Sandalwood Studios & Suites

The low rates were the only good part of this place. The kitchens varied between rooms, too. Some were run down with broken appliances, while others were fine. I stayed with my boyfriend for a couple of months while pregnant, until about a month before I gave birth. I’m not talking about housekeeping or the other staff, but the managers, the couple I think also own the place or at least live there, were so rude that I hated interacting with them. It felt like they looked down on guests because they charged cheap rates and assumed everyone was wrecking the rooms. I was seven months pregnant, had a rough pregnancy and sciatica from the weight gain, and movement was difficult. My boyfriend was away working most of the time, and I was usually alone, hardly watched TV, and used earbuds for YouTube. I went out of my way to be quiet, but the managers insisted on housekeeping. We wanted to decline service because we were staying so long. They said they’d call the police if we didn’t let housekeeping in. I offered once a week as a compromise, but that wasn’t good enough, so I had to leave the room every other day while they cleaned. Being made to walk around like that was hard on me. When we moved out, my boyfriend was out of town, so my dad and BIL helped me pack. I went to stay with my sister and BIL. We were paid through the next day, and that evening, around 8:30, was the only time I had help. There wasn’t much to move, mostly baby shower supplies. The female manager, the wife of the couple, called our room and said she’d call the police because her kids couldn’t sleep. I apologized and explained why we were packing then, but she still threatened to call if there was any more noise. My dad and BIL are kind, helpful, successful people, and they weren’t being loud. I’d already warned them to keep it down because the family lived below us. I’d never had a noise complaint. I was quiet even while pregnant and mostly stayed in. It was bizarre that she went straight to threatening the police instead of asking us to be quieter first. They seemed ready to threaten police over even minor disturbances. The couple genuinely scared me, and dealing with them made life harder. I’d warn anyone considering the place to ask whether the cheap price is worth having to deal with those managers.

There’s a small suite with a refrigerator and a big-screen TV. The bathroom has a bathtub. I’d prefer room-darkening curtains, since the curtains are thin. McDonalds is next door, Culver is by the traffic light, and there’s a gas station close by.

There’s no breakfast, which was disappointing, and customer service felt nonexistent. I needed bathroom supplies in the middle of the night and was told, “Sorry, we are closed.” It’s a hotel, not a living establishment, and guests expect to be able to get things like that.

The rooms were spacious and comfortable, and the location made it easy to get to attractions, shopping, and dining. For families, Valleyfair Amusement Park, the Peanuts themed amusement park, is only a few minutes away, so it should be a fun outing for kids. I was unsure about booking because the price was so low, but I went to check the place out first and was glad I did. This was by far one of the best values for the accommodations we had on the whole trip.