OverviewLocated across from St. Mary's Hospital and about a 1-minute drive from the nearest Highway 52 on-ramp, the Aspen Suites Rochester (formerly the Staybridge Suites Rochester) is geared towards road travellers who require a hotel with easy highway access, a free breakfast and extended kitchen amenities.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites comes equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a kitchenette (with a dishwasher and cooking utensils), a sitting area with a sofabed, a desk, an ironing board and iron and a hair dryer. Rooms with a separate bedroom are also available and the hotel is wheelchair accessible.
Hotel amenities include a hot tub, a fitness centre, guest laundry, a business centre, a convenience store, BBQ facilities, free parking and a free breakfast. A free shuttle is also offered to buildings on the Mayo Clinic's main campus. A free evening reception with a light meal is served Tuesdays through Thursdays.
Pets are permitted for $75 per pet (for a one- to six-night stay) and a $150 fee for stays of seven nights or longer.
Rochester's city centre is roughly a 3-minute drive from the hotel, while Miracle Mile Shopping Center can be found 8 minutes away on foot. The University of Minnesota Rochester is a 4-minute drive away and Rochester International Airport (ROC) is roughly 12 minutes away by car. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets $75/pet (1-6 nights) or $150/pet (7+ nights), wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: September 24, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's staff, rooms, breakfast and location.
Numerous guests praised the hotel's staff, characterizing them as friendly, caring, accommodating and efficient. One patron remarked, "The staff couldn't have been more understanding, helping us work through our needs and removing this stress during a very difficult time".
The hotel's rooms were complimented by many lodgers. They were described as clean, spacious, well equipped, quiet and well maintained, with comfortable beds and fast Wi-Fi.
Several lodgers were pleased with the hotel's breakfast. They described it as complete, delicious and wonderful, with several hot and cold items. The hotel's use of Styrofoam plates and plastic cutlery was criticized by a few patrons, however.
The hotel's location was appreciated by several travellers as well. They found it close to St. Mary's Hospital, the Mayo Clinic, restaurants, shopping, a grocery store and public transit.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about parking and checkout reminder calls.
A few guests mentioned not being able to find an on-site parking spot when they arrived late in the day.
A few reviewers complained about the hotel's checkout reminder phone calls. They reported receiving calls on the morning they were checking out, and found it unnecessary and inconvenient.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #5 of 51 Rochester hotels with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 69 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 9.3 out of 10 from 67 reviews
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.1 out of 5 with an 86% recommendation rate from 37 reviews.
The author called the hotel on September 24, 2013 to verify some information.
