My 300 person wedding was held at the Red Lion. Rachel and her team are an absolute pleasure to work with. She was great at answering all of my questions and any last minute fire drills that occurred. We had some guests complain about the rooms - they're a little outdated as is the hotel, but it's right on college avenue and the ballroom is massive which outweighs the outdated rooms. One other thing to keep in mind is the diamond package they offer - although the beer is 'unlimited', if you calculate it out on your own, it's much cheaper to just do kegs and buy them as they go. Overall wonderful experience! Would highly recommend them for any large wedding you are planning. read more

ABSOLUTELY AWFUL. FILTHY. FILTHY. FLITHY! For what you PAY the rooms should at least be clean. This was literally the WORST experience we have ever had at a hotel! HAIR, TRASH, GRIME in the room. Stuff LEAKING FROM THE WALLS. I literally wouldn't believe it if I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes! The pool area was also so gross. Greasy fingerprints on all of the games. Yes they were remodeling, but non of the things we experienced were because of that! SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! Also.. We never mentioned our experience to the front desk. The lady working was always on the verge of tears. Upon check-in, even before she greeted us, she told us that she didn't know what she was doing. They were transitioning to a new system and she had no proper training. Management was not supporting staff and she felt completely overwhelmed. So I guess we just didn't want to add to her stress and be the annoying people complaining to her. read more

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I stayed here for a wedding and would not recommend this place. When I initially was in the midst of booking, I had called but the deal online was cheaper than the block. I had to be insistent on the phone to not book it which was annoying. There's some lack of information they provide: pool, parking and breakfast availability so we had to do some digging and ask when we checked in. We stayed here two nights. The decor is outdated. I'd say the room was decently cleaned, but they did leave a used washcloth on the shower. The worst part about this place is the noise. We were in 2402 and the sound traveled CLEARLY. I could hear conversations next door and a bit through the hallways. The door slams from other rooms woke me up at night. read more

This hotel is extremely dirty, worn, and in need of major updates. My room was dark, dated, and very dusty. There was also a stain on the comforter, and the sheets had a very stale, mildew smell to them. I do not plan to return. read more

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This is my second home. I travel almost every week to Appleton since the first week of February of this year. Mark/ Dan are the front desk managers and have always been pleasant and accommodating. Erin is the event coordinator and she was able to help us with a conference room when we were in a bind. Phyllis is a sweetheart - our concierge lounge attendant -but you gotta watch out, she's got a heavy pour hand. If you don't have access to that level; she's occasionally involved in the events that happen in the courtyard. There are three restaurants, one bar and coffee shop: -Lombardi's -- higher end steakhouse -Clubhouse -- sports bar -Orchard's -- breakfast/lunch place with a tuscany patio feel -Intermezzo -- bar that's located near the courtyard and is open only usually between 5-8 depending on how busy they get. -Jo a la mode -- gives Casey life in the morning. The hotel is an older hotel but... it's Appleton. It's definitely, one of the better ones. This is where the away NFL team stays when they come. There is a gym/ pool/game room and sauna in the lower level. -The gym is small and limited as you would expect in a hotel. -The pool area has a hot tub and a regular indoor pool. -The sauna is a dry sauna. Bonus** if you check in; you get a tall beverage and this includes any specialty beverage. Heck yeahhh!! --update -- this promotion has ended. Casey = sad panda. read more

Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley - Salmon Penne @the Orchards - Hotels Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Its one of those old hotels... Probably a historic landmark. Located in the middle of anything and everything in downtown Appleton. I don't think anybody can say anything bad about the location of this hotel. Anyhow,, let's get down to it... The lobby is huge. I mean exposed bricks, high ceilings,, almost sort of like an atrium style, but not. There's couches to sit in and the check in desk is a bit of a walk from the lobby doors. Our rooms were located at the other wing, so we had to pass by the restaurant and the pool to get to the elevators. The rooms were pretty typical, there's a bed with sheets, comforters and pillows for me to sleep in. A window for me to look out of. There's also a bathroom, it has a tub and a shower, there's a toilet that flushes and a sink with a faucet in front of a giant mirror. It's a pretty good hotel. A nice place downtown to put your head down so you can rest and be ready for whatever that may come the next day. read more

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I was in town for Hamilton, with my nine year old son, for a quick one night stay. I read the other reviews and was still convinced it'd be fine because of it's great location near the Performing Arts Center. It's one night! I can sleep in any old dump for ONE NIGHT! The location really is great! That's the best part about the hotel. It is dated, but I found my room to be clean enough, nicely appointed (other reviews mention no microwave and fridge; ours had both), and suitable for one night of sleep....until it came time to sleep. The walls are paper thin! I mean, my neighbors were in town for a wedding, so I was not at all shocked to hear them stumble home around 2 a.m., pop popcorn, etc. I WAS shocked that it sounded like I was in the room with them. But then things went from bad, to worse, to horrible. Remember how I said I was traveling with my nine year old son? Wow, did he get some life lessons at 3 a.m. when we heard the most explicit, swear-ridden, loudest, slappiest, screamiest uh... adult sounds I have ever heard. If I was traveling alone, I'd amp up the white noise and carry on with life. With my nine year old... awwwwkward!!! My friends, this went on for THREE SESSIONS and didn't finish up until well past four in the morning. I called front desk right away at 3 am, once the "fun" began and she assured me that they would come up and take care of it. Nothing happened. In the morning I explained what happened, that I reached out for help, and that I got none. The front desk person clicked her tongue and offered me a coffee.... which I needed because I barely slept a wink. I wish some other compensation was offered. I worry about what my son experienced and how to help him process it. He's nine. It's horrible. I'm gonna pass next time I need to stay near the Performing Arts Center. The CopperLeaf is not much further away. read more

Just back from a three day conference at the Radisson Paper Valley and was very pleased with the hotel. From the moment I walked in the staff was friendly and accessible - from the greeter to the front desk staff, security, restaurant staff, and conference support staff everyone was professional and welcoming. The hotel is not new, and its age shows a little: the showers could use updating and the lobby elevator is sloooooow. However the bed was comfy and piled high with pillows (there was also a spare pillow and blanket in the room), wifi is free and the entire sprawling hotel was clean and well managed. Pack your swim suit and workout gear as there's a pool, hot tub, sauna, and fitness center (bummed I didn't get to try out the ping pong tables). Parking is $2 per entrance, and it would be nice if the hotel would validate, but in the grand scheme of things it's no big deal. Once you park you can pretty much leave your car where it is, as the hotel is right in the middle of downtown and within walking distance of pretty much everything you need! The bar has swings and Joannie will regale you with stories while she mixes your drink. There's also a very convenient cafe serving Starbucks coffee and tea. Overall a great stay. read more

Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley - Outdoor seating area by conference rooms. - Hotels Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

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The rooms were nice and humid Also, I'm was very impressed how this fine establishment keeps their bed bugs fed nightly. read more

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This entire experience was pretty awful. First of all, they barely have any signs to even help you find the building. Check in was easy once we got there and everyone was friendly, but our room was disgusting. Stains all over the walls, holes in walls, cracked paintings, stained sheets, broken toilet. Then as we were trying to sleep, our neighbors came back and we realized the walls are thinner than paper. A dog barked constantly for hours on end and we could hear voices like they were sitting in the room with us. Would not come back to this hotel. read more

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Got in around 6pm Monday front desk people were nice and knowledgeable. Room was nice. Lighting a bit dim but restroom lights were well lit for hair, make up, getting dressed etc. refrigerator was there. NO MICROWAVE. Have to go to the front desk to use one. Gyms are always a hit or miss with hotels this hotel had a good gym compared to MOST! Treadmills, bike, ellipticals, a mat, some towels, water thing wasn't full, the sanitation wipes were fully stocked and not dried out and the machine actually worked. Whirl pool jets for the bubbles are inoperative, the whirl pool is warm could be a bit warmer. There's a sauna too! I'd come back. read more

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Ah, the Red Lion Hotel. Well, it's not a 5-star hotel but it certainly has 4 walls, a bed (a clean one), bathroom and good room service. The room we stayed in was actually well kept. However, the shower curtain and inside of the tub was not very clean. Granted I only stayed there for one night, it wasn't a major concern of mine. The staff I encountered was very nice and was nice enough to accommodate my early arrival (check-in was at 3 pm) at 1 pm. As I walked up to my room, I noticed that the hallways were pretty clean and there was no sign of neglect. The recreation center, which included a pool, hot tub, ping pong table, workout center, and a gaming corner area was great. One thing I would definitely suggest to them is to not advertise that ramp parking is included, it's not. Not a huge ordeal to pay a $5 fee, but it was discouraging to find out that it wasn't included. With that said, I would certainly come back and stay here again. read more

This is not a holiday inn express. It's a high end hotel, where you get what you pay for. Stayed in the concierge side, which is more expensive, but has nice benefits Clean rooms, very comfortable beds and hot showers. That's a three star. It's a little old and its not cheap - 1 Sleep number bed +1 Good on site bar, restaurant and excellent room service, +1 Concierge level with quiet floor, comp drinks and apps. +1 High end 42 inch lg flat screen, fridge, micro +1 Nice furnishings, super fast wifi (16m) Starbucks coffee available in the café at 5am on weekdays +1000 I stay here on business trips, and I like it. It is my number one hotel for actually feeling as though I am experiencing some thing nice. read more

Man this place has gone down hill quick. Recently purchased by Red Lion Hotels. Our room smelled like warm shrimp. Very humid in the room which could not be managed through the thermostat. Service was good and employees were nice. The breakfast buffet down stairs was less than desirable. Won't be coming back. read more

Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley - Hotels Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

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This is the worst hotel I have ever stayed at. The hotel itself is below par. The staff is even worse. The security guard and font desk is even worse at night. My card did not work 3x today. I asked for help. I asked for corporate and they threatened me with a disorderly conduct for it being so late. I paid for this and I would rather stay on the street. Mr. Huebner with the late night staff was nothing but unprofessional. The saddest thing I've ever seen. I hope when you get upgraded to the Hilton this man and service is gone. I wouldn't pay a cent for this (excuse my language) bs... They would not get a manager. Would not give corporates phone number. They did nothing for me other than threaten me for their disservice. Pray for better days when and if this gets converted to the Hilton. This was sad and utterly pathetic. read more

Ever since the built the hotel the restaurant food has been inferior. It was the Paper Valley Hotel and now is the Red Lion. 6 of us went for breakfast and had a variety of food. My husband went for the buffet and he said nothing was good. I had corn beef hash which had to come from a can. 3 in our party had eggs, toast, hash browns and bacon. Cannot screw that's up to bad. The bacon on the buffet was almost raw while the bacon that was ordered was so week Done it was almost considered burnt. My husband was invited to eat there again. He did and said he will never go back. Ditto. I hope the new owners will get some new chefs! read more

One of the worst experiences over the past decade with a hotel, and I travel a lot. They did serious construction with multiple people hammering right outside my window until Midnight. They were rebuilding the restaurant inside the plaza, and when I asked that it stop, they said no at 10:30 and 11:30 pm. Let that sink in.... Active construction site rebuilding the inside of the hotel with power tools and hammering, after midnight, with refusal to stop. Just....wow. Room thermometer didn't work, only blew cold air, had to turn it off to get above 60. I'll never stay at a Radison again. read more

Average hotel in a good location. Has some housekeeping issues-found mold on the inside of the shower curtain and feces on the bathroom floor. Was nice the first time and asked for the room to be thoroughly cleaned and came back to dried stool still in the middle of the bathroom floor. Went back down to front desk again, they got the hotel housekeeping supervisor to address it and clean it up. Did try to make it better by giving us free breakfast, but was so upset the second time I cried all the way back to the room. Won't stay here again or recommend it to others. read more

Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley - Dried stool - Hotels Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

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I stay at hotels all over the country for my job. This one is unsatisfactory. It's December and room temp is too hot to sleep in. The thermostat won't bring the temp down. They brought me a noisy fan to blow the hot air around my room. I couldn't sleep at all. The food is terrible in both the restaurants here as well. Avoid staying here. Avoid eating here. read more

I hate to say it, but this was a disappointment. I travel for business often and usually don't make the Radissson my first choice but I relied on co-worker to make reservations for this stay. The room and furniture is outdated. The carpeting is old and has that "Old Carpet" odor. The musty smell irritated my sinuses and made it difficult to sleep in this room. Maybe there was some water damage to my room and the carpeting at some point in the past. Not good for the sinuses. Tried to Febreez the room and carpeting but the smell keeps coming back. Room lighting is dark, dim, and gloomy. Maybe they just assigned me to an old room that was never updated - idk. No complaints about the staff..... all staff members appeared really friendly and customer service-driven! I probably could have asked to be moved to a different room (I don't know if all rooms are as musty) but my work-related visit here has been too fast-paced to keep moving around. The internet connection was good and reliable all of the time. Unfortunately, I can't reach for much more favorable aspects of this property. read more

Room was nice, but overall felt outdated. It was clean, but there were several scuffs on the walls, and patched holes. Very comfortable beds, but woke up a few times due to noise. It doesn't really seem that there's much soundproofing. I heard someone in the bathroom, and the sound was so clear I thought for a second they were in my bathroom. This hotel is located nicely for downtown bars, so it's a good place to crash. But I wouldn't really seek out this hotel for a getaway. Just needs a deep clean and some upgrades and it would be perfect. read more

WOKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO OUR CEILING LEAKING. Not worth the 250$ stay for two nights!!!!! First of all, a 35 extra charge they put if you use a visa debit card to your account for a "service charge" if you call room service or they have to replace anything used in your room. However, they'll refund you at your ending stay if you do not utilize anything .. fine cool. Then they tell us parking ramp is 7$ a night .. stayed two nights. So unnecessary charges ending up being 49$. Little frustrating. Breakfast was terrible. Staff stood around while the place was empty .. why, let me tell you I found an hair in my food, NASTY! Got up, paid an left. Bar/restaurant they have there, went for drinks around 9 pm.. literally, again, staff just stood around. Came around for our drink, vodka cranberry .. easy drink to make, tasted disgusting! I would say there was about 95% vodka with no juice. Riddle me that. Then 3 AM.. my husband wakes up to the noise of dripping water. (I thought maybe the picture frames that were plastic were popping), WRONG! OUR BED WAS SOAKED WITH DRIPPING WATER FROM THE CEILING! All down the walls, floor, an bed. They came to look at it, asked us if we wanted to change rooms (we were leaving that morning so declined, there was another bed in the room). So he kindly gave us free breakfast tickets .. which great, would have loved to go IF I DID NOT FIND HAIR IN MY FOOD THE PREVIOUS MORNING. Oh, an house keeping knocks on your door at 8 am, even when we had the "do not disturb" sign hanging up. Like okay.. Not worth the money... at all. Needs upgrades bad! read more

Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley - Leaking ceiling!!! - Hotels Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Rooms are absolutely disgusting. Gives off a very sketchy and unclean feeling. In need of attention and a remodel desperately. When you first check into room beds aren't fully made, sheets aren't washed (markings on sheets and if you pull back the comforter you see previous guests' hair). Highly outdated rooms and bathroom. Looks like Hilton will be taking over the hotel, but in the mean time you would think housekeeping is offered or staff could at least make the beds before you check into a room. Highly disappointed. read more

Friendly people and integrated Vince Lombardi steakhouse where I had a delicious meal. Low-cost adjacent parking with an excellent location. I didn't even mind everything being dated, it gave the place character. The room was shockingly repulsive. It had a bloodstained pillow, cigarette burned furniture, disgustingly stained walls, patched carpet, and broken shower valve resulting in unexpected hot water spike burning my back. Heading towards a morning breakfast, I'd shared the above, quietly, complete with camera phone photos with a manager, and had clearly placed a do not disturb sign so I could walk a hotel manager through this hotel housekeeping horror. My trust was violated when I learned maids were instructed to ignore "do not disturb" to try and hide the mess, though only things cleaned by the time we got upstairs were dresser and TV. Manager witnessed bloody pillowcase, carpet divots, cigarette burns and marred walls and received acknowledgement about shower valve. Perhaps one-off but WOW that's really a LOT of bad stuff going on! My driving home video, ranting about above: http://bit.ly/wisconsins read more

Escalators from parking garage to hotel weren't working. Hot tub was out of order. There were 2 ping pong tables in the pool area but only 2 paddles and 1 paddle didn't have a handle. The 2 rooms we had both had large red stains on the carpet. read more

We came to the Easter brunch for our third annual family event. What started out a little rough, never had a waiter/waitress come to our table, but the slip was more than made up for by the manager Tim Duchow. He went more than above and beyond to make it up to us! Wow is all that we can say. We just wanted a waiter! Way to have great employees and customer service! read more

Where to start.....parking was alright with plenty of parking in the structures. However, getting your luggage from your car to your room is another story. No luggage carts and no idea where your room is before you park. So chances are you will park in the structure furthest away. The hotel may be past it's prime. No refrigerator or microwave in the room. It's sad that I can stay elsewhere and have a better room. We were at half a roll of toilet paper two days in a row without a back up roll placed in our room. Breakfast at the Orchard...blah. Food was cold and below average. Better off driving down College Ave and going to Blueberry Hill. Drinks at the hotel are over priced. You are much better off going to Anduzzis for double bubble from 1-7. Food during our banquet was average. My baked potato was just about raw. Another guest at my table asked three waiters for another fork. She started eating her dinner with a spoon until I got up and got her a fork myself. Checkout, I was denied a late checkout when all I asked for was another hour. Then when I needed a luggage cart, there were none available. As I said before, this hotel may be past it's prime and no longer as prestigious as it once was. read more

Nice hotel. Don't get me wrong, it's not the W. Stayed here a few months for a wedding (saw this 'complete my review' link on Yelp and finally decided to finish it). Excellent location in the middle of everything. Walking distance to bars, and an amazing pizza place (Toppers, that was another yelp). Appleton appears to be a small quaint college town with nothing to do but drink, and eat pizza. Few things to note: - Let us check in early at 9am. Amazing! - Visiting football teams playing the Packers stay here. Something about having a secluded wing or something. But they've been known to party at the cute little cabana bar in the hotel. And apparently the Raiders are a problem team. Hey, I'm not the one who said it. - This hotel houses the office of Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District Representative. So random. - Pool. Be wary of swimming in the pool. The ceiling to the pool area is open to lobby. You know what that means. And if you don't, you haven't been watching much Dateline! - FREE Shuttle driver was friendly and showed us the hot spots. - Sleep number bed. i had fun with this one. If you want a half pipe in your room, set the number to one side at 0 and the other to 40. It'll be fun rolling over. The best number is 40, and I am a side/stomach sleeper. - The little gift shop attached to the hotel is full of chotchky crap that you'd see in an episode of Hoarders. BUT it's open all night in case you're in need of a toothbrush, or a giant cheese head. BTW - California cheese is WAYY better!!! read more

I have only stayed at this hotel once, and I would have to say that this place does not live up to its reputation. I had heard great things about how nice this hotel was. However, whatever former glory this hotel used to have, has long since checked out. The place was well kept; my room was nice, clean and comfortable, but the place is very outdated. I would say that this hotel is in serious need of modern updating all around. Over all my experience here was fine, nothing to complain about in way of staff or cleanliness. I did feel the prices were a bit high. read more

We stayed here last weekend for a wedding that was held in downtown Appleton. The accommodations were great. The room was spacious (ours had two double beds), and the tv was huge! The staff also did a wonderful job. Check in and check out were easy, and they efficiently handled our request of no down pillows or comforters in the room, as well as worked with us on specific timing of getting our room tidied each day. We did not use any of the special amenities (restaurant, gym, etc.), but the pool (in an atrium area), looked really nice. The location is right in the heart of College Ave. in Appleton, with restaurants, bars, etc. all within walking distance. Overall, a great stay! read more

I had thought that the paper valley hotel was going to be the best of the best when it comes to hotels.......that must be what is used to be. The biggest problem is the ability of the staff on hand to make decisions I would expect from a top tier hotel. I arrived 1 day early, but was told that the rate for Thursday night (early arrival day) would cost $20 more than Friday or Saturday night. I ended up using my AAA card to only have to pay $7 more. The hotel has 3 shuttle vehicles that are parked out the side door. I asked if there was a way to get a ride to an event 4 miles from the hotel. There were 4 people behind the desk when I asked about this 2 hours in advance but I was told they are short staffed and that if I knew of anyone interested in a job to send them there way. Hard to believe when to my untrained eye they were more than adequately staffed to take care of my request. Don't plan on going here with high expectations just because you hear NFL teams stay here when they play Green Bay. It's just a so so hotel that commands a price that is higher than the service that is offered. read more

Decent service at front desk, nice looking lobby. Parking situation is whack, why do I have to pay for parking? Though at least it was not too expensive. The room had clearly seen better days. Really beat up furniture, though the beds were decently comfortable and clean. I thought the water pressure in my shower was going to strip my skin off. And the drain didn't drain fast enough and standing in an ankle deep puddle of shower water is like a top three grossest thing in my book. I'd look around a bit before staying here again. It didn't suck, and I bet some of the rooms that are not booked using a third party site (like I did) are better than this one, but I bet for the price I could do better. read more

Avoid this Place at all costs if you value your bank account., I will never stay here again. The staff here is absolutely incompetent. Stayed here for my friends wedding. I paid for my room and checked out. Then they charged my buddy's mom for everyone's room on her credit card. They did not tell her they charged her. When she went to check out the staff billed her again and took her cash. SHE PAID TWICE. Nobody said anything. Now her bank account is over drawn. Tried calling 17xs. Finally someone answers, says call back tomorrow. Reporting them for Credit Card Fraud and Getting a lawyer. This place is responsible for the over draft fees and they have not taken care of them. No continental breakfast. No parking. You have to park a block a way in a parking garage. You can put as many bars you want downstairs and polish a turd but it is still a turd. read more

I would say this is easily a three star property, but to be honest, you are in Appleton, Wisconsin. This is most likely 4-5 star based on the other options. There are a few restaurants on site. One is a brunch option in the lobby, the Clubhouse bar (like any Midwestern bar), and another bar called the Intermezzo which feels like a Margaritaville wannabe option. Staff was friendly, but I would not say willing to go out of their way to help. My parents require handicapped care, and my father is on oxygen. Getting around the hotel, including parking and moving luggage, was a disaster in my opinion. And, since it had snowed, where you entered on the side of the parking garage, the sidewalks were slippery. Rooms are OK. Not super nice, but clean. Not that quiet. We stayed on the concierge level, and I was disappointed by the breakfast each morning. The staff in there was quiet, but friendly, but compared to the other hotels I say in offering free breakfast, this was not much. It is not worth paying extra for, in my opinion. It is pretty much the free breakfast offered, minus 2 points, at any Comfort Inn or Holiday Inn Express, and it is free in those hotels. I was shocked by the gym. It is nothing high end, but I was anticipating worse. A few treadmills, a few ellipticals, a cable machine, and free weights. And it is roomy. To park in the garage, you pay $2.00. Super cheap, but make sure you have change. I only had a $20 on me, so after getting $18.00 back in quarters, I took my new heavy weight purse to the front desk for change. And a laugh. I was here for a wedding so my chances of staying here again are slim. If I do comeback, I will most likely check out other options first, just to see what else is in the area. read more

We have patronized this hotel several times over the last decade, and it is getting decidedly worse in quality/sustainability each time; we will not ever return. We had heard it was being renovated/remodeled, but that has not been our experience, other than the name change to Red Lion (which now tarnishes our impression of all Red Lion Hotels). There is no signage on how to enter the hotel, and it is not on the address-identified street. The room in which we stayed for the past 2 nights was antiquated in design layout, furnishings, amenities, and facility maintenance. Lighting is CFL bulbs, paint is chipped on doors and trim, rooms are not sound-proofed (can even hear toilets flushing & resultant water passing through pipes from other rooms in our room), bathroom was very cramped for space with no storage, insufficient electrical outlets for charging electronic devices. Room-entry doors are heavy metal, and not soft-close so slamming of doors from other rooms was very noisy. There was no coffee bar in the Lobby, and the coffee-maker in the room uses styrofoam! cups! The TV was very old, and there was neither an onscreen guide nor even a written placard guide in the room. The elevator required a key card to access the assigned floor. Our bill was paper slid under the door instead of being sent via email. A large window poster on a window entering the hotel from the across-the-street ramp skyway advertised Sunday Brunch (there was none, presumably due to COVID pandemic), but there should have been a sign stating that this was unavailable or take down the sign; the Front Desk staff had no clue on a Mother's Day brunch venue (which was today) to recommend. Finally, the cost was $99 + fees & taxes per night. We checked out and moved over to a clean, new hotel suite where the rate is $97, with an included breakfast, bottled waters, & new microwave, dishwasher, & stocked dishes/utensils. There is a separated bin for recyclables vs. waste. The entire complex was like a ghost town. Although the Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley is a centralized location in downtown Appleton, WI, it should be razed and rebuilt. read more

Pros: Room was modern and comfortable. Great bed -- I slept very well. Conveniently located for bar-hopping on College Ave, no cabs required. They do secure the various entrances -- the elevator to our room required a key card to use and we were asked to show our key to the doorman when we returned at 2:30am. They also have free Wi-Fi, no password needed. Cons: Parking in the garage was extremely confusing for both getting into the hotel (very poor signage) and getting back out. Probably blew half an hour total on walking and driving around the garage, and I was glad we had only a small amount of luggage. You also have to pay $2 each time you enter, so not a good choice if you will be coming and going (we parked on arrival and walked after that). At 6pm on a Friday, the line for checking in was easily 20 people. While they did have 5 staff members at the desk, not all were helping customers, and we waited about 15 minutes to check in. For me, it seems like that type of busy time is a regular occurrence and they should be better prepared. I also overheard employees telling people that they could not switch room types, they were oversold, etc, so when we got a king room (and had booked 2 doubles), I didn't bother to call down and ask about switching. The hotel is large and confusing. We were given some directions to our room, but mostly just stumbled around until we found it. Same for going in and out when leaving for dinner and returning quite late. Also, the walls are VERY thin -- we were woken at 6:45am by our neighbor's room service delivery, which sounded like it was happening in OUR room. Noise continued from there, including screaming kids and stomping around from above. Also, I noticed on arrival that the refrigerator seemed to make a lot of humming noises, so I ended up unplugging it, which is not the ideal solution! I don't understand why a large service cart (the boxy type they use for linens) was permanently parked in the hall in front of the elevator. It seems like they're trying to be a nicer hotel than that. While I understand service areas exist, I'd rather not be tripping over them in the major public parts of the hotel. We had to check out in person at the front desk -- no bill under the door like most properties do these days. Again, a small thing that just became another obstacle in the experience. Overall, while the room itself was nice, the other annoyances (especially the noise and the parking situation) really added up to a less than great experience. Next time I want to stay on College, I'll check out the Copper Leaf across the street. read more

Was there 9/619 for Kimberly Clarks employee labor day dinner/dance. After many years of having it at the Darboy club which closed down the venue was moved to the Red Lion. The food was not good. I had the pork loin, potatoes and vegetables. The pork was tough and mildly warm, the potatoes were cold. My wife had the Cordon bleu which was very dry and her potatoes also cold. My hope is that the local and KC can find a better venue next year or we will no longer be attending. read more

I checked in to a recent stay at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, and I smelled something awful in my room, like a horrible harsh chemical. I tried to call the front desk, and the phone didn't work. So I grabbed my stuff and went to the front desk. Then I was told that I should have pressed "0" instead of using the instructions on the phone. I did try that in the room, but that also didn't work. I told the desk I have been given a room that smells like a thick chemical or mold smell. I was told that I must be mistaking the smell for the carpet cleaning steam, and I was given little compassion or thought to what I was experiencing, and no recognition or interest in what I was saying or my comments. I was given a new room was better, and have not had issues in the new room, other than it being very dated, and worn. It is clean, as long as you don't look too closely at the details. One point I should note - if you have a conference in the hotel - beware - the conference break out rooms - especially two of them - reek like mold. I got an instant headache and tightness after walking in and sitting down, the person next to me couldn't breathe, the person next to her had to leave the room. Also, the sauce covered chicken for lunch was really icky - thick sauce of a yellow variety, and capers. I saved my appetite for when I left, so I would not get sick. TV reception was very spotty, and often pixelated. Internet couldn't get connected during the time I needed to work. Everyone else has seemed nice enough, sans person who switched my room, and I see the manager below trying to do her best to respond to inquiries, but the best course of action would simply be to update this place. It needs it - and this is a popular conference location. With the amount of conference business they get here - I have been here 3 times in 2 years - it would be great to put a little investment in to this location. read more

I am so upset with this hotel. My niece has been sitting in the lobby for 8 hours and the policy won't let her check in? Both rooms are paid for, I tried to call and plead. Tried to send a photo of my credit card. Called again and begged. Nope! Just sit there is what they said. She is an adult, living on her own, can vote and fight in a war but can't get a key to our room until we arrive? She flew in from Florida and we are flying in from Montana but they don't care. Sorry we couldn't get the airlines to cooperate and get us there first. Really disappointed that they would leave a woman sitting there for hours with nowhere to go. I will never stay at this hotel again. Ever! read more

Friendly and helpful staff. Lighting in room was dim and the shower had a very bizarre fixer. We figured it out but it was very odd. Food served at convention events was good. Room clean and well organized. read more