Monarch Hotel Conference Center — Hotel in Happy Valley

I want to begin with the disclaimer that the hotel is under remodeling. That being said, a lot is left to be desired. Hilton Garden Inn’s purchased the property and are opening 9/25/25. I wish I could place this review there, but alas, the location is not yet available for commentary or reservations.|Let’s begin with check-in, which began at 2pm. We arrived at 4:30pm, and were informed that our room was not ready by a desk clerk that could barely speak English. He said we were early. We were not. He had to check multiple times with someone out of sight and be told how to word this.|Apparently they hosted a wedding, and the occupants of this room wanted a very late check out. I’ve worked in the hotel industry for many years in a tourist town, and I know how this works. Which means, it is the job of the reservation department or front desk to say yay or nay to a very late checkout, especially during a fully booked conference weekend. I am far from the only one not severely inconvenienced by this lack of training.|Our room. I am not the only one to notice this, but the ads promote pillow top mattresses. Well, once I heard other complaints, I discovered both mattresses in my room were upside down. Meaning, the pillow was on the bottom and the firm part on the top. A lot of complaints from fellow guests. This is a REALLY STUPID MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s incredibly obvious situation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!|Next is a minor inconvenience, but considering this is an upgraded room, there are no USB ports for device charging.|My hallway door needs forced shut. This means, whenever I exit my room to participate in the convention activities I need to force the door closed. A little bit bothersome when the housekeeper next door emptied our trash and straightened our room didn’t confirm the door was shut. I am buying merchandise and it is at risk for theft!!|New windows were installed, and the road noise was very loud. We weren’t even next to a highway or a high-speed road.|The room did come with a mini fridge, which worked, and a coffee maker, which sort of worked if you held the lid down for the entire brew time. Were the K-Cups (generic brand) too large? How about a place to plug it in? We used the bathroom outlet.|The beautiful new shower, no tub, had no shower shelves. The shampoo and conditioner were in little sample bottles, while the lotion and handwash were in full sized bottles attached to the wall. Of the sink. This seems backwards. The hand wash and lotion should be in trial size, and the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash should be installed in the shower. By the way, there was no body wash, only face soap that had to be stored on the shower floor.|If the shower head was not aimed at the wall, water filled the bathroom floor.|There was no safe, no hair dryer, no guest seating in the rooms, and no wifi.|The hallway fire doors were blocked open. Stairwells are blocked off except for emergency use, and the single operational elevator sounds like something is going to break any time soon. It was so frightening and so slow that many of us took the forbidden staircases as they were far safer.|Our brand new bathroom sink counter was chipped. Exposed wires hung freely under the desk. The new wallpaper around the air conditioner was bubbling.|Down the hall from our room, #339, the veneer on the door was peeling. Rooms that we assume were completed had either tape residue or a washable paint on the doors. |Dishes from the wedding that checked out on Friday were never picked up, at least not by Monday when we checked out.|This hotel is not ADA accessible. Why the overpass was closed we couldn’t tell, but especially for the mobility-impaired there was no easy way from one side of the hotel to the other.|I’ve stayed in better Best Western’s. Please see the photos...

I want to begin with the disclaimer that the hotel is under remodeling. That being said, a lot is left to be desired. Hilton Garden Inn’s purchased the property and are opening 9/25/25. I wish I could place this review there, but alas, the location is not yet available for commentary or reservations. Let’s begin with check-in, which began at 2pm. We arrived at 4:30pm, and were informed that our room was not ready by a desk clerk that could barely speak English. He said we were early. We were not. He had to check multiple times with someone out of sight and be told how to word this. Apparently they hosted a wedding, and the occupants of this room wanted a very late check out. I’ve worked in the hotel industry for many years in a tourist town, and I know how this works. Which means, it is the job of the reservation department or front desk to say yay or nay to a very late checkout, especially during a fully booked conference weekend. I am far from the only one not severely inconvenienced by this lack of training. Our room. I am not the only one to notice this, but the ads promote pillow top mattresses. Well, once I heard other complaints, I discovered both mattresses in my room were upside down. Meaning, the pillow was on the bottom and the firm part on the top. A lot of complaints from fellow guests. This is a REALLY STUPID MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s incredibly obvious situation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next is a minor inconvenience, but considering this is an upgraded room, there are no USB ports for device charging. My hallway door needs forced shut. This means, whenever I exit my room to participate in the convention activities I need to force the door closed. A little bit bothersome when the housekeeper next door emptied our trash and straightened our room didn’t confirm the door was shut. I am buying merchandise and it is at risk for theft!! New windows were installed, and the road noise was very loud. We weren’t even next to a highway or a high-speed road. The room did come with a mini fridge, which worked, and a coffee maker, which sort of worked if you held the lid down for the entire brew time. Were the K-Cups (generic brand) too large? How about a place to plug it in? We used the bathroom outlet. The beautiful new shower, no tub, had no shower shelves. The shampoo and conditioner were in little sample bottles, while the lotion and handwash were in full sized bottles attached to the wall. Of the sink. This seems backwards. The hand wash and lotion should be in trial size, and the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash should be installed in the shower. By the way, there was no body wash, only face soap that had to be stored on the shower floor. If the shower head was not aimed at the wall, water filled the bathroom floor. There was no safe, no hair dryer, no guest seating in the rooms, and no wifi. The hallway fire doors were blocked open. Stairwells are blocked off except for emergency use, and the single operational elevator sounds like something is going to break any time soon. It was so frightening and so slow that many of us took the forbidden staircases as they were far safer. Our brand new bathroom sink counter was chipped. Exposed wires hung freely under the desk. The new wallpaper around the air conditioner was bubbling. Down the hall from our room, #339, the veneer on the door was peeling. Rooms that we assume were completed had either tape residue or a washable paint on the doors. Dishes from the wedding that checked out on Friday were never picked up, at least not by Monday when we checked out. This hotel is not ADA accessible. Why the overpass was closed we couldn’t tell, but especially for the mobility-impaired there was no easy way from one side of the hotel to the other. I’ve stayed in better Best Western’s. Please see the photos...

7 pm I try to check in. There is a sign That says check in across the way. The nice gentleman is helping other customers so wait ten minutes. It’s my turn he gives me a key card for 325 . I try to use the closest elevator. The door is stuck open. I can visibly see the entire floor is under construction. I longingly look at the stairs, then look at my bags . I sigh and resign myself to walking all the way around and back. I get to the room the smell of paint is completely overwhelming. Not a problem I’ll just open the windows. Of course it’s right next to hwy but I don’t mind the noise. It will be fine for one night. I use the restroom, and start to unpack then realize the tv isn’t connected and neither is the phone. I go back down to the front desk. I use the stairs next to the broken elevator because it’s closer. The entire stairwell is under construction. But, it has hand rails so it’s usable. I ask the nice gentleman to send up someone to connect the phone and hook up the tv. I can tell by the look on his face. He says I’m sorry you’ll need to switch rooms ,not a problem . He gives me a new key card. only this one is for the second floor 217 instead of third. I go to 325 pack my stuff, walk a quarter of a mile to the working elevator. Go to the second floor walk up and down the hallways there’s no 217. I’m starting to feel like I’m in a horror movie. I assume I have made some sort of mistake . Mind you I’m dragging all my stuff all over this hotel. I go back to the check in desk and ask for a map. He drags one out for me to look at but he doesn’t have one I can use. He points to the broken elevator. I said Thats the only way to access the room isn’t it? He says it’s still broken? I said yes it’s still broken. A lady came and told you it was broken at 7 pm when checked in. But I didn’t say that. Anyway he and another man start messing with the elevator and I just go straight to the stairs. I tripped going up and jammed my big toe as well as ripped the skin off of it. That’s what I get for thinking mean thoughts. I get to the room there’s no phone , no coffee machine or cups. The air conditioning doesn’t work either. Only one window opens. But, hey the tv is hooked up. There’s hot water. By this time it’s after 830 pm . Terrible experience. Very nice people just really poor accommodations and in the end...