Ramada East Hartford

Admittedly, I was hesitant to stay here because of the recent negative reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised by how great it really was. This hotel is a co-branded Fairfield and TownePlace, and I stayed under both brands for a weekend convention in downtown Hartford; my first night was a points stay under Fairfield, and the last two nights were a paid stay under TownePlace. This is a review of the former, but pretty much everything except for the room itself applies to both brands. Front desk staff were very friendly, efficient, and professional. They informed me that the renovations were completed less than two weeks prior to my stay, and that's obvious everywhere in the building, from how fresh every single hallway and piece of furniture feels to the still-missing pieces of flooring with hazard cones surrounding them. The room itself was similarly fresh (as shown in my pictures) and very spacious in the one-king config. The bathroom is nicely sized, the water pressure in the shower is excellent, and the bed was perhaps the best surprise of all; it was nicer than those I've seen in much higher-end Marriott properties at much higher prices, and it led to a really, really nice sleep. Proximity to things in the area was a big highlight as well; it was less than 10 minutes from the parking lot to the garage of the convention center, and 10-15 minutes from all of the malls and shopping to the east. Signage in the building says that the attached commercial space will be a Starbucks once it's completed, and that will make this property even more attractive. Breakfast is included, but I did not try it the morning of check-out. In all, it sounds like this place has come a long way from what it used to be, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it if you have something happening in Hartford proper. Unless you need the extended-stay kitchen amenities, I'd say the Fairfield rooms are a bit nicer and roomier, so try this brand first!

Avoid!! Hotel not ready to be open This hotel was not ready to be open and should not be accepting reservations until they are more staffed and organized. We checked in at 5 pm and were told there were no clean rooms and it could be a few hours because there was only one person cleaning. We got a room after about an hour but it was not clean - someone else’s purse in the room and pillows on the floor. Several bugs in bathroom and room. AC did not work and front desk said they couldn’t do anything because it just opened. Most concerning —- THREE times someone from hotel staff walked into our room (using a master key) without knocking, once when my daughter was in the room alone. We cut out stay short - did not feel safe or comfortable at all. Marriott should not be letting people make reservations to stay here until things are more organized and under control.

I booked this hotel months ago for a soccer tournament Memorial Day weekend. It’s 3 days before and they emailed me to cancel because they just figured out that renovations would not be done. Got an apology and a refund and the opportunity to scramble for a new hotel at a higher price on a holiday weekend so my kid can still play. Inconsiderate and incompetent. I expected better from Marriott.