State House Inn, Trademark Collection by Wyndham

The staff were friendly, professional, and attentive from arrival through departure. Everything felt clean and welcoming, including the common areas and conference facilities, which seemed well organized and maintained. My room was spacious, comfortable, and had useful amenities. Parking was convenient, and the location worked well for visiting nearby Abraham Lincoln historic sites and museums. State House Inn & Conference Center is also close to restaurants, government buildings, and other historic attractions. It made for a comfortable stay downtown, whether visiting Springfield for work, a conference, or sightseeing.

We arrived around 7, and the check-in felt like an interrogation. They asked where we were from, how long we planned to stay, why we were in town, and how many people would be in the room. Then they reminded us about the smoking cleanup fee, even though none of us smoke. My daughter asked if all those questions were because of our color. After that, we stood in the lobby for 25 minutes while they tried to fix the lock on our room door. No one offered us another room; we were just told to wait. While we were there, other guests checked in without being asked all the questions we had. My daughter pointed out that they hadn't asked anyone else those things.

I gave this place another chance, and the same freezing-room problem happened again. Today I couldn't even finish a nap because the room was so cold. I spoke with the same front desk employee as last time, but he made no effort to fix it and refused to refund the night so I could go somewhere warmer. My first stay was in November. That room was extremely cold too, and moving to another room didn't help. I couldn't sleep all night or take a shower before work the next morning. When I asked for a refund or other reimbursement, they said they couldn't help because I'd booked through a third party. This is easily the worst hotel I've stayed at in Springfield, and the repeat experience has been completely unacceptable. The staff are rude, management is terrible, and a hotel should at least provide a comfortable, livable room. I strongly recommend staying elsewhere.

The train going through Springfield overnight was the one downside. Its driver kept honking obnoxiously when there wasn't a single car on the road. Still, I had a great experience. I arrived around 10 pm and was welcomed at check-in with smiles. My room was very clean, and the lobby was great. I had a meeting near the state capitol, which was within walking distance. Breakfast was light, but they had emailed me in advance to let me know.