Spring Hill Suites, Manchester, NH

We had made reservations at the Spring Hill Suites in Manchester, New Hampshire, almost adjacent to the airport. Not having stayed at a Spring Hill Suites before, I was not quite certain what to expect. Their suite was priced LOWER than a comparable hotel room. The pictures on their website indicated it would be roomier and have more amenities than our typical hotel room. The question was, would we be satisfied upon arrival.

At the front desk, we were greeted cordially. Everything was in order, and our room keys were programmed. One of the features I expect, and occasionally have to request, is that the front desk personnel not announce my room number. Here, I did not have to make the request. She simply wrote the information on the inside flap of my key holder and handed it to me.

I stepped back to the car to unload our baggage. We had just a few items, so a luggage cart was unnecessary. Imagine our surprise when, upon our return to the front door, we found the same woman holding the door for us. She had opened the interior door as well. It was a little thing, but it was a courtesy not often found, and greatly appreciated.

When I opened the door to our suite, I was pleased with what I found. Our suite included a partial divider, to separate the sleeping area from the rest of the suite.

In the main area was a kitchenette, complete with a chilled refrigerator and a small microwave. It was furnished with a small selection of disposable plates and flatware. Some might prefer traditional dishes, but for our family, the disposable was an additional convenience. Also in the main area was the sitting/dining/office area. It was large enough to hold an oversized loveseat, an arm chair, a table/desk, a coffee table and an end table. The layout was functional and not crowded.

In the sleeping area were two double beds, as expected. There was also a small closet, with enough hangers to handle all of the hanging clothes for our four night stay, including coats. There were two small chests of drawers, which doubled as TV stands. The two TVs were a pleasant surprise, and allowed us the convenience of kid shows separate from parent shows.

The bathroom was off the sleeping area. The only downside to the suite was that the sink area was outside the bath/toilet area. For many families, this is preferred. For our family, this is not. The drawback to the arrangement is that you must turn a door handle to exit before washing your hands after using the toilet. However, a benefit to it is that one person can be in the shower while someone else is taking care of teeth and hair.

I am very picky about cleanliness in a hotel room. I always walk through and check for reasonable cleanliness before settling in. Much to my delight, I found NO problems. No mildew in the bathroom, and no stray hairs either. The microwave and refrigerator were spotless. Other than a few scratches from wear and tear, there was no visible damage anywhere in the room. The paint appeared to be fresh, and the carpet showed no significant wear. The locks worked properly, too.

The complimentary breakfast was more substantial than some. The offerings included freshly made Belgian waffles, eggs, sausage patties, a variety of breads and cereals, a crock of oatmeal with several toppings, fruit juices and milk. Coffee, tea and cocoa were available 24 hours a day, and we consistently found them to be fresh and hot.

We plan to return to this facility on our next visit to the Manchester area.