Extended Stay America Suites Ramsey Upper Saddle River

The staff were mean, unhelpful, and unprofessional, and the manager was rude and dismissive. The whole place felt unsafe, uncomfortable, neglected, and misleading. It seems to function more as long-term housing for homeless individuals and refugees than a hotel for paying guests, with people openly camping in common areas. The advertised breakfast is effectively nonexistent. The few packaged items are taken right away by people waiting in the lobby, leaving guests with nothing. Housekeeping was almost nonexistent. Guests get one roll of toilet paper a week, which is unacceptable for an extended-stay hotel. The stove was broken and the microwave didn’t work. During snowstorms, nobody shoveled snow or cleared ice, leaving unsafe conditions outside. The room was filthy, with visible mold in the AC unit and bathroom vents, and everything reeked of smoke. The elevator smelled like rotten fish, while marijuana stench filled the hallways and lobby. The lobby was dirty and cluttered with boxes everywhere. This doesn’t feel like a hotel at all. It’s unsanitary and poorly run. Stay away and book somewhere else.

I chose this Extended Stay America in Ramsey (Upper Saddle River) because I needed a kitchen while my home was being repaired after a fire. I ended up disinfecting nearly everything myself and never felt comfortable sleeping in the bed, since I couldn’t tell how clean it really was. There wasn’t even a closet or a proper place to hang coats, pants, or uniforms, which is unacceptable for an extended stay. The walls had visible damage, as if posters or other things had been ripped off. The room had a dirty motel feel, much like the lobby. There were smudges on the desk, walls, and headboard; the toilet seat was damaged as if something very hot had been set on it; and hair was left on the tub and shower curtain. The lamps were dusty, too. There was no welcome when I arrived. Staff showed no friendliness, smiles, or basic hospitality. Cleanliness throughout the property was questionable: the elevator walls looked as if they hadn’t been wiped in ages, if ever, and the floors were dirty. The lobby was full of trash, debris, boxes, and bags of what looked like clean or dirty linens. The snow should have been shoveled and managed for guests, and I can only assume it made the dirty floors worse. Management needs to address the upkeep. This place was disgusting in so many ways, and I wouldn’t recommend it.

The front desk kid was very nice and accommodating when I asked to cancel, just as he had been when giving me the key. I booked out of desperation for a quick, local, two-day, pet-friendly stay while our bathroom renovation ran late. But I looked around the room and went straight back down to cancel. The floors seemed dirty, the elevator was grimy, and the room looked untouched for months. Only the beds had been made. At $375 for two nights, I expected at least a clean room. I suspect this has happened to that staff member before. Don’t stay unless you have no choice.

I’m on a five-week work trip and didn’t expect much after reading the reviews, but the staff have been polite and helpful. They’re friendly and attentive, and I’ve felt safe the whole time. My shower head was missing and my hair dryer didn’t work, but staff fixed those problems quickly. The rooms are clean and comfortable. The hall can smell odd sometimes, maybe from people cooking in their rooms. There are families living here, and it can get loud. The elevator was broken on my first night, though I didn’t mind carrying my things. It was fixed within two days. The city warned us a few days ahead about work on its power lines, so I knew about the outage and thankfully wasn’t at the hotel when it happened. They’ve also redone the parking lot, which is nicely paved now. Since the hotel is on RT 17, getting in and out of the lot can be difficult sometimes, but it’s not a major issue. The free breakfast is more of a grab-and-go setup: coffee, hot water, oatmeal packets, granola bars, and blueberry muffins. I work at a cafe, so breakfast wasn’t a concern for me. The rooms have full kitchens if you want to cook. Housekeeping is every two weeks, but if you ask the front desk, they can put you on that day’s cleaning list. That may explain why some rooms aren’t as clean when guests arrive, since housekeepers aren’t there daily. Cell service is poor, and the Wi-Fi is okay. You can pay extra for faster service, but I didn’t feel I needed to. There’s no gym or outdoor seating, which I would’ve liked. This wouldn’t have been my first choice, but my job covered the stay. So far, I’ve had no complaints and haven’t had a bad enough experience to avoid coming back. I think they’ve worked hard to overcome the hotel’s poor reputation and satisfy guests. It’s a cheap nightly rate, so don’t expect luxury. If you want that, stay at a Marriot that costs nearly $300 a night.