Residence Inn by Marriott Spartanburg

My husband and I rented the conference room on some Sundays. Last Sunday we paid with a different bank card, and when the desk employee wanted to run it again, we refused because the correct amount had already been paid. But on Wednesday, May 13, they took a double payment from the other account I usually use on Friday nights. They didn’t have that card, so how could they charge it? The front desk told me management wouldn’t be in until the next day. This really happened, and it’s appalling and unacceptable. Don’t save your card with them. We don’t owe them anything. They need to train employees properly before putting them in charge of people’s money.

My stay at the Residence Inn began March 1. The original room had problems, including a shower without hot water and insects inside the apartment, among them cockroaches. On my second day, after returning from the customer site where I was working, I asked the front desk to move me because of these conditions. They offered a complimentary upgrade as a solution, and I accepted it. When I checked out on March 20 and asked for a printed invoice, I found I’d been charged the full, much higher daily rate for the upgraded room. I didn’t choose an optional upgrade; the hotel offered it to address problems with the original room. I’ve contacted Mariot and explained what happened. As a Bonvoy member, I still haven’t been reimbursed, and there’s been no proper resolution.

The standout here was how spotless everything was, from my room to the breakfast area. I stayed two nights at the Residence Inn, 9011 Fairforest Road, Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the place looked like a row of townhouses. My second-floor room had a staircase leading to an upstairs king bed and bathroom, plus a living and dining area, kitchen with a full-size fridge, stovetop and dishwasher, another king bed, and a bathroom downstairs. It could fit two families. Renee greeted me at check-in with a lot of cheer, then I found out she was the GM. She’s one of the few Marriott GMs I’ve met who actually interacts with guests and staff, and she deserves a promotion. Breakfast was similar to other Marriotts, and the woman keeping the area stocked also kept it clean and greeted everyone. The atmosphere was friendly, including the person I assume is the hotel’s main engineer. I had no one running around above me, and the room was extremely clean. If you’re near Spartanburg, I’d choose this Residence Inn.

The reviews I saw seem pretty accurate. They said my credit card would only have a hold and wouldn’t be charged unless I made purchases, but four hours later I saw a $70 charge and then another for $50. At the hotel, they called it a mistake and said I’d get my money back after checkout. It’s been a week with no refund. The same thing happened to my coworker who’s staying there too, so this isn’t just a one-off in my experience. I’m outraged and plan to tell my company to blacklist this place so my coworkers don’t go through it. Think twice before staying here. It’s not worth it, and it feels like a scam.