BEST WESTERN Rivertown Inn and Suites, Red Wing

For the price it should be much better. Housekeeping was superficial and not well executed. Bed linnen was the cheapest and "harsh" feeling. It looks like they take the money and run... running it into the ground. Pool was cold, spa didn't work and was dirty. Breakfast was worth what we paid... nothing! Cheap Sam's Club rolls... 4 cereal choices and a hard boiled egg... For over $150 a night this place should make Conrad Hilton proud... Instead, it is embarassing to Tom Beaudette and the "Motel Six" crowd. Not a repeat stay for us... I should have known better when they screwed up our reservation and never aologized... instead tried to blame us... we had a confirmation....

We liked the location and the fact that a Perkins restaurant is right next door in walking distance. We've stayed there a few times before and enjoyed the location, however the last time we stayed we did not get very good service from the staff. For example, the hotel was approx. 20-30% cap., no one was using the pool and we took advantage of it and had family members join us at the pool (mom, dad and their two little ones). The entire time we were there, no one else came in (in fact the hotel was pretty quiet - didn't see any other patrons all day). There were no more towels in the poolside towel bin and I went to ask for more at the front desk. This grouchy older lady gave me a foul look when I asked for 6 towels (enough for us and our visitors). I think she complained about how many towels she had to give us to the manager (eventhough it is supposed to be part of their free service) because the manager came out, told us that we could only have one visitor for each registered guest (we were a family of 3 and we had our visitors - a family of 4 so we had one too many visitor!). All this time, no one else was at the pool, but the manager told us that our visitors had to leave. We all then left the pool. I never did see anyone else go to the pool that day...so I think that he could have given us a break from the rigid rules esp. because we were such good returning patrons. Second thing that happened on this trip: I couldn't sleep well the night before checkout, so I went down around 4 am to checkout. After 15 minutes, I realized that I had forgotten to give the night manager my hotel gift certificate. I went back down and asked to be credited. The night manager gave a nasal scoffing (patronizing) laugh and said "You already checked out." Now, this was around 4:30am or so, no one was around (they were not busy), I don't think it would have taken the manager long to cancel the charge and re-charge or whatever he had to do to provide me with the credit. This esp. in the light of the fact that we were good customers. In fact, it was such a slow morning that the other staff member was on the Internet for awhile. (I know because I came down a few times to use the free Internet supposedly provided in the lobby for paying customers and the staff member was still there on the Net.) I will NEVER return.

Quiet and clean. Quaint decorations throughout. Interesting inside/outside pool; great for kids. Good location in city. Easy to get in and out of the hotel to other sites in Red Wing. I would stay here again.