Staybridge Suites is the more upscale of the two extended-stay hotel concepts operated by the InterContinental Hotels Group. All guestrooms at a Staybridge Suites are suites, featuring a living room with sofa bed, recliner, and large television; a small dining table with two chairs; a kitchen with full-size refrigerator, electric range, dishwasher, toaster oven, microwave, coffee maker, dishes, cookware, and utensils; and at least one bedroom and bathroom with vanity area. Each bedroom includes its own desk, dresser, and large television. This particular Staybridge also included Herman Miller Aeron desk chairs, a DVD/VCR combination unit connected to the living room television, and a complimentary high-speed Internet connection (wired) at the dining room table. In addition to the guest suites, a complimentary breakfast buffet featuring hot and cold items, and an evening reception (Tuesdays-Thursdays) with snacks, sodas, and a light meal are included in the room rate. For recreation and exercise, there is an exercise room with treadmill, elliptical trainer, and bike, an outdoor sport court for tennis and basketball, and an outdoor pool and sauna (open summers only). Completing the hotel’s extensive list of amenities are a complimentary business center with two computers and laser printer, a small convenience store with snacks, beverages, toiletries, and light meal items, and an outdoor deck with picnic tables and gas barbecue grills.

Upon check-in each week, I was greeted with a gift bag with crackers, candy, pretzels, and a small bottle of water. My other coworkers did not receive this amenity, so I assume it was because I hold gold status in InterContinental’s Priority Club frequent guest program. I was also upgraded to a two-bedroom, two-bath suite on two of my three stays at this hotel; however, this did not matter to me that much, as I was traveling alone and had no need for the second bedroom and bath. Still, the gesture was appreciated. All three suites I stayed in were well-maintained, although the first one showed signs of abuse by previous guests; the sofa had a large tear in the upholstery, the recliner and one lamp were missing from the living room, and one of the desk chairs did not recline properly. The rest of this suite, along with the others I stayed in, were in good working order. I appreciated the fact that the suites all had very comfortable pillow-top mattresses and an extra pillow tucked away in the closet, if needed. Other than damaged and missing furniture in my first suite, the only real complaint I had concerned noise. The exterior walls and windows are not very soundproof, so cars and people coming and going can be a little distracting inside.

Overall, I highly recommend this hotel. The location provides easy access to highways 29, 30, and 202, and the suite layout is ideal for families who would like some extra space to spread out. Rates during the week are geared toward business travelers, but weekend specials around $100 are usually available.