Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Decatur, Decatur

On the morning of June 21, 2011, a maid at the Hawthorn Suites in Decatur, Illinois stole $120 out of my husband's bedside drawer. I was watching television getting ready to go running when the maid knocked on the door. I answered and said it was okay for her to come in and clean. She asked if I would be there, so I told her no because I was going for a run. After a 45 minute run I returned to the hotel and my suite door was open. There was a different maid from the one I talked to before. She finished up cleaning and left. When my husband returned from work that evening, he was putting things in his drawer when he discovered that his $120 was missing. The next morning, June 22, he informed the front desk of the missing money. They said they would check the linens and let us know if they found anything. I decided to search our suite just in case it had been misplaced. I didn't find the money anywhere. On the June 23, I flew home to Utah for a wedding. My husband tried talking to the manager, but she was nowhere to be found. On the morning of June 24, my husband talked with the manager who wouldn't give him the time of day. A maid walked by and heard their conversation. She later found my husband and said that she had reason to believe that the first maid to come to our room on June 21 stole the $120. My husband tried talking to the manager again and she would not talk with him. I called the manager to try and talk with her about the stolen money. She was very rude and unwilling to work with me on the issue. On June 25, I called to speak the manager. I was informed that she wouldn't be in for work until Monday. On June 27, I called the hotel and left a message with my phone number for the manager to give me a call. On June 28 (A week after the initial incident) I called twice and left two more messages for the manager to call me back. On June 28, I called again and was sent to her voicemail.

I travel to Decatur, IL frequently for business and always stay at the Hawthorne Inn & Suites. The staff are great and the rooms spacious and well-equipped. On the down side the exercise room is minimally-equipped to say the least. But the Hawthorne offers day passes to a nearby gym. Also on the down side is the wi-fi which is slow, weak and never seems to work very well.

Last year, I had a business stay of 35 straight days in a suite at this hotel. Great place to stay -- prime location -- next to multiplex movie theater and easy walking to several different types of restaurants, short drive to grocery shopping, WalMart, etc. Great food at nearby Culvers (frozen custard is really good) and Steak 'n Shake if you're into fast-ish food. I am headed back again for another 5-day stay. Good rates (especially for long-term stays), fabulous hot breakfasts, and great staff overall. Free wireless Internet, laundromat on site, OK exercise room, etc. You just can't beat this one in the area.