We recently stayed at the SpringHill Suites for a quick vacation to Williamsburg. We had never stayed at a SpringHill Suites before - and we're generally very happy with the hotel. From the start - the Front Desk staff were great when we checked in - offering us some lemonade (which was welcome given the 95 degree temperatures) and a small gift bag with a couple of bottles of water and snacks (for being part of Marriott's frequent guest program).
The room was very large for a mid-priced hotel - and smartly decorated. We had two queen beds which were separate from the living room area and small work/area combo/"kitchen" (which had a sink, microwave, and small fridge). We liked the living room with the large couch and separate TV - which allowed me to watch my programs each night while my son had the bedroom TV. Very good internet speed and coverage throughout the hotel - sufficient for flicker-free movie streaming.
Breakfast each morning was good - and we are fans of the self-serve waffle machine that complemented the eggs, sausage, and various breads, bagels, pastries, and cereals available along with juices, milk, coffee, and tea, The staff kept the breakfast items and beverages full - and the only complaint was that there was frequently a wait of 3-5 minutes to get a place to sit down and have your breakfast.
WHAT NEEDS SOME WORK...
VACUUMING: We weren't happy to see visible scraps of hair, small pieces of paper, and other items between the two queen beds and the night stand between them. Also, there were fairly large "fuzzies" on the carpet. All of these items were easily visible to anyone looking - and given the general cleanliness of the other parts of the room - I found this disconcerting.
MOLD: Perhaps what was most disturbing - and would have JW Marriott howling - was that on my last day - when opening the window shades - there was extensive and very visible mold (green and black) all around the window pains. My allergies had been acting up in the room - but I hadn't known what to chalk that up to. I suspect it was the mold.
Both the scraps on the floor and the mold are easily corrected if management actually checks up on housekeeping - but it is really infuriating that any hotel operator could let mold get out of hand and put their guests at risk. I could see if you couldn't see it - but in this case - it would be tough - or in fact - impossible - to miss.
Lacking the mold and shoddy vacuuming - this is a solid four star hotel that is in a great location, has friendly staff, has a room layout that is perfect for both family vacations and business people, and offers tremendous value for travelers.