TownePlace Suites by Marriott Lawrence Downtown — Hotel in Lawrence

Pros/Cons below.

This place has so much potential, but seems to be poorly managed and maintained. I get the impression that it's understaffed, so maybe that's the issue.

Without actually counting, my impression is that there's half (or less) the number of staff l'd expect at a large, higher end hotel. For the price people are paying for rooms, they should be able to pay a few more people and offer wages that attract workers.

Pros: Clean room, though found a few dirty (run through the dishwasher but that didn't get them cleaned) dishes. Nicely laid out closets with Elfa shelving. Staff is friendly and responsive Great pillows (I love smushy ones that I can manipulate into the shape I want, and these are perfect...no solid lumps of stuffing). Solid kitchen setup if you're cooking in your room. Plenty of tools and utensils to cover the basics. The coffee downstairs was particularly good. Not the gross, watered down, gas station-esque stuff served in many a hotel lobby. There’s a great Saturday morning Farmer’s Market a block away (spring-fall). Great mix of fresh breakfast food, produce, and locally made goods.

Cons: SMELLY -The worst aspect for me was allllll the smells. If you're pregnant or have an otherwise sensitive nose, steer clear. The lobby smells like mildew and funk. The halls smell like stale, muggy air mixed with a variety of (not pleasing) food smells. The room smelled...weird. Not horrid, but like someone had cooked something and then the air hadn't circulated in a month. In my opinion, that's probably the problem. They have kitchens in the rooms (plus people get carry out), but there's no air filtration or circulation happening so the stink just lingers. I know I'm on the smell-sensitive side (nothing dramatic), but if this sort of thing bothers you, be warned. POOR MAINTENANCE - this is a newer hotel, so maybe they're not used to needing to fix things, but there was one main standout as far as important maintenance that needs to be done yesterday. (Or 6 months ago). The door to the pool doesn't fit the frame (probably swollen due to moisture...see notes about no air circulation and lots of standing water), so the door stays open unless you really yank it shut. Actually, both doors separating the lobby from the pool do this, but the door closer to the pool does it to a greater degree. (Definitely a safety issue for families with small kids! Both doors were "propped"/stuck open when we went to the pool. Any kid could wander in.) Beyond that, it's likely the source of the mildew smell in the lobby. There are other less important maintenance issues (like wall holes patched but not painted), but that's the main one. UNSAFE POOL DECK - Why in blazes would you use slippery tiles around a pool? They not only have large, smooth-ish tiles around the pool, but the deck isn't graded and draining properly (or at all). Like, there's a half inch of water standing in puddles in many places. I can't tell if the slippery deck is because of the tile choice alone, or because the standing water is leading to some sort of slimy build up on the floor. Either way, it's not just normal, "don't run at the pool" slippery. It's "holy moly, walk slowly or you'll be at urgent care" slippery. It feels a bit like walking on a greased surface.

Overall, the location is great (close to lots of dining options, shops, and the Saturday Farmer's Market!), but the overall smelly, unkempt vibe kind of...

I would highly recommend TownPlace Suites Lawrence. We booked here before and did not hesitate to book here again. After parking in the underground, protected inside parking garage, we were greeted by a friendly and accommodating front desk employee (BTW...they all are). Our two bedroom suite came as advertised: clean, comfortable and quiet. The location of the hotel is prime, just one block off Massachusetts Street and within easy walking distance to several restaurants and shops. The morning continental breakfast is generous and well managed, making it unnecessary to go elsewhere. I would say the location, comfort, parking, breakfast and friendly staff make this hotel worth the booking. A special shout out to two employees for their help and general good nature in making this a pleasurable experience. Beth, the early morning breakfast manager, was super. She set things up earlier than scheduled, trying her best to provide for those early risers (like me) and for those on an early schedule. Her attentiveness and general conversation were much appreciated. Eli came to the rescue when a heater unit was not working as it should. After maintenance could not solve the problem (more on that later), Eli volunteered to research the operating manual and came up with a troubleshooting guide. He and I proceeded to the room where he dove into the controls of the heater unit with guidance from the manual and fixed the problem in a matter of minutes. I was relieved and thankful he was able to do that. I thanked both employees for helping all of us to better overnight experiences, and they should be recognized for that. In addition, the fitness center and pool looked well maintained and inviting, but I didn't use either. There's always room for improvement, so here are my suggestions:- When I booked the room last October, I was told the parking garage door was under repair, had to be kept open but certainly would be fixed by January. It wasn't. Not a huge deal, but it does remove the security feature of a closed door and when working helps to keep inclement weather out. We were comfortable parking our car there, but this should be addressed.- Maintenance should consult with Eli on how to fix maintenance issues. I reported a heater problem Friday morning, the front desk employee took copious notes and said she would advise maintenance. Late in the day, the maintenance guy was leaving and when asked about our room , he said "What about it?" Obviously didn't get the word. He checked it out but the heater was not fixed and when I asked that night, the front desk told me maintenance said that's how they work and nothing can be done. Enter Eli to show maintenance how it's correctable when using proper maintenance techniques. - The lobby furnishings look tired and need to be replaced. I understand work is in progress to do this. The carpets are also in need of replacement in certain areas.- The room 225 showerhead also needs to be replaced. It has three spray options, none of which are pleasurable.That's about it! I hope you find this review helpful. I responded as accurately and honestly as possible. See you next time when my son and I make another journey from Boston for a little KU B-ball action. Rock...

Pros/Cons below. |This place has so much potential, but seems to be poorly managed and maintained. I get the impression that it’s understaffed, so maybe that’s the issue. ||Without actually counting, it seems like there’s half (or less) the number of staff I’d expect at a large, higher end hotel. For the price people are paying for rooms, they should be able to pay a few more people and offer wages that attract workers. ||Pros: |- Clean room, though found a few dirty (run through the dishwasher but that didn’t get them cleaned) dishes |- Staff is friendly and responsive |- Great pillows (I love smushy ones that I can manipulate into the shape I want, and these are perfect…no solid lumps of stuffing). |- Solid kitchen setup if you’re cooking in your room. Plenty of tools and utensils to cover the basics. ||Cons: |- SMELLY -The worst is alllll the smells. If you’re pregnant or have an otherwise sensitive nose, steer clear. The lobby smells like mildew and funk. The halls smell like stale, muggy air mixed with a variety of (not pleasing) food smells. The room smelled…weird. Not horrid, but like someone had cooked something and then the air hadn’t circulated in a month. In my opinion, that’s probably the problem. They have kitchens in the rooms (plus people get carry out), but there’s no air filtration or circulation happening so the stink just lingers. I know I’m on the smell-sensitive side (nothing dramatic), but if this sort of thing bothers you, be warned. |- POOR MAINTENANCE - this is a newer hotel, so maybe they’re not used to needing to fix things, but there was one main standout as far as important maintenance that needs to be done yesterday. (Or 6 months ago). The door to the pool doesn’t fit the frame (probably swollen due to moisture…see notes about no air circulation and lots of standing water), so the door stays open unless you really yank it shut. Actually, both doors separating the lobby from the pool do this, but the door closer to the pool does it to a greater degree. (Definitely a safety issue for families with small kids! Both doors were “propped”/stuck open when we went to the pool. Any kid could wander in.) Beyond that, it’s likely the source of the mildew smell in the lobby. There are other less important maintenance issues (like wall holes patched but not painted), but that’s the main one. |- UNSAFE POOL DECK - Why in blazes would you use slippery tiles around a pool? They not only have large, smooth-ish tiles around the pool, but the deck isn’t graded and draining properly (or at all). Like, there’s a half inch of water standing in puddles in many places. I can’t tell if the slippery deck is because of the tile choice alone, or because the standing water is leading to some sort of slimy build up on the floor. Either way, it’s not just normal, “don’t run at the pool” slippery. It’s “holy moly, walk slowly or you’ll be at urgent care” slippery. It feels a bit like walking on a greased surface. ||Overall, the location is great (close to lots of dining options, shops, and the Saturday Farmer’s Market!), but the overall smelly, unkempt vibe kind of...