When you arrive at the Brentwood Inn, you drive under/through the building to get to the parking…read morelot behind the building. Then, go through the unsecured door in the rear of the building and walk down the long hallway to the front of the building, where the reception desk is.
If you need a shuttle to Mayo buildings, this is where you can pick up a schedule - there is no information in the room.
Here are the BEST things about this individually owned hotel(?) (motel?):
* Free Parking!!
* Connects directly to Mayo Clinic through the bright and airy "Subway" level!! (There is no train, it just sounds better than basement.)
* low entry shower
* medical style recliner
* 2 different shades of lightbulbs over the sink AND in the room (bright white, soothing yellow)
* DAILY maid service
* frozen water machine on every floor
They provide the average amenities:
* free breakfast of mediocre quality but with a good Bigelow selection of tea
* bar of soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner & lotion in travel sizes
* small microwave
* small refrigerator - turn it up when you get in the room:
* small coffee(?) maker - they provide Tork brand coffee packets, powder creamer & sugar (not K-cup)
* desk/dresser with a straight chair
* nightstand complete with phonebook and Gideon's Bible
The not so great ... at least for room 341 which was a 2 Double Bed:
* the windows OPEN - ok, they are up off the ground and getting a breeze is nice but they FULLY open on the THIRD floor and it FEELS dangerous (I am NOT saying that it is, I am not a building inspector)
* the air conditioner is in the wall and not appropriately weather-stripped ... every breeze camethrough across the heads of the beds
* the beds, fully worn in down the center
* the pillows, 2 "firm" that are just flat and 1 is so soft that you can roll it into the size of a softball
* the sheets feel like canvas linen that they make the reusable bags out of, not the soft cotton that you want against your skin
* the "comforters" on top of the beds are soft but thin - if you are chilly there is ONE velux type blanket on the shelf above the mixed-type hangers when you walk in the room door
* no luggage rack or short flat area for for suitcase
* the light switch for the bathroom was on the outside of the bathroom AND at least 6" away from the bathroom door jam
* the toilet-paper was hung very close to the ground while the fixture was a standard height leaving a person to bend over to the side to grab and need a second hand to get the paper separated from the roll
* the elevator by the office runs up and down from L(obby) level to 2,3,4 but if you want to go through the S(ubway) level you have to go along the long hallway (from RM 324) to a second elevator that runs S,2,3,4 (no level 1)
The bad:
* The door to the room appeared to close but could then still be opened, it had to be pulled extra firmly and double and triple checked
* The bathroom door appears closed but will randomly pop open
* If someone is in the bathroom with the door closed when the door to the room is opened or closed, the bathroom door will open on its own
* the bathroom door opened less than 1" away from the end of the edge of the toilet (photo evidence)
* the tissues feel like tissue-paper that you would use to wrap a present ... I could not use them on my nose
When you get down to the Subway level there are new vending machines. Then you are in Mayo Clinic. You can get a wheelchair here if you need to borrow one. The markings for all the Mayo buildings are clear and straightforward. If you think you are lost, you probably have not gone far enough yet.
When you want to return, follow signs for the Graham Parking Ramp. If you borrowed a chair, leave it outside of the Brentwood Inn. You should need your key to call the elevator to come take you up. However, on occasion the door to the steps (directly across from the elevator) may be propped open requiring no security.
If you need a handicap accessible room, I would make sure that yours is when registering. My room had a long walk that included 2 steps to get to the elevator that took us down to the Subway.
I have to say that despite many inconveniences and lack of creature comforts, if I needed the location, for the right price I might go back. However, I would probably go back to somewhere slightly further away and take the shuttle as needed.
