We stayed at the Residence Inn for 5 days in February. We had previously stayed there about 8 years ago. The rooms could use an upgrade (old crt-based TV's, overly loose office chair, too-sensitive shower adjustment), but the staff were uniformly polite and helpful. The hot breakfast was just fine and we never tried the spa or pool since the temperatures were in the 40's. If you're eligible for the senior rate (62+), you can save 20% or more off the rack rate, so check it out via the marriott.com web site. It was quiet at night which made sleeping quite pleasurable. Even though advertised as a studio, the ability to close off the bedroom with sliding doors reduced the noise of my nocturnal activities (free Internet) so my wife could sleep.

Who ever said Disneyworld was the happiest place on earth has not stayed at the Residence Inn in Gainesville, FL. I had read the previous good reviews on this site, but I found the level of service and the warmth and helpfulness of staff to be truly amazing. From the check-in desk staff to the morning breakfast person, Teresa, who has to be the sunniest person in Florida, everyone offered to do whatever was needed to make our stay a good one. In addition to free high-speed internet in the units, free hot breakfast, the Monday-Thursday evening social hour which easily provided enough food for a dinner, they offer free (yes, free) grocery shopping serivce. When my husband left behind some of his medication, the staff called us immediately and offered to mail the item to us.

The hotel is older and so there are a few worn edges and I think the bedding could do with an update. The upstairs units can only be reached by outdoor staircases so request a ground floor unit if this may be an issue. But after being on a cruise ship for 24 days, the amount of space in our unit was a wonderful treat. We had a full kitchen with standard size appliances, dishes, utensils and pots and pans. We had only one fry pan and a small sauce pan and it would have been nicer to have a baking pan and another larger sauce pan for cooking. The living room area had a fireplace, sofa bed, armchair, coffee table,a desk with office chair, and a dresser with television on top. The small bedroom contained a queen size bed and dresser with a second TV.

The hotel's location on the south edge of town may not suit everyone, but we enjoyed the quiet. The main shopping areas, university, etc. were only a short drive away. Access to I-75 was about a 5 minute drive. The hotel is located beside a nature preserve so there are opportunities for long walks. Within walking distance were a couple of Asian restaurants and an IHOP. A full-size Publix supermarket was a five-minute drive and there were two gas station/mini-marts across the street.

We have family in the area and have tried other hotels in Gainesville before with mixed results. However, after our stay at this Residence Inn, we will definitely plan all our stays here in the future.

Geat location in private and secluded area away from downtown.

I am an Elite Marriott member who also owns two time share properties, so I stick to Marriott whenever I can. Here goes..I made reservations through the hotel directly a few months ago for a football game weekend at University of Florida. I was unable to do it directly through the website which I thought was kind of wierd to begin with. So when I call the hotel, they are nice enough and I book my room for two nights at a very high rate of $259.00 a night! Gainesville is not a big city, so I figured that the hotels were all comparable and was expecting a decent stay. Also, there was a two-week cancellation period instead of the usual one day, which I also thought was strange.
I arrived at the hotel very tired from a long day of travel (delayed flights etc...) and immediately noticed the neighborhood was less than desireable, but it was dark, so I just wanted to get sleep. We didn't even turn on kitchen or family room lights untila bit later. When I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth, I saw all the mildew and mold in the corners of the bathroom and shower. After further inspection, I saw the rest...terribly stained carpets, sticky filthy kitchen cabinets, unwashed kitched sinks, couches looked a bit like mine in college, etc... After being in there a little while, the odors began to creep in starting with the mildew... Long story, not so short, I laid down towels to walk in the bathrooms and blankets in the bedooms. I took a lot of pictures and have sent them to the GM onsite in hopes of receiving credit of some sort for the stay. I will continue to pursue this one, as this is the worst stay I have had in a long long time.