Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Sycamore, IL

A client we referred here checked in after a long day of travel and was immediately disgusted by the hotel and room conditions. The photos they sent showed the problem. The AC was running in February and couldn’t be turned off without disconnecting wires, while there was no heat. The desk chair says enough on its own. Black dust covered the room, and the wallpaper was peeling off the walls. It’s a mess and a health and safety risk. A refund was offered and accepted, but that doesn’t erase the embarrassment of sending someone there. We’ve referred many customers because it’s convenient, but I will never recommend this place to them again. DO NOT STAY HERE.

Breakfast is served every day, though the pool is closed for now while renovations are underway. The water pressure was low, and the mini-fridges in the rooms are small. We did have a minor problem, but the son took care of it quickly and effectively. The staff have all been consistently professional and courteous.

The counter guy was incredibly helpful and nice. When we needed a few extra blankets, he brought them right to our room instead of leaving us waiting at the desk. Breakfast was basic but enough for our family: fruit, oatmeal, cereal, milk, yogurt, bread, toast, eggs, sausage, waffles, Pop-Tarts, coffee, and hot water for tea or hot chocolate. We had three adults and three kids for the state championship robotics competition. The room was clean, the curtains closed, the TV worked, and we had a cold fridge, microwave, and small coffee maker that worked well. The two queen beds were mostly comfortable. The bathroom was huge, with a walk-in shower, and I’m guessing ours was an accessible room. The shower bench was rusting off the wall, though, and so was the bar holding the shower head, so I’d avoid using the bench. We chose this place partly for the good price and the pool, but the pool was closed for renovations and was supposed to reopen in three months. The hotel looked pretty inside and out, with a few rocking chairs outside. It’s a little dated, but it seems like a lot of renovations are planned this year, which was exciting to see.

I’m not sure how to rate this. We’ve stayed here several times since it opened, and booked four rooms six months ahead. When we arrived with the email confirmations, we were told they were sold out and had no rooms for us. They suggested I call the manager’s cousin. What? Why? I wasn’t willing to accept their excuses, and we did eventually get rooms. The rooms were clean but rundown, and the hotel was noisy and badly managed. It needs new management and a full property overhaul.