Staff is so kind and very very helpful but the hotel is old and not kept up. Dirty windows and window treatments and omg the train ALL night long keep me up. read more

We had a wonderful weeklong stay in this very affordable and comfortable hotel. Good breakfast and wonderful staff. Will be staying there when we come back. read more

This is the second year in a row that I not only stayed at the hotel, but hosted a weeklong event there. There were 30 other people, from across the US joining me. The rooms were comfortable, the staff helpful and we all enjoyed the breakfasts each day. As the meeting organizer my needs varied each day. Everyone there was so helpful, accommodating and brough that Midwest charm that my group rave about. I cannot imagine hosting this meeting each year anywhere else. The communication by the managers and the week long help that all the staff gave to me was immeasurable. Thanks to them all! read more

Great Hotel and location in Lawerence. My hotel of choice. Been staying here since 2011 on all business trips for Honeywell. River views ! Staff has always been friendly and customer centric. Short walk to Mass street and easy to reach K 10 or I 70 depending where you are headed....... Always remember to leave a tip for cleaning staff. Cant think of a more critical job in a hotel! Would you do it? read more

Room 166 is terrible. The elevator makes it impossible to sleep. The carpet was wet. There was urine in front of the toilet, the floor is uneven. During my stay, there was no shampoo in the shower. I called to report all of these things immediately and was told they could move me to the only other room available that evening, which would not accommodate the beds needed for my family. Having a child starting college next year, I plan to visit Lawrence KS often. I will not return to this hotel. read more

This is an unusual hotel since it sits on a hillside going down to the river and you enter on the top floor at the backside of the hotel. Therefore you never really see the front of the hotel or even see much of the hotel at all other than the bridge from the parking lot to the hotel. You park in a commercial parking lot but there are spots reserved for the hotel which are free. The lobby at the end of the bridge is large with a seating area and the open breakfast area. At the far end is a large window opening to the river which is a great view. They have elevators so getting around is easy. The rooms were standard size; however, the ones on the river side have a good view of the river. The room was nicely appointed with sufficient outlets for charging electronics. The beds were nice. They have microwave, refrigerator, and coffee pot in the room. Breakfast was very nice in the lobby and they had the typical eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy. They also had yogurt, fruit, cereal and breads. A waffle maker was available. The front desk was helpful and the breakfast waitstaff did refill coffee pots when needed. read more

Don't bother! Very disappointing! $400 a night for dirty towels on the back of the bathroom door upon check in, moldy food in the refigerator, very poor lighting in the living and bedroom areas, wallpaper badly coming off wall above tub, bathroom caulking looks terrible, a five year old could have done better, hot tub drained and closed, pool freezing cold. Have canceled future reservations here and gone elsewhere - not worth it! read more

Our family of 5 stayed her December 23, 2016 to December 30th. We were very comfortable in our room wth 2 queens beds and a trundle bed. We even had an extra person stay over one night. The breakfasts were good. The attendant was helpful and friendly. The only issue was that there were no waffles for some reason the last 2 mornings of our stay. The family enjoyed using the pool and hot tub. I think there's a bit too much chlorine in there though! The last time my husband and I tried to go in the hot tub the jets and bubbles wouldn't stay on. :( The best thing about this hotel is obviously the RIVER. That's why people stay here. That's why I booked my stay here. I have friends and family in Lawrence and I'd heard that there were bald eagles on the river. We were happy to have been able to see them! I got plenty of pictures! The problem with this hotel is that they don't take advantage of the river the way that they could and SHOULD! The eating area in the lobby should go all the way out to the wall of windows that face the river. Instead there's a 3 story opening. There's also a barrier along the rail (I'm sure for safety reasons for small children), but this completely blocks your view from the best part of this hotel: the RIVER! The rooms should have balconies so that guests can go out and enjoy the RIVER. The hotel could and should have a restaurant that serves outdoor in nice weather so that people can enjoy the RIVER more. There is a walkway along the river. But the area is definitely not used to its full potential! We stay at Marriott because my husband is a rewards member. All but one night of our stay was free. Even without the rewards it was a good deal. We also stay at Marriott because my husband has a bad back and the beds are always comfortable! They give you earplugs here because of the trains. I used them for my husband's snoring! I didn't hear the trains. The staff was all very friendly and helpful. There should be a trash can inside the bathroom. They should also have a fireplace in the lobby and a Christmas tree. There was plenty of room for both. I would stay here again but they really should do more to enhance the experience here of staying on the river. read more

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Very, very clean. Close to train tracks but honestly did not hear a single train during our week stay, or at least weren't bothered by any ambient noise. Best part was the incredibly helpful and welcoming staff--Daniel and others were amazing! This may now be our go-to place for trips to Kansas. read more

"8-11-18" AVOID THIS HOTEL!!!!! This place sucks! Customer Service is Horrible...Called 3 diff times to the front desk just to get Breakfast Time, Check-Out Time, etc and not once did anyone pick up the phone after 5-10 min waiting. Best part is then as we left there were 5 Employees at the Front Desk (not helping anyone) just too busy to answer the Phone. Plus it was Under Const, so you had to Park far away, cause the Main Parking Lot was closed. Outside of Hotel looks Dirty and could use some major upkeep. Located along a River and in a Building that seems like it's dying a slow Death. If this Hotel was FREE, it would not be worth staying at....This Hotel Sucks!!!!!!!! read more

I am writing from the little business area. Ironically the staff is right beside me fixing the printer. That's okay because I have to say the staff is the "3 stars". Its a decent hotel, no real complaints. The common areas are great, its mostly clean. The rooms , once you get in there are a bit run down, some of the things are worn and outdated. It's like way back in my single days when you looked at someone in the soft light of a bar and were excited....until the harsh morning sun snapped you back to reality. It is clear that perhaps the corporation rolled in and "fixed it up" almost like those HGTV shows about flipping houses and such. The common areas and facade just don't match up to your actual "living room" experience. The bed is decent if a bit "lumpy", the pillows make up in volume for what they don't have in quality. I would also have to wonder at the placement of a riverside hotel and riverwalk. It's right below a dam. I'm not so much worried about a flood, river is too low and muddy for that. I do have to wonder about the aesthetic of a Willy Wonka stream of brown rolling by your windows as a "view". read more

Stayed here for two nights a couple weeks ago and am now getting caught up on my reviews. Most of the other properties where I stayed on a 10-day trip have already slipped from my mind, but the quirky charm of the Marriott Springhill Suites stands out in my mind. Located in a renovated old paper mill on the bank of the Kansas River, it's a great place to stay if you're not interested in a cookie-cutter experience. You enter the hotel from the parking lot by crossing a bridge over a railroad track*, whereupon you find yourself in a lobby on the third and top floor. Then you take the elevator downstairs to the rooms which line one side of a corridor that goes on forever. The location couldn't be better, just a quick walk from downtown shops and restaurants. Rooms look out onto a pleasant but nondescript patio, overlooking an industrial riverbank that has seen better days, yet still plays home to a variety of birdlife. A conventionally pretty view? No. Thoroughly interesting? Yes. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, and clean. Amenities are what you would expect in a hotel at this price point. Wi-Fi worked fine the first time. Breakfast choices were tasty and abundant. Finally, I have nothing but praise for the staff. Everyone I encountered was friendly and helpful, particularly a young lady named Tenzin who went out of her way to come up with an extra night on a sold-out weekend. I'd go back without hesitation. *PS- Despite complaints in another review I never heard a single train from my room. read more

Super super cozy with a great view and plenty of room--loved this place. There was plenty of space for me to work and watch tv without disturbing my roommate. I also liked the large lobby area where there was plenty of nice space to set oneself up and get some work done or read. They also had a decent ( as far as hotels go) breakfast which was included in the price of the room. I found plenty of parking and most things were within walking distance. read more

They had clean rooms with a nice view of the river. The showers had amazing water pressure :) we were traveling through with a travel trailer in tow and the parking was not obtainable because of 7'8" height restrictions. We called the front desk to ask about parking and Ann quickly directed us to an are just south of the hotel. So they were very accommodating to our parking needs. Ann was very professional upon 10:30 pm arrival. After a good night sleep we were pleasantly surprised to still have a warm breakfast offered (during COVID most hotels are offering individually wrapped items but nothing warmed). There were 2 gentlemen, very polite and friendly that were taking breakfast orders and warming food. Every staff member we ran into acted as if and took pride like they were the owners of this hotel. Very good management and I would stay again in a heartbeat! read more

What an absolutely awful and rude front desk attendant! The older woman with grey hair is so very rude and just mean. Terrible service do not stay here! If I could give less than 1 star I would. read more

Well, #LFK Springhill Suites, I think it'll be a while before I see the inside of you again. My husband and I have stayed at this branch several times over the last eight years, mainly for the location and his love of hot tubs. For my thirty-fifth birthday, I merely wanted to sit in a hot tub with my love and play video games. We checked in, got the "What brings you to Lawrence?" question, went downstairs to our room (you walk in on the third floor of this building), opened the door, and my husband immediately went back upstairs. There was no hot tub. The room was half the size of the one we stayed in on our last visit. Unfortunately, this turned out to not be a simple clerical error; the hotel renovated, took out all the hot tubs, cut the room sizes in half...all because they can fit in more people that way. I did think it was strange when the desk clerk told us where the community pool and hot tub were. We were stuck there, given our reservation and the fact that we wanted to be in Lawrence because our diabetic teenager was sitting his little brother overnight for the first time. Then we notised the television was basically in the other "room" and didn't have space to even maneouver so that it faced either the bed or the really hard sofa. We tried to make the most of it, though, going by The Toy Store on Mass. to pick up a Scrabble board (my husband proposed to me on a Scrabble board), and played a bit before heading out for dinner (I won by one point). There were things I didn't like that couldn't be avoided, so no blame on the Marriot (the trains, for instance), but there was plenty they could have fixed: very thick dust on the small ceiling fan in the kitchenette, the pickup parked outside our room for hours (not only did it block our view of the river, it was full of toilets [okay, that was amusing]), etc. Two very strange things: 1. When we first checked in, we couldn't get the thermostat to change from its 56* setting. Press the temperature buttons either way, it would just go back to 56*. I looked at the actual unit, which said to use the thermostat. I looked at the booklet on the desk, which said to use the unit. After a bit, my husband pressed a random series of buttons that we'll never recall and got the room to warm up. Not two minutes later, a maintenance man knocked on the door, asking if we were having problems with our thermostat. Apparently, the last visitors reported the faulty equipment, yet we were knowingly put in that room, another thing the hotel could have prevented. 2. At breakfast the next morning, the employee in charge kept trashing the food. Not even muttering. Loudly saying things like, "These eggs suck". Stay weird, #LFK. read more

Great location near Mass St. That's where the positives stop. We first walked into a "Welcome to Lawerence" with a row of dead Poinsettias in the entrance hall. The front desk staff was as utterly careless as possible. They would rather be anywhere but there. We went about 2:30 and they said they were waiting on housekeeping to clear rooms but would likely be ready before 3:00. We went back at 3:10 and sure enough, ready, but they didn't bother to walk 20 feet to where we were hanging out to let us know. The room was fine but nothing to write home about. However, room service didn't remove empty bottles, did not replace glasses that were used, and wrote a note saying they couldn't make the bed because of personal items (which were a doll and blanket which could have easily been moved). The Pool smelled like the Hippo exhibit at the zoo, clearly not taken care of the way it should. They have some music blaring from the bottom floor but it was super weird as it isn't playing to anyone but also not really loud enough to hear in the lobby, but loud enough to be annoying. They were out of water in their pantry. Seems like a staple and something easy to replace. All in all, I will stay somewhere else next time. read more

Stopped here on our way from Denver to Illinois. The front desk person was very accommodating and provided a lot of ideas on what to do with the kids and where to eat. The suite was comfortable for my family of 5, enough room for everyone. Clean and had everything we needed. Pool and jacuzzi were great and used the gym which was perfect for my husband and I. Would stay here again. Centrally located within walking distance to local restaurants and breweries. read more

Comfortable & clean with great service. This is a good option if you're a Marriott member. A little older, but everything is in working order and maintained well. read more

Great Hotel in Lawrence! The staff was incredibly friendly from the first minute I walked into the hotel. I checked in a few hours earlier then check in time so my room wasn't ready but they were just cleaning up breakfast and offered me some, as I was going to work from the lobby. My room was ready a few hours later, way earlier than I had anticipated, so that was a pleasant surprise. The rooms aren't the most up to date and pretty monochromatic but they all have a small kitchenette and they are very spacious so that made up for it. It was a very comfortable stay, the room had a nice river view and the TV had a lot of channels. Breakfast was great! I really enjoyed the fresh fruit and berries and varied other options. All three mornings the fruit was something different but it was always fresh and more consistently being added. My first thought when I heard there was a train that goes by was the movie My Cousin Vinny(anyone else love that movie?) and although I heard it in the parking lot, lobby and room, I never woke up from it. They do provide you with earplugs and a sound machine option but I never had a need for either. Plenty of parking and the location is really ideal to downtown Lawrence. You can walk to lots of restaurants, bars and stores on Massachusetts Avenue and just a short drive to KU campus. read more

My spouse and I traveled a couple of blocks from our home to stay here. We got a suite with a jet tub...maybe the only place in Lawrence that has two-person jet tubs. That is the reason we went there! Our room was just lovely! Incredibly spacious, decorated in pretty colors and pretty prints hanging on the wall. The bed was not a pillow-top mattress so our bed at home was more comfortable. :( Too bad. I also wish they offered room service. However, we ordered dinner pizza/wing delivery and that was good, of course. The location is wonderful...it was SO nice to watch the river rushing by from the comfort of the king-size bed. The jet tub is HUGE, plenty of room for two people, and lots of jets. I just wish that you could see the TV from the tub...but you cannot. Not at all. There are two big flat-screen TV's in the room with limited channels (maybe 20 or 30?), but they also have a large Pay-per-view movie selection with lots of movies not yet on DVD! The bathroom was not very nice. I could not get the water in the shower very hot and it was a tiny, grimy, one-person shower. The bathroom was very tiny and dank...but I think that is because the huge tub is near the windows in the bedroom so the bathroom is an after-thought. The rest of the room was so large and spacious, I just wish the bathroom was BIGGER! When I woke up in the morning, there was a giant millipede of some kind crawling on the ceiling over the bath tub. It was so huge, when I saw it across the room, I seriously thought it was a lizard! When I informed them of this upon checkout, telling them I killed it and its remains were on the towel, the front-desk employee told me that they had seen those in the lobby the other day! Actually, I was looking for a discount on the room and an apology! I didn't want to be told that there were more around. EEK! Despite all these negatives, we did enjoy bathing in the jet tub with a view of the river going by! However, for the same price (or LESS!), we could go to a luxury hotel in KC with room service and no bugs! That's what we'll do next time, for sure! With taxes, our room was nearly $200 for one night, and that's just too much when it includes GIGANTIC bugs and grimy bathrooms! read more

I booked this hotel through Expedia for a decent price. I was very pleased with the location, views, customer service, very spacious room, WIFI, and complimentary breakfast and parking. I also called around noon to see if they could accommodate with my time schedule I was on and have an early check in, the front desk young lady was super sweet and told me she would get back to me around 1 to let me know the status of the room, I wasn't expecting a call back I kind of just thought I would have to wait until 3pm but to my surprise she called back to confirm my early check in. I have zero complaints. Overall a great stay! read more

I've stayed at this place a few times over the years. It's a nice location downtown and close to where I need to be which is the primary reason I stayed there. Right across the street is the main Lawrence downtown area with a lot of shops and restaurants. It's a great location. It's a nice place, no nicer than any other, but nice. It has a decent fitness center that's open 24 hours which I really like. There are some drawbacks. It's right next to a railroad. That's right. I mean right next to a railroad. In fact, after you park, you have to cross a foot bridge over the railroad to get to the hotel. The rooms are situated on the other side of the building, and I never leave home without ear plugs, but if you're a light sleeper, then this might not be the place for you. So the walk to the lobby is longer than most places. But after you check in, they give you a parking pass that you have to put on your dashboard so you have to walk back across the foot bridge to your car and then walk back again into the hotel. I can't believe they haven't figured out a better way to do this. They have a complimentary breakfast which is the usual scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, stale grocery store bagels, some fruit, pastries, etc... the usual. I'm not a food snob so it's okay for me, but if you like to eat at Panera and drink your coffee with your pinky finger extended, then you might not like it. The last time I was there, the staff seemed to be slipping a little. When I went to the fitness room, the sweat towels were all used. There was not a clean towel in sight, and the water cooler was empty. This is not going to discourage me from staying at this place, but it just tells you that the staff is a little lackadaisical. The next time I'm in Lawrence which I hope is soon I'll be staying at this place. read more

I've stayed at Springhill a few times. Staff is always great. Nice furnishings. The last stay though, the TV had no sound, the ice machine was broke and there was not a safe box in the room. Staff was very helpful in trying to resolve the TV issue. read more

Where do I start? I've been a Marriott Rewards member for years. I love their properties...until now. 1. Internet sucked. Very hard to gain access and slow. Spent an hour just trying to log on 2. If you ever get to a hotel and find earplugs on the bedside table....LEAVE! The trains going by every 20 minutes kept me awake for hours. Absurd. 3. Want to take a nice hot bath and soak those achy muscles? Good luck. The tub let water out past the plug almost as fast as you put it in. It's an awkward property that clearly was a square peg jammed into a round hole. I used to live here and am aware that the property was formerly a mall. Nice attempt at re-purposing: experiment failed. read more

I've been to several Springhill Suites. This was very outdated. The workout room was under reconstruction and was dirty and not very useful. The beds had old mattresses and the ice machine on our floor was out. As were all of the vending machines. I'll find somewhere else next time read more

This is my first stay at this property. The entrance is underwhelming for a Marriott property, but honestly, Marriott has worse. Once you get inside, I found the decor to be very clean and modern. The front desk staff friendly. The room actually smelled clean with a comfortable bed. The desk layout in the room is interesting but not a big deal. Check in was very easy. read more

Nice, but a bit dated, Marriott hotel in Lawrence. I would stay again if I am in the area, as it's in a great central location walkable to many restaurants, bars and retail establishments read more

Great place to stay. Our entire wedding party stayed here and we were surprised at the size of the rooms (a living area with sink, microwave, and fridge, with a desk, loooong couch, rolling chair, coffee maker; a bedroom; a bathroom; a vanity area). There are two large TVs, some decent channels (not extensive), and the rooms were gorgeous, clean, and all rooms have a view of the river. Hotel guests have access to a river-walk area, an indoor pool and hot tub, and a nice lobby. Breakfast includes cereal, muffins, bagels, eggs, sausage, juices, yogurt, and excellent coffee. We walked to the bars and restaurants on Massachusetts, but also felt out of the frenzy of that busy area. Plenty of parking, pretty helpful staff (we had an issue with being told we could change rooms and then not having the room cleaned before the housekeepers left, but they were apologetic and accommodating). Our rooms (suites, really) were about $115 over a holiday weekend, but I think we got a group rate discount, since we were part of a block of rooms for a wedding. read more

My fiance and I stayed here after my graduation party a few weeks ago. We came in pretty late and talked the girl at the front desk into upgrading our room to the hot tub suite. She was very nice and accommodating! We got to the room and it was spacious, clean, hot tub was great. My only complaint about the room is that the bed was so uncomfortable. We both woke up feeling like we would have been better off sleeping on the floor. read more

The employees are great, but the property is in so-so condition. My first room had a heating/cooling unit that sounded like a Harley parked halfway down the block, together with that intermittent clattering clanking noise that always goes away when you take your car to the mechanic, and then comes back once you leave. And the bathroom sink backed up when the people above used the facilities. Gross. Second room, heating/cooling unit was ok, but there was evidence that the bathroom sink had backed up. Gross. Third room (on the floor above), no problem with the bathroom sink, but the heating/cooling unit didn't want to stay on. I give up. I suspect that most hotels around here have great people, and probably some properties have upkeep and entropy problems. I'm batting three for three on upkeep/entropy problems here. read more

Nice place, rooms are comfortable, and their is a good breakfast that starts at 630A. For me this was an ideal hotel. A little pricey but withing walking distance of restaurants and other downtown locations. So worth the somewhat higher price for a room. I would stay here again. read more

This hotel has real potential. Unfortunately I am not sure they are living up to it. When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted kindly and informed of potential construction noise. That was more thoughtful than most hotels with construction. When we arrived at our room, the guests next door were having a very loud conference call. We asked to be moved and the desk clerk said he would call us back. He forgot to do so. They offered us a queen but could not refund us the rate change. The desk clerk said "I don't know how to do that". They upgraded us to a jacuzzi suite. The space was large, but not very clean. It had a strange smell and the shower was not very clean. The bed was comfortable and no construction noise. The breakfast was really good and had some healthier breakfast options. Overall, it's a mix of good and bad. read more

I stayed here because I was in a wedding at the venue next door. Pros: The girl at the front desk let us check in early (about 1pm). We had just driven 9 hours and needed to clean up for the wedding rehearsal. The free breakfast is pretty good. Good parking. The rooms are decent size. There is an indoor pool where my husband and kids swam while I was busy with wedding prep. Cons: The beds were terrible, but I'm probably spoiled because I have a Tempurpedic at home. The rooms are not as clean as I'd prefer. My kids found a sippy cup under the bed with spoiled milk in it. Who knows how long it had been there? The sink is way too high. I'm 5 foot and had a hard time washing my face. My kids couldn't brush their teeth easily. The elevators are horrible. There are only 2, and one wasn't working. The other was painfully slow. The bridal party and I needed more glasses for drinks while we were getting ready in a hotel room, but they were out of glasses. I was told they'd bring me more when they washed some, but they never did. Anyway, I'd stay again if I had to go to another wedding at Abe and Jake's Landing since it's within walking distance. But the hotel isn't all that great. read more

It's kind of a dump. Used to be a mall, I guess, and still looks like one. Somehow, it feels 60 years old and I couldn't get the "free" internet in my room. I would have paid. As it is, I paid too much for the room read more

Worse Marriott I ever checked in. The front desk lack customer service skills. Our room was old, stuffy with broken refrigerator. I won't even give this hotel a star. What kind of hotel won't have a dining area or even room service. What a waste of money. read more

The SpringHill Suites Lawrence was a nice place--I stayed there from 25-28 April 2013. The rooms (suites) are spacious, the staff was friendly and helpful, the rooms very clean, and the breakfast typical of places like this. I am a light sleeper and requested a "quiet" room; the front desk people obliged by putting me in a room (351) clear on the other side of the hotel from the elevator, and on the river side of the building. I should have looked at Google Maps, and would have seen clearly that the RAILROAD TRACKS run within several feet of the south side of the building. The endless freight trains would come through at midnight, at 2AM, and again at 5AM every blessed night, blowing their deafening horns and shaking the earth. It truly did not matter that my room was on the other side of the building. Needless to say, these rude awakenings ruined my stay. Oh, and now that I see Cammy K's review, I'll add that I found a horrendous millipede in the bathroom, too; apparently these things are common in Kansas. Just not used to 'em. The fitness room was fine--no weight machine, just free weights, a couple of elliptical machines, a bike, and a treadmill and a TV. No problem there. If you have no problems sleeping, I recommend this clean and modern hotel without reservation. If you have any problems with noise, however, stay away. I can't stay here again, which is really too bad, because, as I say, it's otherwise a reasonably-priced option. read more

Stayed here for 4 nights on business. The hotel itself was very lovely; the Springhill Suites hotels in general usually cater to business travelers, which often translates into more streamlined, nothing fancy. However, this hotel, while following along these lines, was very nice, the room decor was new and up-to-date (it actually inspired me to repaint my bedroom) and the hotel itself was very clean and well-kept. I usually assume "continental breakfast"=fruit, toast, maybe a bagel or english muffin. However, this continental breakfast had scrambled and hard-boiled eggs, sausage, hot oatmeal, even a waffle-maker so you could make your own waffles. Very nice. The workout room was standard, nothing amazing, but there was a very nice indoor pool that I wish I would have known about beforehand. Also, the guest laundry, while not free, was very convenient. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. read more

I recently stayed 5 nights at the Eldridge and one at the Springhill. Here is a comparison: STAFF: Superb at both places. Nothing bad to say about either. CHECK-IN/OUT: It seemed impossible to check into the Eldridge before 4:00. The Springhill let me in at 2:00. Checkout was 11:00 for both. Check in and out were flawless at both. DESIGN: The Eldridge is a faux historic hotel: It was built in 1925, but only the first floor has very much original, and that's confined to the floors, some ceilings downstairs, the walls descending into the basement, etc. I like the generous use of wood, but none of it is original. It's all designed to "look" old, which is what I mean by "faux historic." The Springhill was built as an outlet mall in the 1980s. The center of the failed mall was converted to the hotel in the late 1990s. It was remodeled in 2011 with a 50's-modern retro look I enjoyed. It is due for remodeling in 2016. AMENITIES: Both have exercise rooms; the Springhill has a pool, which I did not try. CLIENTELE: The Springhill seems to attract more business people during the week, and more families on the weekend. The Eldridge seems to attract more couples, "girls on the town" types and people "looking for a good time," at least after Wednesday. FOOD: The Ten restaurant in the Eldridge has a variety of good breakfast items for $3-$5; with free coffee from the lobby, it is hard to spend $10 on breakfast. At the Springhill, there is a free "standard" eggs-waffles-oatmeal, hotel breakfast, with good coffee. There is also a bar at the Eldridge: Low-key sports atmosphere. Drinks aren't too overpriced. There is no restaurant or bar at the Springhill, but it is very easy to walk to about 150 of them within 1/2 mi. Suggestions: The Free State Brewery. 715. La Parilla. Check reviews. ROOMS: Room 506 at the Eldridge, a King room, is reported to be haunted by Col. Eldridge. I also had a King room ($139 weekdays, $169 weekends), but no haunting. Due to the age/design of the hotel, it was somewhat smallish; it has two rooms, with two leather chairs, but there is no couch like at the Springhill. Springhill seemed slightly more spacious. MORE importantly, the Springhill had a dresser. I will unpack completely if I am staying more than one night. In the Eldridge, I had to keep my suitcase out and open on the stand. There was room in the room for a dresser. BED/PILLOWS: The King bed at Eldridge was a little soft and bouncy; I'm glad my wife wasn't on the other side, or I would have felt her every move. The bed at the Springhill was firmer. The pillows at the Eldridge were very thick and full and I therefore declined to use them. The Springhill offers a variety of pillows on the bed, from thin and firm to big and fluffy; take your pick. (Why don't more hotels do this?) EXTRA TOUCH: The Springhill room had a clock radio in which an Iphone 3 or 4 would play and charge, and an audio in cord for playing music from any other device. It also featured a "sleep machine" white noise generator. (The Eldridge room also had a white noise generator.) BATH/SHOWER: Due to the age of the hotel, it can easily take 15 min. of wasting water for the hot water to come on. Seriously; they warn you about it in their in-room documents. My first day there, I didn't know better and settled for a lukewarm shower that just got me angrier by the minute. Next day, I learned that you want to take a shower between 7 and 9 when everyone else is. Shower water pressure was average at the Eldridge, good at the Springhill. TV: Two 42" HDTV's per room at the Eldridge; just one at the Springhill. But they only play standard def! If you want HD, you'll need to go to the bar, which has several HDTVs playing various games. The TV's at the Eldridge (and the Springhill) have HDMI ports, so you can use an HDMI cable to project your laptop onto the screen and watch Netflix in HD. (Tip: I bought a "Miracast Dongle DLNA Airplay WiFi Display Receiver Dongle HDMI 1080P Media Share" on Ebay for $20 which allows you to project whatever's on your phone, tablet, or modern laptop screen onto the TV. Netflix, anyone?) WIFI: Wifi at the Eldridge was super-speedy. I got 15Mbps down during the middle of the day, 10 at night. At the Springhill, it averaged 2.5-3.0 Mbps. NOISE: I thought the walls at both places were pretty thin; I could hear conversations in the adjacent rooms. Many people complain about the train noise at the Springhill. I found the noise of the slamming doors, loud talking in the halls and people yelling outside after the bar closes at the Eldridge to be more distracting than the trains. (The Eldridge gets louder each night; Thursday-Saturday is a little bit too much of a party atmosphere.) I sleep with earplugs in, and those types of sounds seem to make it through them more than train horns. In addition, the in-room HVAC system at the Eldridge was noisy when it came on (it was winter, and it came on a lot). Rest of review on Tripadvisor.com read more

We stayed overnight to visit friends in Lawrence. It is conveniently located, which is why we chose it despite poor reviews. The staff was friendly and the carpeting was clearly new. The room was large, but that's where the positives end. There was mold and mildew throughout the bathroom - yucky yellow scummy stuff all around the sink faucet, orange mildew around the nonslip pad on the bathtub, and black is my mold in splotches in the tub/tile grout. It was so nasty, we showered in flip flops. Additionally, we were put off by the earplugs on the bedside table. Quite the ominous sign! That night we were awoken by people walking and talking on the Riverwalk (not sure on time, past 3am), so I imagine that's the intended use. Be sure you don't stay on the first floor, because the Riverwalk goes right by your window, so you have to keep the shades drawn for privacy. That's too bad, since the view of the river is really great. All in all, for close to $300 a night, I expected much, much better. I'd never stay there again. read more