Hampton Inn & Suites Marshalltown

We stay at this Hampton Inn every year because our family reunion is held in Marshalltown and most of our relatives stay here. While there have been a few improvements since our visit last year, the overall experience still fell short of what I expect from a Hampton Inn. To be fair, the pool was noticeably cleaner this year, and the hot tub that had sat empty with caution tape around it for an extended period has finally been removed and filled in with concrete. While I would have preferred that it be repaired or replaced, at least it is no longer an eyesore or safety hazard. Unfortunately, several other issues overshadowed those improvements. One of the hotel's two elevators was out of service during our stay, creating delays and inconvenience, especially during busy times. Check-in was also disappointing. The front desk employee told me he had only been working there for about a month, which may explain some of the experience, but he was not friendly or welcoming. As a Hilton Diamond member, I was not acknowledged for my status and was not offered the complimentary water or snack that is routinely provided at Hampton Inns. He simply handed me the room keys with little interaction and no hospitality. The room itself was acceptable, but the air conditioning was not. The thermostat would not allow the room temperature to go below 76 degrees. After I called maintenance, I was told there was a problem with the wall thermostat, so it was disconnected and the unit was controlled directly from the window air conditioner. Even with the unit running continuously, the room never became truly comfortable. Breakfast was another frustration. If you want the full breakfast selection, arrive early. On both mornings, the hotel ran out of eggs and oatmeal well before breakfast ended. Even though there were approximately 45 minutes remaining in the breakfast service, the empty pans were never refilled and simply sat there for the remainder of breakfast. Unfortunately, there are not many hotel options in Marshalltown, which is one reason we continue to stay here. The property has improved slightly from last year, but there are still too many service and maintenance issues for me to rate it any higher than two stars.

If you enjoy cold showers, stay here! Oh, and pay about $200 for the privilege. Front desk knew about the issue when we checked in, but never mentioned it. I picked Hampton Inn because their breakfast bar is usually a cut above some of the other chains. But, I was 0-2! Got to the breakfast area about 7 a.m. Only two other couples present. Went to the hot side only to find no eggs and no potatoes. Got a sausage patty and slapped it between a bagel. I was in the breakfast area for about 20 minutes and never saw any staff attending to the offerings. When I mentioned the lack of hot water the front desk staff mentioned it was being worked on as we spoke. I asked about a discount and at first I was offered points, which I declined. They then offered $60 off my bill which I did accept. If this had been my first experience with Hampton Inns, I might have said, "No more!".

Well maintained, quiet, comfortable and pleasant environment. Plenty breakfast options.

Finding the road to get into the property was a bit tricky.

We had a king suite, we loved the space it provided Great area for snacks

I have a photo if requested. Our chair in our room had a terrible stain on it. I'd feel uncomfortable putting into writing what it looked like. Staff had a sign at front desk that read along the lines of "be back soon helping a guest". She walked in through the main entrance. My 17 yr old son said," wow mom do you smell the weed? " She reeked of marijuana. She asked me my name, handed me my room key and walked away. Didn't tell us where the elevators were, didn't even say our room number to us, no "here's where breakfast is, there's the pool' etc.

Nothing

We showed up late 10pm. There was a long line checking in with one worker (she was very overwhelmed). She checked in the first couple at the desk and they immediately came back down to say there was someone in their room. And then another man came down and said his shower would not shut off. We stayed another 30 minutes (45 total) and we were still fourth in line. We ended up leaving. I will never “try” and stay at a Hampton ever again. And I still had to pay for it…non-refundable. Refunding my stay would be a start to making it right. Very disappointed.

Breakfast was decent

Love where it’s at and the restaurants and coffee places by it!!

The pool was a bit on the colder side, but that could just be personal preference. The coffee and paper towels weren’t stocked in the room. Had to ask for extra garbage bags. Other than that, everything else was great.

I was able to get a quieter room this time, which I requested for this stay

Nothing. Everything was fine