Residence Inn

Author: Kalicia Bateman

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The Good

• Amenities and services
• Room options

While Residence Inn is designed to satisfy the needs of guests staying for longer periods of time, guests are not required to make long room reservations. However, since Residence Inn is an extended stay hotel chain, they offer a number of services typically found in up-scale hotels all for a reasonable nightly rate. The amenities and services available at Residence Inn locations go above and beyond that of the standard hotel experience. Granted, Residence Inn is trying to make guests feel as at home as possible. Residence Inn does still offer the typical service, but also include several other services usually included in the room rate. Residence Inn amenities include:

• Daily Hot Breakfast: complimentary breakfasts with healthy options available to all guests
• Groceries: for those who want to cook themselves can have groceries delivered right to their door
• Wi-fi Connection: free, fast, and secure wi-fi available to connect to
• Fully equipped kitchens: includes full-sized refrigerator, stove, microwave, and coffeemaker
• Laundry: both on-site laundry and dry cleaning available
• Accommodations: most locations have pools, lobbies, fitness centers (equipped with TVs), outdoor spaces with barbecue and fire pits, and complimentary Paul Mitchell products

The suites themselves create a more home-like environment. Typically, Residence Inn suites are much larger than the standard economy hotel room. Standard suites usually hover around 450 square feet, whereas two-bedroom suites are usually 750 square feet. There is a pricing difference between the two floor plan layouts. There are four suites available for reservation:

• Studio Suite: includes 1 television, free wi-fi, spacious bathroom and bedroom and it sleeps 1-4 people with living room and sofa bed.
• Bedroom Suite: in-suite work space with fully equipped kitchen and dining bar. Bathroom has an extra large shower and there are two televisions. Also sleeps 1-4.
• 2 Bedroom Suite: sleeps anywhere from 1-6 people and comes with two separate bedrooms. Also includes an in-suite work space, fully equipped kitchen, dining area, two bathrooms, and 3 televisions.
• Penthouse Suite: also sleeps 1-6 people with a large living room and sofa bed. Bi-level floor plan with separate bedroom and separate sleeping loft. There is an in-room work space and fully equipped kitchen with dining area. Two bathrooms with separate vanity areas and 3 televisions.

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The Bad

• Not geared towards families
• Higher rates
• Limited locations

Residence Inn by Marriott tries to provide their guests with all the necessities typically found at home without charging outrageous rates. That being said, the design of the hotels definitely is geared towards servicing one type of guest - those staying long-term for business. With a number of scheduled social and networking events, the Residence Inn is a quality solution for those traveling for longer periods of time for work. The Residence Inn properties are not necessarily designed to support a traveling family or adventure seekers. Since the Residence Inn is specifically designed to accommodate one group, there are some things guests should be aware of prior to booking a room or suite. This includes:

• Higher rates - while rates would be considered low for long-term stays, that is not the case for just one or two nights
• Limited locations - there are Marriott hotels everywhere, but Residence Inn locations are sparse compared to other branches of the organizations

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The Bottom Line

Residence Inn provides their guests with a number of standard and luxury-based services to accommodate those staying for longer periods of time. Those who decide to book a room or suite at a Residence Inn property can expect the following:

1. Large suites - complete with a number of extra amenities
2. Standard and extra amenities - ranging from free breakfasts to grocery delivery
3. Higher rates - on average, nightly rates will be more expensive than economy hotel rooms
4. Limited locations - not available in all cities