If they allowed decimal points in ratings, this place would be a 2.7 or so. Almost good enough for 3 stars, but not quite. The staff was helpful for the most part, but there are just too many negatives to give this place a 3.
They are spending as little money as possible on any upkeep aside from housekeeping, which seems to be excellent, except for the fact the provisioning of the rooms is chintzy. One tiny bar of soap for two adults and two young children? One plastic cup in the bathroom? Yes, we could have asked for more, but that's not really the point.
The phone didn't work at all which doesn't inconvenience us, but could be a safety concern for others. The walk-in shower looks inviting, but there's a major problem with water flow - there is essentially only a trickle.
The window covering had numerous large and very unattractive brown stains. I don't want to think of what they may be from. That the stains would adhere to a plastic-like material and that management did not thoroughly remove them or replace the window curtain tells you where they are coming from. The dresser had drill holes in the top where they was probably once a bolted down remote control. Filling them would take minutes and cost pennies to fill them so they weren't so noticeable.
The beds are softer than my preference. I don't know if it is because they are old or are simply soft mattresses.
The room was large and as noted, well cleaned. But the lighting is very dim and the hallway light where you first walk in didn't work. The hallways are so dim that I couldn't really tell if they were just old and dirty or just old and looked older in the dim light.
The breakfast choices are meager. Two kinds of cold cereal, some uninspiring fruit, processed eggs, a selection of muffins and breads, two juices and a waffle maker. The first day they had no spray to keep the waffles from sticking which makes taking the waffle out difficult.
Butter is kept refrigerated and is rock-hard. The microwave is a million or so years old, but it works. Sort of.
The staff seems to be nice. Two nights in a row, the coffee in the vacuum jugs was cold, but the attendant offered to make a fresh pot. That was nice.
But when I shortened our stay by a night, he totally floored me with his assertion that he would have to charge me anyway for the additional night since it required 24 hours advance notice to cancel. He backed down quickly, but I was stunned. I plan on writing AmericInn corporate to check on this. We've been staying at AmericInns for years and have never heard of such a policy. I've encountered rarely and only at resort properties.
The location is less than a five minute car ride from Mall Of America.
Overall, far from the worst place I've stayed at, but down-at-the-heels to the point of not being someplace I'd consider staying again.
Jerry
- Americinn Hotel Richfield
