Three of us (my wife, her brother, and I) stayed here, as we were in South Bend for two nights of Notre Dame hockey games. We had a two-bedroom, two-bath "penthouse."
The good news: the rooms are spacious, and the bedrooms are split on two floors with a loft above for the second bedroom and bath. The grounds were reasonably quiet, and the breakfast (provided with the room fare) was typical of the "free with your room" hotel variety. Having a full kitchen was also great for kicking back after the games, and having drinks and snacks.
The bad: room maintenance was inconsistent. While the bathrooms were clean, and the floors vacuumed, other touches were lacking. The return vent for the A/C hadn't been cleaned or dusted probably since the Carter administration. The garbage disposal in the kitchen emanated an odd, slightly foul smell. The desk light lacked a lightbulb. Only one of the bedrooms had a luggage rack on which to place your bags. Finally, when we returned from a day of visiting South Bend, our room had not been cleaned--and it was past 4PM. We surmised that, perhaps, since this was an extended stay hotel, that we had erred in expecting it to be serviced. Around 5pm two housekeeping people showed up (we did not ask them to), and offered to provide fresh towels and soap, which we accepted. They were clearly not there, however to clean or service the room beyond that (since they had no vacuum or utility cart to do so). Lastly, the exterior of the hotel units (a series of townhouses spread across the property), shows some serious signs of wear.
So, on one hand, these are not fatal flaws, and for the most part, did not detract from an enjoyable experience. They certainly prevent it from getting five (or even four) stars in my ratings, however.
A few other comments: if you opt for one of the penthouse units, you will need to climb stairs. All such rooms are on the second floor of the "townhouses" (as I call them), and no elevators exist. Moreover, the two bedrooms do lack some privacy. The first floor bedroom is part of--and open to--the general living room area. The upstairs bedroom is a loft open to the first floor below. This is a slightly different configuration from other two-bedroom Residence Inns we've stayed at before. Additionally, if you are visiting South Bend for any campus activities, you will not be close enough to walk to them; you will need to drive to and from. A similar comment should be made for dining options. Again, you'll need to drive anywhere to dine out.
- South Bend Residence Inn
