TL;DR

Solid choice: Comfortable, good amenities, but low on personality.
Design: Wedge-shaped building with Flatiron-style silhouette.
Atmosphere: Small enough to feel cozy, bigger than boutique ideal.
Facilities: Pool, gym, good dining, and attentive staff.
Check prices here

This Downtown Grand Rapids hotel might not be the most imaginative spot in the city, but it’s a solid choice with good amenities.

We’ll be honest, the name ‘Residence Inn’ doesn’t really fill our hearts with love, today or any other day.

The building lit up at night though gives it a certain romance.

It’s a wedge-shaped number reminiscent of Manhattan’s Flatiron, but the art deco vibes are reserved for the evenings, courtesy of some clever outdoor lighting decisions.

For flair, that’s about it. If you’re looking for oodles of personality, we’ll send you elsewhere.

If you care more about comfort, this is a good option. It’s small enough to feel intimate, but still a bit larger than we’d like for that feeling of boutique exclusivity.

The staff is clearly killing it, and between the proximity to the city center, decent hotel pool & gym, and good food, there’s enough to appreciate.

Yeah, the trendsetters and the fashionistas will probably want to sit this one out.

An easygoing traveler with a flair for practical luxury, though, should end up quite happy.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 147 total.
All suites: Minimum 400 sq ft with sofa beds and city views.
Comfort: Beds and couches praised for coziness.
Upgrades: Larger suites add bathtubs, kitchens, and dining areas.
Amenities: TVs with Netflix, desks, radios, and kitchen facilities.
See each room in detail here

Decor-wise, nobody has made much of an effort. There has been some sort of attempt at wallpaper, but it’s not super exciting, and doesn’t make up for the painfully boring furniture.

Things are gray, and white, and beige, and we do appreciate the range of values, but that’s about as far as we’ll go.

Happily, however, it’s not a case of form reflecting function.

The beds are comfortable, the couches cozy, and in terms of using the rooms, there’s not much to complain about.

It helps that all the options are suites, at least 400 square feet, and decked out with sofa beds, city views, and more.

Options range from Studio Suites to extra-large One-Bedrooms. Once you get up to the bigger rooms, we’re talking bathtubs, dining tables, and full kitchens.

Even in the smallest, you’ll enjoy TVs with Netflix, radios, working desks, usually a sofa bed, and everything you need for midnight snacks and coffee.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Dining: Social Misfits gourmet waffle café and bar onsite.
Breakfast: Continental options available.
Self-catering: Suites with kitchens and grocery delivery.
Pool: Modest but relaxing swim space.
Fitness: Well-equipped gym with cardio and weights.

We really never thought we’d be talking about Wahlburgers on this site, but here we are. Perfidy, thy name is Marriott.

Was Marriott, we should say, as the former celebrity-brother chain was recently replaced by an equally absurd but much more local joint.

We couldn’t be more pleased. Social Misfits is part of a Michigan chain of bars and restaurants.

It is (drumroll please) a gourmet waffle café and bar.

The menu is full of sweet and savory options, with additional selections of salads, coffees and cocktails.

If you’re not a waffle person, there’s still a continental breakfast to indulge in, and plenty of walking-distance restaurants for other meals.

You can also cook in the suite if you like, with grocery delivery arranged by the hotel.

Finally, you’ll want to at least check out the hotel pool. It’s not Olympic-size or surrounded by cabanas, but it is a place to enjoy a relaxing swim.

The fitness center is a better place to work up a sweat. It’s well-equipped with cardio machines, free weights, and a few strength machines.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Central: Prime downtown Grand Rapids location.
Walkable: Museums and attractions nearby.
Music: Close to GLC Live, Van Andel Arena, and St. Cecilia.
Outdoors: Grand River park 15 minutes away.
Food & drink: Bridge Street cafés, bars, and restaurants.
Neighborhoods: Heritage Hill and Eastown for wandering and architecture.

Another point in the usability factor is the excellent location.

Smack dab in the center of Downtown Grand Rapids, is relatively small, you’ve got easy access to most of the city’s main attractions.

Most of them are walkable, from the Art Museum next door to the museums across the river.

If you like entertainment, your music options are plenty. GLC Live, the Van Andel Arena, and the St. Cecilia Music Center are 5 minutes from the hotel.

So is Skelletones, if you lean towards alternative.

Outdoorsy types can head straight to the Grand River, which has a nice park across the river, just 15 minutes away.

On this side, you’ll find the Gerald R Ford Museum and the Public Museum.

It’s also near Bridge Street, a nice area if you want to check out local cafés, restaurants, and bars.

Heritage Hill and Eastown are good for a simple wander around. There’s plenty of neat architecture, even if they’re otherwise quite residential.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“Very clean. Centrally located within walking distance near all the spots we went. The suite was phenomenal. The staff were wonderful. Parking was easy. We’ve stayed in many hotels in those area and the Residence Inn by Marriott is the best we’ve ever stayed at. We will choose the Residence every time in the future….”

“We had a short but wonderful stay! The hotel is spacious and perfectly located right in the heart of downtown, with super easy access to parking and all the amenities. Our room was clean, spacious, and beautifully decorated, with everything we needed to feel comfortable. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the overall vibe was peaceful and relaxing. Breakfast was delicious and a great way to start the day. We’ll definitely stay here again next time we’re in Grand Rapids!…”