Stayed at the Hampton Inn during a shopping weekend for US Thanksgiving / Black Friday.
Room was very clean and no-frills, and the bathroom was new-ish and also very clean.
There are three outlet-type malls within an hour drive of the hotel (We went to two -- Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills, which was about a 5 minute drive away; the Birch Run Premium Outlets in nearly Birch Run, MI about an hour away. There is also the Tanger Outlets in Howell, MI but we did not go here)
There was a little mix-up at check-in. I had booked for one night several months previously, and we had decided to extend the trip by coming a day earlier about a month ago.
I was not able to get the same (really really low) rate for the originally booked 2nd night, so I booked under 2 separate reservations for each night. I had called the hotel to ask if the reservations could be combined, but was told I would not be able to combine it as the nightly rates were different.
The lady at the check-in saw we were there for 2 nights and (trying to help), combined the reservations without checking the nightly rates. It took about 30 minutes to correct the mistake, which at least was eventually corrected and the original lower rate for the 2nd night was honoured.
Based on the number of cars in the parking lot, the hotel was probaby half empty on the first night. We were at the complimentary hot breakfast quite early and were the only ones in the breakfast room. This first morning they had sausage patties, cheese omelettes, mixed-fruit salad and of course the usual make-your-own waffles, breads, cereals, oatmeal and fresh fruits.
The second night we were there the hotel appeared to much busier, and that was evident when we entered the breakfast room and it was totally packed. It didn't appear that the one person manning the buffet was able to keep up with the demand and there were a shortage of plates and other foods. The juice on the 2nd day (from a fountain-type dispenser) was terribly watered down, there was no meat available (it was western omelettes and home-fries), and the only fruit left were grapefuit sections and some apples.
If I had only been there for the second night I would have thought that the breakfast was awful.
All in all, I would return if I am able to get another awesome deal.
There appears to be another Hampton Inn being built and opening in Dec 2011 directly beside the Great Lakes Crossing Mall. Although better located, a quick check for some dates next year show that the new hotel is significantly more expensive than this location.
For the money spent, it was clean, decently located and breakfast was adequate (at least on the first, less busy morning).
- Auburn Hills Hampton Inn
