Extended Stay East Rutherford Review: Beware the Room Switch Surprise
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Extended Stay America - Meadowlands - East Rutherford
300 NJ-3, East Rutherford, NJ 07073
Rating: ♡♡ 2 out of 5 hearts
YIKES! This place is entirely questionable. Here's the confusing part: "Extended Stay America - Meadowlands - Rutherford" (notice the "East" is missing because it's a different location and different hotel) is actually better than this one. It's so easy to get the two confused! Anyone not from NJ like me would be thinking, "What's the difference?" It's so complicated. You definitely need to triple check that you're booking and driving to the right place considering the names are way too similar!
This location is literally around the corner from American Dream Mall, like a 2-minute drive. The other one is close too, but not as close at 6 minutes. Neither hotel I write about in the American Dream Mall area are walkable though. There are no sidewalks and it's extremely dangerous. You absolutely need your own car, Uber, Lyft, or shuttle service.
Parking Situation
Plenty of parking spots to choose from! It looks like a gated parking lot but it's not. The gate doesn't close or open; it's open all the time. This is why I love having heavily tinted windows.
Unlike the other hotel with the same name, this one does give you a parking pass to display in your car. Driving into and out of the parking lot can be kind of cramped. It looks like there's valet service, but there's not. The entrance design looks really fancy and makes you believe you're going to have an awesome experience. Except there were issues, to say the least.
Room 1: The Nightmare
We received room 316 upon checking in around 9pm. The room was in a sorry state, to put it mildly.
There was no bedding, no sheets, unmade trash cans, no shower curtain hung, no blankets, no soap... nothing! Everything was questionable. There were odd stains everywhere!
It seemed like someone had lived there for about a week and just left, but the hotel cleaning staff did nothing about it or started cleaning and never finished. There was some weird Poland Spring bottle with purple liquid in the bathroom. I didn't touch it and didn't want to touch it. Someone had left it there before we got this room.
The kitchen is very run down, but it's run down at the other hotel too. I would not risk using it. Both hotel kitchens seem like a fire would most likely start. The fridges are full size with freezers but very basic, old, and unkempt.
The shower in this bathroom had a tub, which the other hotel didn't, but it was very visibly run down! And like I mentioned, the shower curtain wasn't even hung.
Overall, if I had stayed in this room, I probably wouldn't have been happy because this is supposed to be a service, and this room didn't even meet basic living requirements.
Room 2: Slightly Better But Still Problematic
The second room we were given in exchange was room 146. It actually was presentable and had everything the first room didn't. But it had a smell upon walking in that was quickly masked once we turned on the AC unit.
The bathtub and shower were pleasant! An adequate amount of towels was provided. The hot water gets very hot very quickly, which was really nice!
But despite everything being as it should with this room, I didn't have the best sleep. When the AC is off, it's immediately warm. With the AC on, it's immediately cold, but the blanket is warm enough to sleep under. The blackout curtains aren't completely blackout, so I constantly saw light shining through throughout the night.
I've stayed at a hotel in close proximity to American Dream Mall where the conditions were similar BUT they had the comfiest bed and mattress! This was a good mattress and held up well during intimate moments, and even though my partner said he slept well, we definitely won't be coming back. I was so exhausted from lack of sleep the night prior and snowboarding all day that I thought for sure I'd get sleep in this room. But I didn't! After a near 2-hour drive home, I finally got to sleep in my own bed.
Breakfast Experience
There's complimentary breakfast available from 6am to 9:30am. Not the most option choices, but for a hotel like this to even offer that was a nice touch! The atmosphere of the eating lounge was very cozy with some books scattered around. My partner and I enjoyed the packaged muffins. We didn't want to risk trying the coffee though.
Service Saves the Day
The guy at the front desk was really awesome and accommodating! I would rate him alone 5 stars. He has a really cool, chill vibe to him. He helped us switch rooms quite easily when my partner went down to speak with him about the subpar room we'd just received when we checked in late. Originally, we were going to get a discount, but we both wanted a decent room to sleep in. I had a near 2-hour drive home the next day, and he had work at 8am.
Price Point
My partner and I stayed here August 7th to August 8th. We booked via Booking.com last minute because of storms, and who doesn't want an excuse for a date night in private? We paid a total of $120.87.
This hotel is 13 cents cheaper than the other one, so I would suggest booking the other location for a better experience!
The Bottom Line
It seems like people actually live here, but the price they charge for people to live here is pretty insane. Both rooms were not soundproof, and I could hear other guests from the other side of the hotel or in the corridor while they were in their rooms. Just be aware of that when staying here.
The rooms are not in the best shape, even at the other location, and could use a massive update! Especially for a hotel so close to such a large scale mall.
The service was kind to us though, and luckily they had a different room to give us. Otherwise, I would have given this place 1 star. But because everything was amended and we generally had a decent stay, 2 stars is the best this place can offer.
My advice? Save yourself the 13 cents and book the other Extended Stay America location instead.
Till Next Time!
~Diana
