MainStay Suites Springfield IL

Residence Inn Springfield South

"I stayed at the Residence Inn – Springfield South on December 13, 2025, using my annual Marriott Bonvoy credit card reward. I am a frequent traveler, long-time Marriott customer, and Bonvoy cardholder, and I chose this property because I expected a reliable, comfortable stay from a brand I have trusted for decades. I was in town for an important family milestone—my mother’s doctoral graduation. After spending the evening with family, I checked in just before midnight. It was brutally cold outside, with temperatures approaching single digits, and all I wanted was a warm room and a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, that’s not what I got. Upon entering the room, it was unusually cold. I turned the heat up, assuming it simply needed time to warm up. It never did. I eventually bundled up and tried to sleep, but later realized the thermostat had not changed temperature at all—the heater simply was not working. I also discovered that the toilet in the room was not functioning. Early the morning of December 14, I reported both issues to the front desk. Maintenance was dispatched, but since I was checking out later that morning, I was told the room would likely just be taken out of service. That did nothing to address the fact that I still had hours remaining on my stay in an unusable room. Maintenance was unable to fix either the heat or the toilet. As a result, we were forced to use the restroom in the hotel’s common area for the remainder of our stay—completely unacceptable under any circumstance, especially given the weather and the brand standards Marriott claims to uphold. At checkout, I was told a note would be left for the General Manager and that I would receive enough Marriott Bonvoy points to cover a future free night. Over 10 days passed with no call, no email, no message, and no points. Then, 17 days after the stay, I finally received an email stating that 2,500 points had been deposited into my account. For context, that is barely enough to buy a snack in the hotel marketplace—certainly not compensation for a freezing room, a non-functioning toilet, or the complete lack of follow-through. I have been staying at Marriott properties for over 40 years, and this was the worst customer service experience I’ve ever had. The lack of urgency during the stay, followed by the delayed and insulting response afterward, reflects a serious breakdown in both operations and accountability. If you are forced to stay at this property, check immediately that your heat works, your toilet functions, and your water gets hot—and if you are promised anything in response to a problem, make sure you receive it before you leave the hotel. This experience fell far short of Marriott standards."