Pros:
1. Large comfortable hotel rooms, including suites…read more So far as I could tell the sofas were all sleeper sofas as well. We had a full kitchen with dishes, eating utensils, microwave, full fridge/freezer, and dishwasher. Sign also says that you can borrow a cooktop and skillet free of charge. Suites had separate controls for temperature for each room. You do have to share a bathroom as there were no two bathroom units.
2. There is an area for snacks, drinks, and some prepared meals for purchase.
3. Indoor pool, gym includes, treadmill, bicycle, nautilus type equipment and some free weights.
4. Onsite coin operated washer and dryer. The washer and dryer both operate for $0.50 and the front desk can change cash for quarters. Bring your own laundry detergent.
5. Distance from the Barnes Jewish Hospital is 0.3 miles and is a very feasible and safe walk with sidewalks the whole way. Or you can take the free shuttle anywhere within a 3 mile radius of the hotel. Shuttle seats 4-6 people. Weekdays the shuttle started at 0600 and ends about 9:30 PM. Weekend official start time is at noon but if they can find a driver earlier than that, you can still get a ride. You don't book anything in advance. When you get to the lobby, ask the front desk to call the shuttle driver. If you are out and need to be picked up, call the hotel number. There is only one shuttle and driver at any time, so you may have to wait for it to complete another trip and you should give yourself extra time. Although the shuttle area doesn't include the airport, there is a Metrolink that could take you to the Central West End stop next to Barnes Jewish Hospital.
6. Hot breakfast buffet included from 0630-0930 weekdays and until 1000 on weekends. Breakfast choices included some combination of cold cereal, hot oatmeal or grits, biscuits, rolls, eggs (disc shaped for making a breakfast sandwich), sausage patties, bacon, spinach and egg pastries, chicken strips, potato puffs, waffle maker with lots of nut and fruit toppings, yogurt, milk, coffee, tea, and juices.
7. There is a hospital rate, at least for Barnes Jewish, of $145. There may be similar rates for the other hospitals. Importantly, you have to know this and request it. It can be adjusted retroactively by the general manager.
8. Staff generally is friendly though not necessarily proactive in problem-solving. Outstanding staff members at the breakfast buffet were Michael Walker and a new worker, Connie, who started during my stay. Both were exceptionally hard working and made sure to keep the breakfast area supplied and tidy.
9. Onsite parking is free. The main part of the parking area is behind a gate, however, the area is still accessible without a room card.
Here is where you have to manage your expectations:
1. Housekeeping happens every other day. This includes making the bed, emptying trash, and resupplying towels. However, it's inconsistent, sometimes trash doesn't get emptied and recycling rarely got emptied even if the room was otherwise serviced. In three weeks, the room never got vacuumed. One thing we did learn is that if you have your Do Not Disturb tag on your door when the housekeepers come through to assign rooms to be cleaned, your room will be struck off the list and won't be cleaned at any time that day. If you do miss your cleaning, you'll have to go to the front desk for towels or amenities. The housekeepers never checked the levels of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel, so you will get your supplies from the front desk as well, and you'll have to carry them to your room, then dump what you don't want outside your door.
2. The breakfast area could be haphazardly supplied. This meant that on a busy weekend morning, there would be no utensils, plates, or bowls and the milk and yogurt fridge could be completely empty. Be prompt about arriving for breakfast on time. There is no grace period and they close at 0930 on the dot. 3. If you have any room requests, you have to call the hotel to ensure it. So booking a certain type room online, or booking adjoining rooms won't be honored, even if you booked it that way online on the hotel's website.
5. There is only one bank of elevators at one end of the hotel. There are four floors. If you have impairments with mobility and you can't walk a hundred paces to the other end of the hall, avoid rooms with low numbers (like 301 or 302). Rooms closest to the elevator were rooms like 328 to 332.
6. When you book your room, book for the absolute maximum number of rooms you might need. You can cancel any portion of a reservation that you don't need, but I made the mistake of extending my reservation piecemeal each time a setback occurred at the hospital. While I was able to keep my room, what did happen every time would be that the key would be deactivated and the room would get struck off the cleaning list again.