Residence Inn by Marriott South Bend Mishawaka

We picked this place because the larger suite sounded convenient with kids, and the rooms were indeed big, but badly outdated. A nightstand drawer kept sliding open, so I tied it shut to keep the kids from bumping their heads. There was dirt and bugs around the room, and the toilet was filthy with mold around the bowl. One clogged on the first day. They had no maintenance person available and handed us a plunger to deal with it ourselves. The lobby floor had spill stains for three days without anyone mopping them. When I asked the cleaning lady to tidy up and replace a stained sheet, she looked visibly annoyed. They never changed the sheet, so I slept on it for the entire trip. Breakfast was okay if you ignored the mold growing on the muffins. This wasn’t the Marriott experience I’m used to.

The rooms were clean, though a little renovation would probably help. Breakfast was the real highlight. Larissa Lane worked by herself and made sure everything met a high standard. I’ve stayed at many Marriott properties, and this breakfast ranks among the best. Thanks, Larissa!

The pool was clean, breakfast was good, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Our toilet, though, was broken and wouldn’t flush when we arrived. We reported it to the front desk on Thursday evening, but it wasn’t fixed until Saturday afternoon, the day before checkout. That left us without a working toilet for most of the stay. They charged the full rate throughout, and if they’d offered to make things right, I wouldn’t have had a complaint.

Trissa did a fabulous job keeping the food fresh in the dining area, and the service was great. The entrance area looked good, though the seating behind the fireplace could use more attention. Our A/C wasn’t working, but they moved us to another room. It’s a decent hotel in a great area.