Comprehensive Review for Those Considering a Long Term Stay
Stayed at this hotel for 5 weeks for business reasons. Since I was a guest so long, I feel that I need to leave a comprehensive review. If you are just looking to stay here a night or so, it is a fine, if a bit dated, hotel and you could definitely do worse. Since we met so many at the hotel who stayed here for extended periods, I will systematicaly review the hotel with my opinions on the different aspects aimed at those considering long term stays.
RECEPTION/CHECK IN
The lady that checked us in was rude and unhelpful which got us off to a rough start. Thankfully, the vast majority of our interactions with the reception staff were very positive. Most are friendly, helpful and kind. Unfortunately, there are just a couple that probably need to improve their attitude.
ROOM
I was notified when we checked in that this was one of the original Residence Inns and there were no units that had partitioned rooms. Every room is a studio style. The set-up is much like an apartment complex with buildings with several units and everyone has their own walk up door. This is quite different than other Residence Inns that I have stayed at.
We were hoping for a suite with a separate bedroom since we have an infant but that was not an option here. We stayed in a penthouse suite which we would highly recommend for guests with children. There is a common living area with fireplace, TV, couch and chairs; full kitchen with all appliances including dishwasher and disposal with a small breakfast nook and pantry; small dining area with 4 chairs and table; a pull down double bed across from dining table; desk diagnonal to the dining area and next to where the bed pulls down then a full bath. We actually put our daughter’s pack and play in the hallway to the bathroom as it was the only quiet and dark place. They supplied a very loud fan that helped with the noise. Upstairs is another double bed, small desk, another flat screen TV and full bath.
The rooms are very drab and probably have not been updated in 10-15 years. Furniture is functional but well worn. The beds are ok but the pillows are super soft so be warned. I had to sleep with 3 of them. The upstairs gets VERY warm during the day even with a large fan they supplied and a ceiling fan both on high. We usually just didn’t go upstairs during the day.
CABLE/INTERNET
Cable is pretty decsent with 45 channels, all the ESPNs, movie channels, and HGTV. Missing the Food Network though. Internet was pretty slow and quite inconsistent. Pretty frustrating aspect of this property.
BREAKFAST/RECEPTIONS
Breakfast is served daily and there is a reception Monday-Thursday evenings with snacks and drinks. We were impressed with breakfast. I am not sure I would want to eat at my favorite restaurant every day for 5 weeks. So the fact that we would still go after 5 weeks is a testament to the variety and quality. The staff are incredible. Most of the reception food is like tortilla chips and nacho cheese but they have some days with cheeseburgers. Nothing great but if you are crunched for time or money, it is an option.
HOUSEKEEPING
Gems of this hotel! Nice, attentive, hard working. No complaints here.
POOL
Really nice pool area with two basketball courts, volleyball courts and a grilling area with two gas grills which we took advantage of a couple of times. They have balls and grill tools at the front desk. The pool is even 8ft at its deepest. The grounds crew sprays around the pool every day so it stays very clean.
LAUNDRY
Five washers and dryers that are large and efficient. Loads are $1 for both W or D and I never had to run a load twice in either machine.
SHUTTLE
Shuttle is operated by Blue Diamond and is shared with several other hotels in the area. I found it to be very frustrating: long waits, often spent over 30 minutes on the shuttle, drivers barely announcing that they are taking off, etc. The hotel is a 1.3 mile walk to the closest buildings of the medical center (Texas Children’s Hosptial) and takes 25-35 minutes depending on your pace so it is often faster to walk if you are able. I occasionaly rode the shuttle if it rained or I just happened to catch them but found overall that it wasn’t worth the trouble. One of the most frustrating experiences was waiting over an hour for a shuttle but they always go the same route so they kept filling up before they got to us. After calling the hotel a couple times, they agreed to pay for a taxi to get us back. I viewed the shuttle like I viewed the hotel’s the slow and inconsistent internet: if it works it is a bonus. I would not recommend this hotel if the shuttle is a main attirbuite that you are looking for. There are also several rental car companies (Avis, Hertz, Enterprise, Dollar and Thrifty) a mile or less away.
LOCATION
As above, not too far from the medical center campus but you can get closer with other hotels. You can function here without a car as Kroger (grocery) is next door and a CVS and Target are less than a half mile walk away. There are plenty of restaurants within a 15 minute walk (Spicy Pickle, Long John Silvers, Chipotle, Panda Express, Which Wich, Schlotskys, Wing Stop, Papa Johns, Taco Cabana, and many more). 
Hope this helps. Happy to answer individual questions if you want to private message me.