I stayed at the Staybridge Suites for one-night last week during a business trip to Baltimore. My room was spacious with a kitchenette, oven, large fridge, microwave oven, and coffee machine. It was a standard room with two beds on the third floor facing a parking garage. The hotel itself is converted from a culinary institution, and as such does not have a swimming pool. Initially, I was quite impressed with the room. The room had a magnetic key lock, and the hallway was brightly colored and well lit. However, at night, the room became very chilly, and I was unable to adjust the air conditioner and thermostat. Fortunately, the blankets were warm, and the bed comfortable. The walls of my room were thin. I heard doors slamming late at night and very early in the morning, and of course a few loud visitors outside my suite.
As for the hotel, there is no evening dining restaurant, but a free buffet breakfast is served in the morning, which includes cereal, eggs, hot beverages, and fruit in an ample dining space. That was fine as I had a very short stay there, less than 24 hours.
I found the front desk staff helpful, but they could have done with an extra person at the front desk as it took time to check out and check in. It also meant that purchasing necessities from the hotel store involved a bit of a wait until a line of guests had checked in and checked out.
The hotel offers a social hour so visitors can mingle.
So, what do you need to Know?
-PROS & CONS:
PROS
-Spacious with basic suite amenities described above
-Two blocks away from the inner harbor -near shops and restaurants and the two main maritime attractions US Constellation and a WWII submarine near an Aquarium, art museum and down department stores
-Friendly staff
-offers free Wi-Fi and free breakfast
-There is a free shuttle bus that goes to various destinations and picks up from other hotels.
-Offers a fitness room
CONS
-Parts of the hotel are not ADA Compliant or suitable for handicapped visitors
-not enough staff to check in and check out visitors
-room walls are thin, and you can hear people talking in the hallway late at night
-No dinner or lunch menus offered
-the room was chilly, and air conditioning appeared to be an issue.
Would I go back? Well, as I am still sampling the hotels in Baltimore, the jury is still out. It's okay for a night if you don't plan to stay long.
I hope management can take a look at these structural issues. They certainly need more employees. read more