Goshen, Indiana / Holiday Inn Express

September 2013, Weekend-weekday, 2-nights, King guestroom #309

Status perks and check-in

When I arrived at this Holiday Inn Express around 8 p.m., I observed a printed sign on the counter that said, "Be right back. Assisting a guest." I was surprised by this sign since there were less than five cars in the parking lot. After I had been waiting a couple of minutes, another guest arrived to check-in. She asked how long I had been waiting, and then I decided to call the hotel telephone number. When I did, an employee answered the call, and then walked right out to the counter from the back. When we asked if we should have called sooner, she said that she had just gotten back.

After this, the check-in process went smoothly, and the front desk agent provided professional and warm service. My key packet was prepared, she welcomed me, and she recognized my status. She said that I had received a guestroom upgrade, and I also received two bottles of water, and my choice of one snack for being a Platinum member. She happily assisted me with getting a carton of milk from the breakfast room after I requested one.

Guestroom 309

I am not sure which classification this guestroom falls under. I had reserved a basic king guestroom, and this guestroom is the second smallest guestroom according to the diagram on the back of the guestroom door. The guestroom descriptions include: king leisure, king suite, king feature, executive suite, and family suite, priced in that order. Even though the online description for king feature does not mention the kitchen area, I assume that those guestrooms also have a kitchen area, because the rate is higher than a king suite rate. Going by the guestroom rates and sizes, I would guess that this guestroom is classified as a king suite. That would make it one step up from what I had reserved.


The guestroom is located away from the elevator near the end of the hallway. It is on the front side of the building facing the road.

The bathroom near the entrance contained a long vanity with Bath & Body Works amenities, a wall mounted hairdryer, and a tub/shower combination with a shower curtain on a curved rod. The towels were good quality, and the water was softened water.

An open closet and full length mirror were located in the entry area outside of the bathroom. The closet contained a few hangers, extra bedding, an iron, and an ironing board.

The kitchen area around the corner had a tile floor, and the following items were included: small fridge, sink, microwave, small coffeepot with supplies, and ice bucket. The cupboards contained disposable plates, silverware, napkins, and cups.

The living area contained a sofa, coffee table, end table, and desk with chair. A lamp, and an ethernet connection with a cord were on the desk.

The bedroom area contained a flatscreen TV with swivel stand on an armoire, a suitcase bench, large wall mirror, king size bed, and nightstands with lighted alarm clock and lamps. There was a screen in the large window, which opened a few inches. The mattress on the bed was comfortable, although the bedsheets and pillows were not good quality. The sheets were kind of scratchy, and the pillows were not comfortable.

It was somewhat noisy in this guestroom. There is a large gap around the door; however, there were not many guests in the hotel the first night of my stay, so that was not a problem. I did, however, hear a lot of traffic and trains all night long. Even though the guestroom window could be opened, I left it closed because of the noise. The second night, there was less train noise, and more guest noise.

Food & Beverage

Standard Holiday Inn Express breakfast items were served both mornings: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage gravy and biscuits, pancake maker, whites breads and bagels, hard boiled eggs, Yoplait yogurt, two kinds of milk, cold cereal in dispensers, instant oatmeal, fresh bananas, coffee, tea, and juices. I have not seen the fold-over omelets at any of the Holiday Inn Express hotels that I have stayed in recently, and I am beginning to wonder if they still serve them.

Fitness center

The fitness center contained the following: three cardio machines, hand weights, flatscreen TV with remote, water cooler, scale, towels, and sani-wipes. The first morning that I went to the fitness center, another guest was using one of the treadmills, with an extension cord across the floor. She said that the outlets on the wall in front of the machines were not working, and that an employee had brought in the cord. She said that she was almost done, so I waited. The second morning, the extension cord was gone, and none of the machines worked when I tried them. After I went to the front desk, we discovered that the wall outlets were just fine; however, the machines had not been turned on.

Overall and misc.
There is not much around this hotel in terms of dining or anything else. There is a small park across the street, and that is about it. A Hampton Inn and a Marriott Courtyard are located next to each other, a couple of miles down the road. Both of those hotels looked like older properties online, which is why I chose the Holiday Inn Express. Although I did not go inside either of those hotels, they looked nicer when I saw them from the outside, than the pictures had looked on the website. There is a Wal-Mart, and a couple of restaurants, near the Hampton Inn and the Courtyard.

Dickinson, North Dakota / Hampton Inn & Suites

August 2013, Weekday, 1-night, King guestroom #324

Status perks and check-in

Before my stay, I had a difficult time deciding whether to stay at this Hampton Inn or the Holiday Inn Express across the street. I had stayed at this hotel a few months ago, and it was "okay." There were a few problems with the guestroom that stay, and the front desk agent seemed genuinely concerned when I brought the problems to her attention. Given that, and the fact that the Holiday Inn Express has a water slide pool area, I chose the Hampton Inn. I think there is more chance for guest noise at a hotel with a pool area like the Holiday Inn Express has.

I did not receive a room upgrade, which is fine, although I had hoped to get a guestroom on the top floor. The front desk agent assured me that she had chosen a room in a quiet area for me.

Guestroom

This guestroom is located about half way down the hall on the third floor. Unfortunately, the room diagram photo I took is very poor quality, so it is difficult to see exactly where it is located. The green dot is guestroom 324, and the black circles are where the elevator is located. I did not hear much noise from the hall, although I did hear the guest overhead.

The guestroom size and comfort was adequate. The spacious bathroom near the entrance included a tub/shower combination, and a decent size vanity. The shower walls were tile, and a shower curtain was hanging on a curved rod. A hairdryer was provided, along with the standard Hampton Inn bathroom amenities. 

A single-serve coffeemaker and supplies were located on shelves across from the vanity. The bathroom door was badly gouged. This did not impact my stay any, although it is surprising to see this kind of damage in a newer property.

A closet with a mirrored door was located in the entryway outside of the bathroom. It contained hangers, a blanket, extra pillow, iron, and ironing board.

The living and sleeping area contained the following: a flatscreen TV on an armoire, desk and chair, king size bed, nightstands with lighted alarm clock and telephone, sofa, soft coffee table, and lamps.

The lighting in the guestroom was good, and there were plenty of electrical outlets.

A few weeks have gone by since my stay and the time I am writing this review, and I do not recall the whether the guestroom had the following: folding luggage rack (I recall putting my suitcase on the soft topped coffee table in front of the couch), fridge, microwave, or desk telephone.

Food & Beverage

I had an early flight before the breakfast area was open, so I do not have any information from this stay. You can find information about what was served during my last stay in that review.

Misc.

A new Japanese restaurant had opened across the street since my last stay - Sakura. I really like the Sakura restaurant in Minot, so I placed an order to-go that evening, and walked over to get it. The employees were friendly, and the service was excellent, especially compared to my service experiences at the Minot location. The food was also delicious. This is a photo of the Rainbow Roll.

It was a quick and easy drive to the airport, even though it was dark the morning I departed. There are not any hotels close to the Dickinson airport, and none of the hotels offer shuttle service. There are a couple of hotels on the south side of the I-94, although this would only shave a few seconds off the time it takes to get to the airport. I think that the restaurant choices are better on the north side of the interstate.

Minot, North Dakota / Hampton Inn & Suites

August 2013, Weekday, 2-night, King guestroom #323

Status perks and check-in

My check-in experience was better the last time I stayed at this Hampton Inn & Suites. This time, the front desk agent did not recognize my status, and I did not receive the guestroom preferences in my profile (top floor, away from elevator). When I learned the guestrom I had been assigned was not on the top floor, I asked if one was available, and the agent said no. I then asked if my room was a studio suite, and she said yes.

During check-in, the front desk agent said my guestroom number out loud when there were other guests present at the counter and in the lobby. The other employee working at the front desk did the same thing when she gave the guest next to me his room key--he was in guestroom 205! Sure enough, when we got on the elevator, he pushed floor 2, and I pushed floor 3.

Guestroom
This guestroom is not a suite. It is a basic room located less than half way down the hall from the elevator. It is located on the front side of the building facing the road, and I could hear the traffic from the guestroom.

The tile bathroom near the entrance was roomy with a nice walk-in shower.


A single-serve coffee maker with most of the needed supplies was located on the vanity. The cellophane wrapped condiments were open, and the stir sticks were missing.


Standard Hampton Inn bath amenities were also on the vanity and a hairdryer was provided. The towels were good quality.

A closet with a mirrored door was located outside the bathroom. It contained an iron and ironing board.

The bedroom area contained a soft chair, lamp, small fridge, microwave, flatscreen TV on an armoire, desk and chair, king size bed, suitcase bench, nightstands with lamps, and lighted alarm clock. I was surprised to see a telephone on the desk and next to the bed. I have stayed in many Hampton Inns recently that have only one telephone next to the bed.

The bed was comfortable, and the sheets were silky soft. I did not recall the sheets being such good quality the last time I stayed at this hotel. Even so, I did not sleep well. I could easily hear the guest overhead thumping around, and guests in the hall let their doors slam until 1 a.m. I was surprised to hear so much noise from the hall because the guestroom door was heavy, and there were no visible gaps around the door.

Food & Beverage/Fitness center
I had to leave before breakfast in the morning, and I did not have time to use the fitness center. Both of these items are covered in my first review of this hotel. You can find the details here.

Shuttle service and misc.
I chose this hotel because it is very close to the airport. In fact, I was able to walk back to the hotel after returning my rental car. It was less than a mile walk, and there was a sidewalk most of the way. A small portion of the exit road from the airport did not have a sidewalk; however, since there was no traffic, this was not a problem. Shuttle service was prompt the next morning.

Before my two stays at this hotel, the only other hotels I found near the airport were a couple of unknown hotel brands. Right before I departed, I discovered that a new Hyatt House had opened near the airport, and that they provide shuttle service. Although I have never stayed in a Hyatt House, my experience at other Hyatt hotels has always been great. If I need to return to this area, I would probably choose the Hyatt House next time. I did not like the manner in which the front desk agent provided check-in service, and I did not like the hallway noise in the evening.  

Bismarck, North Dakota / Staybridge Suites

August 2013, Weekday, 2 separate stays for 2 nights each: 
1-bedroom king suite #428 and queen studio #425

Status perks and check-in

The manager checked me in the first time I stayed at the Staybridge Suites in Bismarck, ND. She provided an upgrade to a one-bedroom suite at the time of check-in. 

The second time I stayed here, I thought I was receiving the same room; however, I did not. My arrival time was going to be in the evening, so I called a few hours before then to inquire about my room type. I had hoped I would be able to get the same guestroom, or at least a room on the top floor in the corner or near the end of the hall (I had also written these requests in my reservation). On the telephone, the agent said that he could not give me an upgrade because the hotel was full. He did say that he could move me to the top floor though (it sounded like a room on the 3rd floor had been assigned to me before I called). When I arrived, the front desk agent wrote #428--the number of the one-bedroom suite I had received last time I stayed at this hotel--on the paper that he had me sign. He also verbalized the suite number. I expressed my pleasure and surprise, since he had told me on the telephone, that he would not be able to give me an upgrade. He did not respond to my comments.

When I arrived at suite 428, my key did not work. After a couple of tries, I looked inside my key packet, and saw that 425 was written in it. I then tried guestroom 425, and my key worked. I called the front desk to ask which room I was supposed to receive. The agent said that he did not know why he had written, and said, "428" during the check-in process, and that 425 was my correct room. He said something that alluded to the fact that he now understood my comments a few minutes earlier. It appeared that he had not been listening when I checked in, because I clearly said that I was happy to see that I was receiving guestroom 428. I said that I had really liked that guestroom last time, and I also mentioned the fact that he had said that he could not give me an upgrade.

I received a bottle of water the second time that I checked in. I am not sure if this was a consolation, or what. The agent had offered me cookies, and after I politely declined, he asked if I wanted a bottle of water, which I readily accepted.

One-bedroom king suite #428

This is the guestroom I stayed in during my first stay, so I will provide the details of the one-bedroom suite first.

The kitchen area contained a full-size fridge, stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, sink, coffeemaker with supplies, cupboards with dishes, utensils, and silverware, and a packet of microwave popcorn. 

The bar area between the kitchen and living area included two bar stools. A desk and chair were against the wall across from the bar. The lighting, electrical outlets, and work/eating space in both areas was comfortable, adequate, and spacious. There was an ethernet outlet and a telephone on the work desk.

The living area contained a sofa with pillows, coffee table, lamps, and a flatscreen TV on a cabinet. The sofa was comfortable, and there were easy to access outlets in this room as well.

The bedroom had a door that could be closed. A full length mirror was on the wall behind the door. The bedroom contained a flatscreen TV on an armoire, soft lounge chair, king-size bed, nightstands with lamps, a lighted alarm clock, and telephone. The bed and chair were both comfortable. The bedding and pillows were good quality. I did not hear any outside noise from the bedroom area.



The bathroom was located off the bedroom. The vanity and a closet were outside the bathroom area. The closet contained hangers, a laundry basket, and an iron and board.

The hairdryer on the wall over the vanity was decent quality, although the mounting screws were loose, and I thought it might  fall off the wall. I liked the spacious walk-in shower in the bathing area. Good quality towels were provided.









Queen studio suite #425
I took the guestroom diagram photo when I was staying in guestroom 428; however, guestroom 425 is also visible showing its location near the elevator.

Even though this guestroom is located close to the elevator, I did not hear much noise from guests in the hallway. I was, however, disturbed by housekeeping when I first arrived. It was around 6 p.m., so I was surprised that they were still cleaning guestrooms. I did not see anyone outside my guestroom when I entered; however, I heard them shortly after I arrived. Housekeepers must have been working with the doors propped open, because for about half an hour, I listened to the loud banging of guestroom doors, as they slammed against the steel door locks, while the housekeepers went in and out of rooms. The noise was quite disruptive as I tried to work and talk on the telephone. Fortunately, this did not last long.

My second stay at this hotel was not nearly as impressive as the first one. This is not because I did not receive a room upgrade; there were several neglected areas in this guestroom.

The queen studio suite had similar furnishings in the kitchen area: a sink, full-size fridge, stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, coffeemaker, and microwave popcorn; however, this guestroom did not have a bar or table eating area.

only decaf coffee

kitchen floor; click on photo
to enlarge it to see debris

There was no regular coffee in the guestroom when I arrived, and there were only two forks in the silverware drawer. I noticed the missing coffee right away, so I went and got a packet from housekeeping in the hallway.

There was quite a bit of debris on the floor in the kitchen area that had not been cleaned. The next day, I noticed that the evening social menu was missing from the fridge. I had taken a photo of the menu when I stayed at this hotel the first time, so I was able to look that up to see what was being served that evening.

desk chair

A similar style desk and chair were located across from the kitchen area at the end of the couch. The work area was adequate, comfortable, and well-lit. The chair needed to be cleaned before I could use it.

The living room area contained the same style comfortable sofa, with a coffee table, and lamps. A flatscreen TV located between the living and sleeping areas could be turned for viewing from either area. I forgot to take a photo of the desk and living area, although I did take one of the sunset from the window in that room.




The bed in this guestroom was pretty much the same, except that it was a queen bed instead of a king bed. The bedding and pillows were the same quality and comfort. I was glad that the bedding was clean!

The bathroom area was the same except that this guestroom has a tub/shower combination instead of a walk-in shower. The vanity area  and closet contained the same items: same type hairdryer, laundry basket, iron, and ironing board.

I observed more debris on the bathroom floor, and some type of liquid stain on the floor by the closet.

closet/vanity room floor

If there had not been so many areas in the guestroom that had not been cleaned, I am sure I would have been just as comfortable in this guestroom as I had been in suite 428.

Food & Beverage
I did not remember the hours of the evening social, and I could not find this information in the guestroom during my second stay. It was not listed in the guestroom directory, and the menu photo I had taken did not include the hours. I called the front desk, and I was told that it is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Both of my stays at this hotel were Monday through Wednesday, and the evening social is only offered Tuesday through Thursday, so I attended two evening socials.

I thought the food offerings in the morning and evening were decent. Along with scrambled eggs at breakfast, all of the fixins were provided for breakfast burritos: soft shells, cheese, tomato, etc. One other hot item was served in addition to scrambled eggs each morning--bacon, sausage, potatoes, or fried egg patties/rounds. A waffle maker, cold cereal, breads, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, fruit, and beverages were provided as well.

The salad toppings both evenings were deluxe! They were fresh and plentiful. I love fresh salad, so I was quite happy with the salad offerings. The topping choices were too numerous to name, so I have included two photos from one of the evenings. There were two chilled sections of salad ingredients both evenings.

There were more food items served that what is listed on the menu. There were also snacks/chips and breads. The wine brand served was Stone Cellars, which I thought was acceptable for one or two glasses. I did not pay attention to the beer or soda brands.

Fitness center
The fitness center contained three cardio machines with cardio theater. I did not have a problem finding an available machine most times, although one morning all three were in use when I arrived. The room also contained a flastcreen TV, hand weights, a weight machine, scale, water cooler, and towels.

Misc. and overall
This is a newer property with a lot of nice features. It is in a good location close to shopping and dining.  One thing that I thought was odd about the setup, is that the outside sitting area faces the road, and the front entrance of the hotel is around the backside of the building facing the shopping center. Maybe this is so the evening sunset can be partially viewed from the patio area.

I hope that my second experience with the housekeeping neglect in the guestroom is not a reflection of how this property will look a year from now.

Lake Express High Speed Ferry

Previous experiences

Before I write about this trip, I wanted to provide some information about my past experiences on the Lake Express. When the Lake Express first started 10 years ago, my husband and I were keeping a boat at Great Lakes Marina, next to where the Lake Express docks in Muskegon, Michigan. We are boat and water lovers, so we thought the trip to Milwaukee and back sounded like fun. I, however, thought it was too expensive. We both really wanted to try it, so we booked a classic one-night roundtrip leaving Muskegon on a Friday morning. Our ride there and back was a good experience. I was able to get us a free hotel room in Milwaukee with points, so this made the cost more tolerable. We easily got a cab ride to town after our arrival in Milwaukee.

A year or two after that trip, I took two premier roundtrips by myself when I was working in Milwaukee for two summer weeks. Since the Lake Express docks next to Great Lakes Marina, our summer home at that time, I was able to easily walk to the boat dock and back. Although the cost of the Lake Express is expensive compared to other leisure or water crossing trips, it is relatively inexpensive compared to flying. I was able to rent a car for two weeks at the port in Milwaukee, and then park it in their rental lot over the weekend when I went home. When I returned the second Monday, I went straight to my car after disembarking. 

The Lake Express website lists complimentary non-alcoholic beverages for premier class. I had thought my boarding pass was good for only one complimentary beverage when I traveled back then. Since my travel was almost 10 years ago, it is likely that has changed, or that I do not recall correctly. I do recall that one of my crossings from Muskegon at that time was not comfortable. The entire boat reeked of vomit. I said something to one of the employees about the stench, and she said that many people had gotten sick on the boat the day before. I understand that something like that could happen; however, I do not understand that the boat was not thoroughly cleaned before the next passengers boarded. It does not seem like it would have been that difficult to hire this out overnight. Fortunately, the stench was gone when I returned three days later.

Following is our most recent experience.

July 2013, Thursday, one-way for two adults and one vehicle, 7:00 p.m. departure

Milwaukee to Muskegon
On Tuesday afternoon before our trip, we were in Sheboygan, Wisconsin after we had taken the SS Badger over from Ludington, Michigan. My cell phone rang from a toll-free number, although it did not connect when I tried to answer it. Later that evening, after we had checked into our hotel, I did a search for the telephone number online, and found that it belonged to the Lake Express.

I called the Lake Express, and said that it looked like someone had tried to call me, and that I had not received the call. The agent learned that we had a reservation for Thursday. She said that passengers were being called with a recorded message, because all trips through Friday were being canceled because of mechanical trouble. When I asked when we could make the trip back across, she said that she could re-book us for Sunday. I said that would be too late for us, since I had to be home before then (I had an early morning flight on Monday). She did not offer us any other option, until I pressed her for a better solution. She then said that I could call back on Wednesday to see if the boat would be running on Friday. She never apologized for the inconvenience, she never requested our confirmation number or name, and she never asked if we had a vehicle to get home.

I called back the next day, and asked if it was possible to rebook our canceled Thursday booking for Friday. The employee provided the same Sunday rebooking date, with the same kind of service that I had received the first time I called: The employee did not apologize for the inconvenience, she did not request our name or confirmation number, and she did not ask if we had a vehicle to get home. At this point, we realized we were going to have to drive home. I then asked what the Lake Express was going to do to compensate us for this, and the agent said that we would be getting a refund. I asked if that was all, and she said yes.

After we got back to Michigan, I happened to be in Muskegon on Saturday. I observed the Lake Express arrive, and the boat did not look full. If the boat was not full, I wondered why no one had called us to see if we still needed to get across. We were back in Michigan by then; however, the Lake Express did not know that.

Overall
The way a company handles a situation like this is going to determine whether customers will remain customers. The Lake Express has lost me and others as future customers because of the way they handled this situation. I expected them to at least apologize and assist me with a new way to get to my destination. If this had happened to me when I was working in Milwaukee on my prior trip, or when we took our leisure trip for one night without a vehicle, we would have been in an even worse situation. I did not speak personally with other passengers from trips canceled this week, although I did hear stories of passengers trying to book one-way rental cars at the airport to get home.

I will not book a future trip with the Lake Express because of the way this cancelation was handled. I depend on the companies that I book transportation with (air, boat, train, bus, etc.) to get me where I need to go. I can not afford to put my trust in a company that is not going to take care of me if something goes wrong.

There were two things about the way the Lake Express handled this situation that really bothered me:

First, The Lake Express used an automated system to call customers about the cancelation, without making sure that the calls were received. I do not know anything about how these automated systems work. Don't they have a way to track whether a call was actually received and/or connected to confirm that messages are delivered? If I was using a service like that, I would want to know that it was working. Since I did not receive the call, I do not know what the message said, and I told both employees that we did not receive the call. If I had not looked up the telephone number online, and then called, we would not have known that our trip had been canceled until we arrived at the Milwaukee harbor Thursday evening.

Second, the employees I spoke with did not apologize or make any attempt to assist us. Since no one ever asked for the details of our reservation, they did not know how many were in our party, whether we had a vehicle, and whether this was the first leg of our trip.

I think at the very minimum, the Lake Express should have apologized for the inconvenience, and offered to make amends. This was not a trip that canceled due to something beyond their control, such as weather. The trips this week were canceled for mechanical reasons. Along with showing some empathy and assistance, a discount on a future trip, would have made us willing to try the Lake Express again.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin / Marriott Downtown

July 2013, Weekday, 1-night, King guestroom 601

Status perks and check-in

We arrived early, around lunchtime, because we had planned to stop for lunch on the way, and those plans were interrupted. I did not expect our room to be ready, since I had not submitted an early arrival request with the concierge beforehand. I did, however, expect to receive better service than we did. Usually, when I arrive early, the front desk agent contacts housekeeping to make our room top priority on the list, and then the agent calls me as soon as the room is ready. When this happened at the Miami airport Residence Inn, our room was ready less than half an hour after our arrival.

We left our car with the valet, and our luggage with the bellman. I made sure that the front desk agent had my cell phone number, and then we left on foot for lunch. After we walked around most of the river area, we ended up having lunch in the Marriott restaurant, Millioke. Details of that visit are in the Food and Beverage section below. 

It had now been more than an hour since we arrived, so I decided to stop back at the front desk. I figured it would not be too much longer before our room was ready, and I wanted to choose the wine and cheese for my Platinum arrival amenity this stay. I thought that if I let the agent know this, it could be in the guestroom when we returned again. This was my first full-service Marriott stay since this perk changed to a $10 hotel credit instead. When the agent told me this, I recalled receiving an email about this change recently.

I then asked the agent if she knew when our guestroom would be available. She said that there were not any guestrooms available on the higher floors yet. She had not acknowledged my status at any time, even when I asked about my arrival amenity, so I asked her if I had received an upgrade to a concierge guestroom. I had mentioned my preference for a top floor guestroom when we first arrived, although I had not asked if that is the concierge floor. She said that this hotel has a "new concept," and that the concierge lounge is on the 2nd floor at this hotel. It was unclear whether this hotel actually has any concierge guestrooms, which are usually a bit nicer with complimentary bottled water, bathrobes, and automatic turndown service. I ended up taking a room on the 6th floor (the hotel has 9 floors) at this time, because the agent made it sound like I was not waiting for any particular guestroom, and she had said that check-in time is not until 3:00 p.m. (in a manner that indicated I should not expect my room until then). She never acknowledged my status or my profile preferences, and she did not thank me for being a loyal customer.

Guestroom 601

This guestroom is located at the end of the hall on the East side of the building. It has a large window on the East wall, and there is no window on the South wall. There is no view from the guestroom because the neighboring buildings are taller. I did not go up to the 9th floor, so I am not sure if three more floors would have made a difference.

This is a basic non-concierge Marriott guestroom with a few nice quality features; however, there were just as many disappointing features.

The guestroom entrance contained a closet and beverage area. There were no bathrobes in the closet. I called later, to see if I could get a bathrobe to use, and I was told no. The person I spoke with said that the hotel does not have bathrobes. Bathrobes are listed as an amenity on the Marriott Milwaukee Downtown fact sheet under Guest Room Information. This guestroom did not have a full length mirror.

The beverage area included: bottled water for a cost, single-serve coffee maker with supplies, an ice bucket, and two glasses. This is the first full-service Marriott I have stayed in that provided powder creamer, rather than liquid creamer. 

There was room under the counter for a minibar and a safe; however, neither were provided. Since there was plenty of room for a fridge in this area--and, we had a cooler because we were on vacation, I decided to call and inquire about a fridge. I have "refrigerator requested" on my Marriott profile, and usually, there is already a fridge in the guestroom when I arrive, or the front desk agent asks if I want one. When I called, I was told that there were none available. The bellman brought our bag and cooler a few minutes later, and as he pointed out the guestroom features, he mentioned the fridge area. I told him that I had already called to ask about that, and that there were not any available. Several minutes after he departed, someone knocked on the guestroom door and brought in a fridge. I do not know if this was because of an inquiry by the bellman or the person I called. I am inclined to think that it was the bellman.

I thought the spacious tile bathroom was great! I liked the large walk-in shower with glassed doors. The towels were good quality, and the bathroom amenities were Bath & Body Works brand. The low quality hairdryer was a minor disappointment.

The guestroom contained a desk with a telephone and chair, flatscreen TV on an armoire, soft chair and footstool, end table, lamp, king size bed, and nightstands with alarm clock and telephone. There were plenty of lights and outlets at the head of the bed.

The bed and pillows were super comfy with high quality linens. Other than some minor traffic noise, we did not hear any noise while in the guestroom. I was pleased and impressed by this, because this guestroom has a connecting room door. There was a guest in the room next door the night of our stay, because I observed several folios in front of guestroom doors in the hall the next morning.

This guestroom is not very big. The hall area and bathroom are a good size; however, the sitting and working area is not very roomy. There was just enough room for the luggage rack to set up at the end of the desk by the hall. I was surprised that the room was not larger, since it is a corner room. The hotel website lists corner rooms for $10 more, so I expected it to be roomier. The corner guestrooms on the room diagram look like they are slightly larger, so the other rooms must be really small! Or, maybe the spacious bathroom is the only difference.

Food & Beverage

The lunch service at Millioke was excellent, and so was the food. It was after noon when we arrived, so the restaurant was not very busy by the time we finished. It was bustling when we arrived.

The beer and wine prices were pretty average for the area, and not inflated, like is sometimes the case at a hotel restaurant. Our order consisted of a glass of beer, a glass of wine, and Prosciutto and Arugula Flatbread to share. Here is a photo of the flatbread after we each had a piece--it was delicious!

Concierge lounge

Bottled water, coffee, tea, cookies, and apples were available in the lounge in the afternoon. Two small hot food items were served in the evening, as well as a deluxe array of cheeses, cold meats, and fruit. Self-serve alcoholic beverages were available for purchase. The beverage cost was more than what we had paid for our wine and beer in the restaurant.

In the morning, the lounge did not open until 6:30 a.m., and it was not accessible before then. I had hoped to get some coffee with liquid creamer; however, our key did not work before 6:30. I do not know how late it worked in the evening, because we did not try it again after we left the evening social. Available breakfast items were pretty basic with scrambled eggs and sausage. The same cheese, meat, and fruit type items that had been out in the evening, were served in the morning as well. 

Misc. and overall

This hotel charges $30 for valet parking. I called to ask about self-parking options before our stay, and I was told that this is not available. The valet attendants parked in the public parking garage across Milwaukee Street, and we could see them from our guestroom. I inquired with that public parking garage after our stay, and they said that they do not rent space overnight. We did not end up with a valet parking charge on our folio in the morning. The front desk agent knew that we had parked a car because the valet and bellman assisted and escorted us to the front desk when we arrived. I do not know if this is included for Platinum members, or if it was an oversight. Since she never told me anything, and it was so difficult to get assistance or information from the front desk staff, I did not inquire about this before we left.

I had also called the front desk to find out what the check cashing policy is. Marriott used to let elite members cash a personal check for around, or up to, $200 (I do not remember the exact amount). The person I spoke with said that he did not know, and that he did not think I could cash a check. He would have ended the conversation at that (just like everyone else at the front desk), except that I pressed him further. I had to specifically say, "Well, can you find out?" He then said yes, and called me back several minutes later to relay what he had found out. At that time, he offered information about a nearby quick cash type location, if I wanted it.

I did not think this hotel was worth the money. I thought it was expensive when we booked it; however, we were on vacation, I had Platinum status, and it is a new hotel. We decided to splurge because we thought this would be a great stay. I was seriously disappointed with the aloofness of the front desk staff, and the telephone operators. Usually, the service at Marriott hotels is superior, and that was not the case at this hotel. The service we received at the Holiday Inn Express in Sheboygan the night before, was much better. 

I would not choose this hotel again, unless I found a great deal. The bed was definitely comfortable, and the bathroom was nice. The cost, and the indifferent attitude of some of the staff members, is a consideration, too though. There are many hotels in this area to choose from, and this is not the only Marriott property in the area. 

Sheboygan, Wisconsin / Holiday Inn Express

July 2013, Weekday, 1-night, King guestroom #315

Check-in and status perks

All of the employees at this Holiday Inn Express were friendly and cheerful. The front desk agent acknowledged my status, and she apologized for not being able to give me an upgrade. I received a bag of chips, and two bottles of water. One bottle of water and the chips were already in the guestroom; the agent gave me a second bottle of water when I checked in, because my husband was with me. I appreciated that the goody bag had been placed in the guestroom, so that I did not need to carry something else up with my luggage. We also each received two OtisSpunkmeyer cookies.

Guestroom 315

This guestroom is located on the top floor near the end of the hall. I always request top floor rooms away from the elevator, and the front desk agent had acknowledged these requests during the check-in.

The spacious bathroom near the entrance contained a long vanity, bath amenities, a decent quality wall mounted hairdryer, coffee pot with supplies, and a tub/shower combination. The bath towels and amenities were good quality, although  the coffee was the same Holiday Inn Express packets, that, in my opinion, are not so good. This is the first Holiday Inn Express I have stayed in that provided Bath & Body Works amenities. This hotel had a few other improvements too, and I hope that these improvements are coming to all Holiday Inn Express hotels, and not just this one!

A full length mirror, suitcase bench, and open closet were located in the area outside of the bathroom. The closet contained a folding luggage rack, iron, and ironing board.

The guestroom included a small fridge, microwave, flatscreen TV on an armoire, two-tier desk with a lamp and chair, soft chair and footstool, floor lamp, king size bed with 5 pillows, and nightstands with lamps and a lighted alarm clock.

The bed, pillows, and bedding in this guestroom were good quality and very comfortable. This was by far the most comfortable Holiday Inn Express bed I have slept in--and, I have slept in many! When housekeeping had the guestroom doors propped open during cleaning, I could see that it looked like all of the beds in this hotel have a nice quality mattress pad.

The desk chair was also comfortable. I did not sit in the soft chair, although my husband said it was comfortable.

The guestroom was well-lit and well-soundproofed. The Internet connection speed was acceptable.

Food & Beverage
This hotel offers a complimentary Manager's Reception with snacks and beverages on Monday - Thursday. This was briefly mentioned in reviews I read from others before our stay; however, the reviews did not provide any detail--not even the day of the week, and I could not find any information about this on the IHG Holiday Inn Express website. I did find this amenity listed on the Stay in Sheboygan web page. Just click on the Holiday Inn Express icon to see the listing.

When we checked in, the agent gave us each two beverage coupons. She said something about my status when she gave us the coupons, so I am not sure if the quantity we received is specific to Platinum status guests, or if everyone received the same amount. The alcoholic beverage choices included a couple of Wisconsin area beers, which my husband was happy to try. I tried the red wine, which I did not care for. When the employee serving the beverages gave me my glass, she said that she would be happy to give me something else, if I did not like the wine (I had inquired what kind it is beforehand, and I did not recognize the brand). Basic mixed drinks were also available. I observed Bacardi rum, Gordon's vodka, and Hornito's Reposado tequila. I believe that whiskey and gin were also available, although I do not recall the brand names.

Soda pop was available, and the snacks were better quality than what I usually see served at this type of reception. There were a few different kinds of cheeses, meat pieces, cheese spread, crackers, fresh vegetables with dip, and chips with dip.

Breakfast in the morning included the basic Holiday Inn Express items: cold cereal, instant oatmeal,  hard boiled eggs, yogurt, pancake maker, scrambled eggs, cinnamon rolls, white breads, juices, milk, coffee, and tea.

Pool area
The pool is located next to the lobby and breakfast area with windows in between. I did not notice that this hotel does not have a whirlpool until after our arrival. A whirlpool does not matter to me when I am traveling for business; however, my husband always likes to have one when we are traveling for leisure.

Fitness center
I did not use the fitness center during this stay, although I noticed on the hotel website, that it says it is open 24 hours! That is always a plus for me, since I live in the Eastern time zone.

Misc. and overall
This hotel is located across from a Harley Davidson store, and a couple of fast food restaurants. Wal-Mart is located next door. It is next to the expressway with easy on and off access. We did not hear any traffic noise from the guestroom.

I was very comfortable at this hotel, and I will definitely choose it again the next time that I am in the area. All of the employees at this hotel were professional, and they made us feel welcome. I think that this hotel is a step ahead of most Holiday Inn Express hotels in regard to comfort, amenities, and hotel professionalism. It is always nice to receive a room upgrade; however, it is the way the employee handles this perk that really makes the difference. This was a leisure stay with points, and I do not know if that had a bearing on the order that upgrades were given out. This hotel was full the night of our stay, and I was happy that staff at least acknowledged my preferences, and met those requests.

I am in the process of writing a review for a Hampton Inn stay where staff members did not acknowledge my status or preferences in a professional manner when the hotel was full, and now I am trying to decide if I want to change an upcoming stay that I have at a different Hampton Inn to a Holiday Inn Express because this one was so comfortable. On the Holiday Inn Express website, it says that this hotel was recently renovated. It is possible that some of the new experiences listed here will be changed at other properties as they are updated...