found a floss pick on the floor; there was also trash in the bathroom, though that didn't really bother me. The door wouldn't close from outside unless we used the key to unlock it, and a crack let in a very cold draft. We had to ask for another blanket because of the chill. We were happy with the room overall, but I hated having my daughter sleep on that gross mattress in the cold.