Residence Inn Kalamazoo East

This hotel is tired at best and sketchy at worst. It certainly wasn’t what I expected from this brand. The smell of the cleaning agents used in the room was overwhelming, but two out of three of the windows were duct-taped closed because the room had two stand-alone dehumidifiers (that should also say something) that needed to be vented to the outside. The carpet and fixtures were old. The black plastic utensils (spatulas, spoons, etc.) in the kitchen were so old and worn that they were a health hazard. They were literally disgusting and I’d never, ever use them. On the way up to the second-floor room, we had to pass someone’s laundry laying all over the bushes, ground, and stairwell rail. Seriously, like underwear and everything. There were about 20 pieces of clothing laying out to dry, so one couldn’t even use part of the handrail going up the stairs. The stairwell itself was rusty and uncared for. I got such a bad feeling from the derelict laundry lying about, the sense of disrepair, the 20-year-old kitchenware, and the chemical smell in the room that I did not spend the night and forfeited my $350 a night (!!!!!!!!!!) to get out of there.

Avoid this place. Not deserving of Marriott. Old and dirty. Staff hard to find. Room smelled like smoke. Carpet frayed. Plumbing leaked and rusty. Should be downgraded to 1 star hotel. Breakfast area was ok but door broken and pool closed permanently it looks like.

OMG does Marriott not have Minimum Standards for horrible places like the Residence Inn Kalamazoo East? Long-time dried-out fallen trees & branches around the property, dead bushes, broken apart landscape ties, leaking gutters, severely rusted exterior stairs supports, even dead flowers at the main entrance - all that before we even got inside the building. I called a few hours prior our arrival & spoke with a Front Desk Clerk. Explained my other half has a hard time walking & requested a room near the entrance or elevator. She said it would be noted on our room reservation for when we arrived. Checking in we were assigned a 2nd floor room (they don't have elevators) by the same person who assured me about location when I called earlier. Pointed out that my spouse cannot climb stairs PERIOD and we were reassigned to Room 1511 - what a dump!!! Torn carpet (3' long @ bathroom door), cracked marble threshold, refrigerator door wouldn't shut without wrestling it, cobwebs in every window promising that they had not received attention in a long time, bathroom faucet ran, mold/mildew in bathtub, sketchy red (blood?) stains on two of the pillow cases. Microwave, stove & alarm clock were all set to significantly different times & none were correct - fortunately I use my phone for confirming time. A/C did work but that's about the only decent thing I can say. Only two bath towels - not sufficient when 2 people in the room and one has long hair. I paid with points but researched & the cash price was $156 plus taxes for one night - WHAT THE HECK!!! I've seen a lot better rooms at a Motel 6. Will be contacting Marriott for a points adjustment - hardly slept last night for concern our vehicle OR OUR ROOM would be broken into. Not sure if the Desk Clerk was clueless or mean assigning us to a room with such as long walk (Rm 1511) for a guest with known mobility issues. TERRIBLE!!! RECOMMEND TO AVOID THIS DUMP!!!

Beware that this is not a typical Residence Inn - it is more comparable to a motel with access to the rooms from the parking lot, not the lobby. I immediately checked back out within minutes and booked a safer property closer to my destination. The front desk employee was understanding and did not issue me a bill, so thank you to him! Some shocking things I noticed within the few minutes I was in room 724 - dirty sink drain covered in toothpaste spit, tape patching a hole on the bathroom wall, discolored washcloth, broken mirror on the closet door, highway noise, and loud neighbors. There was also a hotel guest smoking on the staircase of one of the buildings - this should not be tolerated. Needless to say...I will not return.

I arrived late in the night but on the June 17th, 2024 like I have many times over the last several years. However... I was greeted by a friendly desk manager who was mortified after calling and waking up her boss to find out that they couldn't honor my reservation that I made for a room! Ok I have stayed at this property many times over the years and it has gone considerably downhill and currently is the last place I look to stay when in Kalamazoo MI. The property is old, run down, and is poorly cleaned. I clean the room before moving in - wiping down flat surfaces etc. I stay here because its cheap and I like to cook but I bring my own cooking stuff - not just food. It is very random if you will even have a glass in the kitchen. Sometimes the toilet works and sometimes not - again very random. And back to above... I was exhausted and stunned. NEVER in my entire life have I EVER been turned AWAY from a hotel with a valid confirmation number. Seriously this was the FIRST time EVER! I was exhausted - it was after 11pm and after driving 4 hours from my home I had no place to stay for the night. I guess being a frequent traveler today means nothing (platinum elite). NO loyalty to CARE.

My stay was good. It was nice to have a variety of breakfast and the menu changed every day. Hot coffee and tea. Rooms were clean and smelled nice. The pool was nice for the children as well. The hotel is a very old and has wear and tear but the the staff is super friendly and attentive.