Element by Marriott Spring Valley

I liked the outdoor fire pit, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The hotel and rooms were clean, and I had a great stay overall. Breakfast could use the occasional change to keep it interesting. If you don't have a car, the location is a bit removed from things, with little nearby besides a target, but a short Uber ride takes care of that. I'll definitely come back.

Housekeeping was helpful, and the place was fairly clean overall. The room was okay, though I've had larger King suites for less, and the heating and AC worked. It's close to the interstate, behind a plaza with a few eateries down the street, about 35 miles from NYC and a few minutes from the NJ border. Parking was decent. Still, I probably wouldn't return because customer service was poor, especially from the overnight auditor, who was no help at all. I was also misled about an upgrade. Breakfast was below par, the laundry equipment didn't work, and neither did the dishwasher. I'm usually a big Marriott fan, so I was disappointed in a property branded Element by Westin.

The staff were excellent, pleasant, and professional. When I had a problem with the length of my stay, the front desk fixed it promptly and to my satisfaction. My suite had a nearly full kitchen, a sitting room, and a separate bedroom with a king bed. It was clean and fresh, and the bathroom had a shower only, which I prefer, though the suite felt a little cramped. The hotel appeared to have been renovated recently. Free parking and breakfast were included, and there was guest laundry, a pool, firepits, and an above-average gym. The location was my main issue: it's at the back of a shopping plaza between the back of a target and a quality inn, with no real view. It's right by the highway, so there's traffic noise, and traffic getting in and out of the plaza is bad.

After a long travel day, we had to scramble for somewhere to sleep just when we needed rest after traveling for a memorial service. We eventually found another hotel on short notice and were glad we hadn't stayed at the Element. Our flight had been delayed, so I called to say we'd check in late. I didn't know my reservation had been cancelled, and by 8 p.m. we were told there were no rooms. The front desk representative and manager both said they'd called and emailed to request more information to hold the room, but I had no missed calls or emails. They couldn't say when either contact was made. When I asked for corporate's number, the desk refused and lied about providing it. I found it myself and called to ask about booking again or finding another hotel that late. That's when I learned the hotel wasn't sold out after all. The customer service was awful, and the last thing our family needed during a difficult time was uncertainty about where we'd sleep.