SpringHill Suites by Marriott Lindale Tyler

We found crumbs and a dog biscuit under the couch cushion slats, plus more crumbs underneath when we pulled out the trundle. There was no housekeeping on Christmas, though I'm sure they could have fixed it the next day if we hadn't stayed in the room all day. We weren't offered a choice of a pet or non-pet room, so I can only assume all rooms take pets and are supposed to be sanitized between guests as part of the pet deposit. The room was otherwise fairly well kept, with plenty of space beside the window AC and two queen beds for a cot or kennel, though I don't know if they provide cots. The trundle mattress is thin and less comfortable than the room beds, though a bit better than a cot. The hotel only supplies synthetic blankets and sheets for it, with no quilt or topper, so bring your own if that matters to you. The rooms are large, breakfast was nice with a good variety and protein options, and the staff kept everything stocked. They were friendly and responsive. They'd like guests to save their towels, but there's only one bathroom hook, with room on the walls for four more. The barn door slider doesn't close all the way, and the room isn't square. A redesign could add a door between the toilet and sink for more privacy and let more than one guest use the bathroom at once.

The Wi-Fi didn't work, and we missed the breakfast we'd paid for. We checked in at 2 a.m. after traveling, and the room and bed were great for getting some sleep. Before going upstairs, I asked the receptionist when we needed to be down the next morning. She said 10:30 a.m.; I checked again, and she confirmed it, so I set my alarm for near then and planned to have breakfast. But when I came down, a different receptionist said breakfast ended at 9:30, full stop. I explained what I'd been told, and all I got was, “I'm sorry.” No solution, just an apology. I still wonder whether the first employee knew the correct time or told us that on purpose so we'd miss breakfast. I checked in Monday at 2 a.m. and was supposed to be back tomorrow on Monday too, so how could that be right? I'm willing to bet I heard her correctly, and they can check the recordings. The stay was terrible, and the response this morning made me even more upset. What am I supposed to do with “I'm sorry”? Eat it? We chose this place based on reviews and had thought it was great when we checked in late, but the morning completely changed my mind. One star.

We didn't get a chance to use the bar or outdoor area, but we'll keep this place in mind for future trips. The location was great, with restaurants we could walk to, and the beds were very comfortable. Every staff member we spoke with was friendly.

We tried another hotel because of the wine festival weekend rates, but regretted it and ended up coming back here. We always stay here when visiting family. It's clean, well kept, has plenty of towels and pillows, and breakfast is great. The staff are friendly too. This is a top-notch hotel for the area; they have it all.