GrandStay Hotel & Suites Parkers Prairie

We were already on a late drive from Kansas City to Parker’s Prairie when I tried calling the hotel several times. Nobody picked up, just the answering machine asking for a message. At the hotel, the lights were on, but the parking lot was empty and nobody came to the door, even though there was a call button. It looked closed, despite still taking website reservations. We had to drive another 20 minutes to a different town. I wouldn't recommend staying here. I expected someone to answer the phone at some point and let us know to go elsewhere.

The room was supposedly clean, but there was someone else's bowel movement in the toilet, and we found two tiny bugs in the bed. It took 15 minutes for anyone to come check us in, too. Absolutely disgusting. The owner first said they'd refund us, but when I called back a couple days later, they refused and kept hanging up on us. Dirty room and bad customer service. Definitely wouldn't recommend this hotel.

The room was immaculate, and the whole place smelled fresh and clean. The hallway carpets seemed freshly shampooed. We were upgraded at no charge because the room we'd booked was unsuitable for guests, and they gave us brand new pillows. The two smiling gentlemen at check-in told us they'd taken over the hotel just hours earlier. It was under new ownership. We'd flown in from Washington state for a celebration of life and booked the closest place to family and the service. I usually read reviews first, but the circumstances meant I didn't. The day before, I called to ask whether the rooms had hair dryers. The man I spoke with was curt and seemed frustrated, and the language barrier made it hard to get an answer. I was nervous, but our stay turned out very differently from what I later saw in the reviews. Even though it was nearly 7 PM, they offered coffee, tea, fresh bagels, and muffins. Each morning, we saw them moving furniture, cleaning, and reorganizing to make the place more comfortable and homey. The staff were friendly whenever we came through the lobby. The interior was beautiful, and the kitchen area was a comfortable spot to sit with morning coffee. It was kind, clean, and quiet, everything we could have asked for on this trip. I can't recommend the place and staff enough, and we'll absolutely stay again when we come back. Sammy's is very close by, a great little gas and grocery store with everything you could possibly need.

The beds have seen better days. You could feel springs in both, and the towels were stained. There were cups and lids for coffee, but they didn't fit together. The breakfast area had no napkins on either the first or second day, so I got paper towels from my car and stacked them by the plates. Front desk staff were never there, just a phone to call someone. This used to be a nice hotel, but it's gone downhill. The photos show how little attention was paid to cleanliness in the room. The panel in front of the fridge was missing, and the dust buildup looked like it had been there a long time. Definitely not the place it used to be.