2873 Kraft Ave SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States | (616) 956-3300
Value chain hotel near the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and I-96
Rooms have flat-screen TVs, microwaves, mini-fridges; some have whirlpool tubs
One-bedroom apartments offers separate kitchens and living rooms
Free breakfast and parking with space for trucks and RVs
Small fitness room with cardio equipment
Meeting room for up to 12 people
PC and printer in reception area
Kids under 17 stay free
Free local area and airport shuttle service
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Cleanliness problems in rooms and common areas
Rooms are a bit dated and some smell of mildew or stale smoke
Inadequate soundproofing between rooms
The 99-room Baymont Inn & Suites Grand Rapids Airport is a budget chain hotel that's a seven-minute drive from the Grand Rapids airport -- the hotel provides free airport shuttle service. Traditionally furnished rooms and suites have microwaves and mini-fridges, and some have whirlpool tubs and kitchenettes. One-bedroom apartments with full kitchens are also available. There's also a small gym, a meeting room, and a computer corner, but guests have complained about cleanliness -- when we visited, some rooms had a musty "wet rag" or stale cigarette smell. Travelers should consider nearby Country Inn Suites By Carlson, Grand Rapids East, which has a pool and better-kept rooms but higher rates.
Scene
Basic airport chain hotel
The Baymont Inn & Suites Grand Rapids Airport is a convenient pick for budget-minded travelers seeking inexpensive rooms near the airport. Truck drivers and construction workers also frequently stay here, making use of the large outdoor parking lot at the front of the hotel. A dark wooden front desk sits at the entrance of the small lobby that features a casual lounge with brown-patterned carpeting and generic furniture, and an adjoining pleasant breakfast room. Design and decor are standard for a chain budget hotel, but dirty welcome mats make a bad first impression, and guests have complained about unkempt common areas and damp smells.
Location
Located near the airport, I-96, strip malls, and casual dining
The hotel Baymount Inn & Suites is two miles from I-96 and near strip malls. There is plenty of casual dining on the corner of Kraft Avenue and 28th Street, where the hotel is located. Free shuttle service is provided to local area destinations, and round-trip service to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, which is a seven- to 10-minute ride from the hotel. Nature trails and Leonardo da Vinci’s "Horse" at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park are within a 10-minute drive of the hotel, as is downtown Grand Rapids, including the DeVos Place Convention Center and Van Andel Arena. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Meyer May House and the nearby Gerald R. Ford Museum are about a 20-minute drive away.
Rooms
Traditional rooms and suites with mini-fridges, and microwaves; some have kitchenettes
The 99 rooms, which come with two queens or one king bed, include suburban-style mid-tone wood furnishings, and are decorated in green-and-gold textiles and patterned carpeting. Walls have a light mottled pattern and are hung with generic, soft-colored landscape prints that look a bit dated. When we visited, some rooms smelled of must or stale cigarettes, and guests have complained about poor soundproofing between the rooms. All rooms include mini-fridges, coffeemakers, microwaves, air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and irons and ironing boards. King Rooms and Suites also have seating areas. Some rooms have separate kitchens with stovetops and dining tables. Towel swans add a fun touch to rooms and suites have whirlpool tubs, which are in separate rooms with mounted flat-screen TVs. One-Bedroom Apartments feature separate living rooms, and full kitchens with stoves. ADA rooms with special features are available. Bathrooms have showers or shower/tub combos (granite-counter sinks are outside the bath and shower area), hairdryers, and toiletries.
Features
Free breakfast, small fitness center, computer corner, and free Wi-Fi
Though there are few frills at this budget property, it serves a free breakfast (with breakfast burritos and sausage patties on the weekends) in a cozy room off the lobby with TVs and a gas fireplace. The hotel also has a small fitness center with a few cardio and weight machines, a water cooler, and a TV. A 400-square-foot meeting room can accommodate up to 12 people, and a PC computer and a printer are in the lobby lounge. Parking is free, and the outdoor lot is large enough for trucks, RVs, and buses. The hotel also offers free, round-trip airport shuttle service, and some local service. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. There are coin-operated laundry facilities on site as well.