Baymont by Wyndham Grand Rapids N/Walker

We had a renovated room that looked and smelled clean, and spent a week without any bedbug issues. The location was good, and I appreciated the daily breakfast. The waffles were delicious, with a nice choice of bagels, bread, muffins, yogurt, and oatmeal. The main drawbacks were the very hard bed, which left both of us with sore shoulders and backs, and the lack of storage or hooks to hang and dry towels. Towels were often in short supply, so we had to wait for them to dry.

At checkout, we asked for a refund or at least a discount because of all the problems. The manager wouldn't meet with us and sent word through Laurie that we should contact Expedia, since that's where we'd booked. They said they'd look into it once Expedia contacted them, which only added to our frustration. The advertised breakfast was a major letdown during our two-day stay. There was cereal but no milk, a waffle maker but no batter, and once we found old boiled eggs in the fridge. The next day we were told they had no eggs. Whenever we asked, Laurie at the front desk repeated that they'd ordered them but they hadn't arrived. The hotel was open while apparently not fully operational. Renovation chemical smells in the hallways were overpowering, and the gym was closed for painting, which we hadn't been told when booking. The room phones weren't connected, outlets were hard to find, and there were no trash cans until we specifically asked for one. We booked for a family vacation expecting a pleasant stay, but it was frustrating from the start. The lack of transparency and service made things worse, and I wouldn't recommend staying until the many issues are sorted out.

After a camping trip, we stayed one night for a low price and got great value. The room and bathroom were clean, the bed was comfortable, and the TV had dozens of channels. There are plenty of places to eat nearby. I nearly skipped it because of the many one-star reviews, but I'm glad we gave it a try.

The free breakfast was a nice extra, and the front desk staff were great. Our room was very clean and the beds were comfortable. We enjoyed staying here and will definitely return. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a hotel in the area.