Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Grand Rapids East, MI

The smell of fresh-baked cookies greets guests as they enter the hotel, a nicely designed value property with lodge-like interiors and a homey vibe. The freshly baked cookies sit on the front desk, and coffee is available 24 hours a day. Tall ceilings make the lobby feel spacious and the space has wood floors, a staircase with a wooden banister, and a fireplace in a comfortable lounge. Books can be checked out from a small lending library in the lounge. A display case by two elevators -- which service all five floors -- is loaded with military memorabilia in tribute to veterans. Green double doors lead to the large breakfast room, where kids sometimes play board games. Families make up most of the clientele, but the competitive prices, location near the Frederik Meijer Gardens, and business services also draw couples and corporate travelers. 

This hotel is a 15-minute walk from the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park on the east side of Grand Rapids, a trip that can be completed in three minutes by car. It's a 10-minute drive to downtown Grand Rapids and DeVos Place Convention Center, and there's not much in the immediate area aside from the Gravity Taphouse & Grille, which is across the street. I-96 is right next to the hotel, and it's a 15-minute drive to the Gerald R. Ford Museum and Meyer May House. Shopping at Woodland Mall is within a 10-minute drive. Gerald R. Ford International Airport is about a 15-minute drive from the hotel, depending on traffic. Spring Lake is 30 to 40 minutes away by car and Grand Haven is a 45-minute trip.

The 154 rooms and suites are traditionally styled, with dark carpeting, light green wooden doors, leaf-print drapes, wooden headboards, warm lighting, and floral artwork on walls. One side of the hotel offers city views, but many rooms have views of the uninspiring parking lot. Studio Suites and One-Bedroom Suites have sofa beds in seating areas, and One-Bedroom Suites have separate living rooms. Whirlpool Suites feature two-person whirlpool tubs in separate rooms. Beds have Serta Sleeper 2000 mattresses with white patterned bedspreads and handsome dark wood headboards. All rooms have 32-inch flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, coffeemakers, mini-fridges, microwaves, free Wi-Fi, irons/ironing boards, and desks with office chairs. Bathrooms are basic and clean, with shower/tub combos and hairdryers. Though the highway is just outside, guest rooms don't pick up any noise, and while in-room Wi-Fi can be spotty, the hotel has plans to upgrade it.

One of this hotel's stand-out features is its large breakfast lounge with a free morning buffet of bagels, eggs, coffee and tea, fruit, sausages, yogurt, cereal, and biscuits and gravy, among other items. There’s also a heated indoor pool that offers an ADA accessible lift and a hot tub as well as plastic chairs on the deck -- the pool area stays open late. Facing the pool is a small, modern gym that has treadmills, an elliptical machine, core equipment, and free weights. The hotel attracts a share of business travelers, with its five meeting rooms -- which fit up to 100 people in the theater layout -- and a 24-hour business center with two printers, two computers, and office services. Outdoor parking is also available on-site. Wi-Fi is available for free throughout the property. Guest laundry is available and same-day dry cleaning can be arranged on weekdays.