October 2021, weekday, 1-night, 1-bedroom suite 830
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| Home2Suites and Hilton Garden Inn in Kalamazoo, Michigan |
This hotel has eight floors, and is in the same building with Hilton Garden Inn. When I made the reservation, I had a difficult time deciding which hotel to choose. I ended up choosing Home2Suites, and was very happy with this decision. Home2Suites is the building section facing away from the parking garage, and that section of the building is taller than Hilton Garden Inn. This is a longer walk from the parking garage than Hilton Garden Inn, which I thought was worth it.
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| View looking west from suite 830 in Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan |
Arrival and check-in
The first time I tried to check-in on the app, I was assigned a guestroom on floor 2, and the app was not showing any available guestrooms on the top floor. When I checked again a few hours before arrival, room 830 was available. Even though I did not have a hotel floor plan on the app to see exactly where the room was located, I decided to take my chances, so I chose it to complete check-in. After we got to our room, I realized it was a slight upgrade. It was not clear where to park when we arrived, so we stopped in front of the hotel on N. Rose Street, and went inside to ask. The entrance on this road is actually for Hilton Garden Inn. Home2Suites entrance door is on Eleanor Street; however, that road was under construction. The person at the front desk told me to park in the city lot across N. Rose Street and take the walkway over. The walkway comes over on level 2, and there are absolutely no signs in the walkways or at the elevators for either hotel. I was using the guestroom entrance key on the app, so we got on the elevator intending to go to floor 8. The first elevator we got on only had 6 floors, so we got off without going up. I decided to walk down the hallway, away from the parking garage, rather than go down a floor to street level and the lobby. We found another elevator, which had 8 floors, so we went up to the 8th floor where we easily found our suite.
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| Suite 830 in Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan |
Guestroom 830 and diamond perks
We both loved this guestroom! The view is amazing, and it is very soundproof. If the weather had cooperated, we would have had a fabulous sunset view. Some people may have thought the construction was a view obstruction; however, in our case, it was a bonus. It kept my husband entertained while I worked! 😁
I could not get the bathroom light to turn on when we arrived, and there was no welcome letter or information in the suite, so I went down to the front desk. The person I spoke with told me there is a fuse panel in each suite. After I inquired about breakfast and wifi, he provided an information/welcome letter, and an extra key in a packet with the wifi password. I also received two welcome bags containing water and a snack. The front desk agent told me they do not do put the items in the guestroom, because entering guests' rooms is limited due to COVID. Although I did not reply, I thought: Before I arrive--huh? How is me coming to the front desk, face-to-face with someone to get items directly from their hands, safer than someone entering my room before I arrive? Going to the front desk was not a big deal; I just thought the reasoning did not make sense.
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| Suite 830 in Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan |
Back to the guestroom - As I said, this is a fabulous room! The kitchen/living area contained a dishwasher, full size fridge, microwave, limited dishes, coffeemaker with supplies, sofa, footstool, end tables, flatscreen TV on an armoire, and kitchen table with 4 chairs.
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| Suite 830 in Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan Bathroom on right; bedroom behind closed door |
A work area with chair was located next to the TV and across from the bathroom.
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| Suite 830 in Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan |
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Bedroom in suite 830 in Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan |
The bedroom is a separate room with a door. The room is a good size with floor to ceiling corner windows. A second flatscreen TV was in the bedroom, along with nightstands, an armoire, wardrobe closet, and luggage rack.
Food & beverage
This was my first time staying in a Home2Suites, and I was not sure what to expect. Breakfast reminded me of what is offered at Best Western and Fairfield Inn properties. There were Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches and a microwave to heat them. Other items included a waffle maker, cereals, yogurt, breakfast bars, and beverages. The milk in the cooler was not cold, and I thought the breakfast foods were mediocre at best.
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| Pool in Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan |
Pool, fitness center, misc., overall
We had not seen the pool, fitness center, or outside seating area during our stay. Location details and hours were not provided in our welcome letter, and there is no signage in the elevators. I recalled seeing an outside area with fireplace and the pool in online photos, so I specifically looked for this before we left. I initially looked on floor 3, because I had thought the courtyard was on a rooftop. I was mistaken; everything is located next to each other on the lobby/street level between the two hotels. This is easy to spot when walking down the adjoining hallway on the lobby level; however, for anyone staying in Hilton Garden Inn or by-passing the front desk from the parking garage like we did, there was no information. Most hotels have signage in the elevators, and in the hallways. When I called the front desk to ask where the pool and courtyard is located, the agent responded like he thought I was a dingbat for not obviously seeing theses amenities (I asked for more clear directions when he merely said lobby level between the hotels). Once I walked on floor 1, I could tell how easy the areas are to spot. We had only been on this floor to the front desk from the elevator, and to the breakfast room before this. The pool and fitness center are easily visible from the hall, as they both have glass windows. The pool photo above was taken from the hall.
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| Home2Suites Kalamazoo, Michigan |
Overall, this was a great stay. Both of these hotels are in a good location for walking in the downtown area. It is easy to get to the walking trails along Arcadia Creek and Kalamazoo River. I thought the $20 parking charge was a bit steep. The parking lot behind the hotel that I had seen on google maps before our stay is old, and I had not noticed the parking rate when I made my reservation. There are Hilton Diamond parking spaces on level 2 of the parking garage close to the walkway. We were lucky to find one available when we arrived.
Let me know if you have any questions!
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