Summer means road trips! So we took a few. One of them, through Central Texas, took us through Bryan-College Station, home of Texas A&M University, with a gaggle of girls in the back seat. (Yes, there is a fine line between brave and dumb.)
Since there were five of us – the three teens and two brave yet foolish “grown ups” – we decided to stay at Marriott’s Residence Inn, in part because of it’s proximity to the A&M campus in College Station but mostly because they had a very affordable two-bedroom suite. Having never stayed at a Residence Inn, we weren’t sure what to expect but found the property very attractive and well maintained, with a professional, helpful staff.
We only stayed one night, but it was a good stay. The suite, two bedrooms connected by a living area and kitchenette, was very clean and comfortable. The furnishings made it seem a little crowded, but there was actually plenty of room. There’s a sofa-sleeper and chair in the living area, along with a great little work station with plugs and an Ethernet cable, though free Wi-Fi was provided. Since it’s an extended-stay facility, there is a kitchenette with a built-in dining table which seats four comfortably. Though we didn’t use them, there is a large fridge, microwave, stove/oven and dishwasher, along with plates, glasses, cups, utensils, and pots and pans. Much to my delight, there is also a 12-cup coffee maker which we did use. Several times.
The two bedrooms are similar, each with a queen sized bed, bath and vanity, though one room was slightly larger. There are plenty of plugs in all rooms to handle the abundance of electronics three teens and two gadget-prone adults travel with. Each room has a large flat-screen television as well. The bedding is clean and comfortable, but this is the one area we ran into an issue. The girls woke up to find ants in their bed. One of the girls suffered a bite near her eye, another was bitten on the leg. We did make the desk agent aware of it; though she asked what she could do, she didn’t offer any points or other compensation. This, really, is my only complaint. In a situation like this, a guest should not have to ask for a gesture of good will. The ideal situation, of course, would be to not have an ant bite. Nothing really compensates for that. Given how clean everything was, the ants surprised me. I will give them the benefit of doubt and assume this is not the norm.
The property has some great amenities, including a variety of social events with food and drinks for guests. (There was a barbeque the night we arrived!) There is an outdoor basketball court and grill/patio area, an indoor pool/hot tub, a well-appointed workout room and a laundry facility. All were amazingly clean and tidy! Someone had left a pair of socks on one of the driers, and even they were clean! I mean, this place was spotless.
The lobby is quite nice with a large, double-sided fireplace and several places to sit and chat or work. A small DVD library is available in the lobby, as well as a few books just in case you don’t travel with as many gadgets as we do. (Seriously, we may have a problem.) Adjacent to the lobby is the dining room where a standard breakfast buffet with eggs, do-it-yourself waffles, and continental selections is served daily. We must have been there when the house was full as there were not enough tables. (Solo guests sitting at tables for four certainly didn’t help!)
Overall, we had a good stay and it was a very good value. We would certainly stay there again, but would look harder for ants upon checking in.
