Stay Report: Element Arundel Mills BWI Airport (Hanover, MD - April 2020)

 Stay Report: Element Arundel Mills BWI Airport
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Travelling has change da lot during the pandemic.  A lot of people were not traveling as much so some hotels completed shuttered while others stayed open but reduced or eliminated some services and amenities.  I had to travel to Baltimore for work and I was going to use the hotel as a base for a couple of days so wanted a more extended-stay hotel.  I had previously stayed at Element Hotels and have enjoyed them, from the environmental approach to the mini-suites and complimentary amenities.  I checked the distance and the price and both seem to be good so booked the hotel through the Marriott website, which was easy to do.

The hotel is located near Arundel Mills and is about a 15-minute drive from the airport.  The hotel does provide a shuttle to/from the airport as well as some surrounding areas.  The design of the hotel reminds me of Europe as there are two Marriott-hotels connected to each other - Element and Aloft.  They have separate entrances and separate amenities but seem to be connected in the backend.  For the Element, the front of the hotel contained the parking lot and the entrance to the hotel; Element also provides complimentary bikes and those were also parked outside.  As you entered in to the hotel, there was a small check-in desk on the right and the left was the kitchen where generally the complimentary breakfast would be provided.  Straight ahead was a long and narrow sitting area/communal area with lots of couches and chairs.  These faced to the large windows and patio which also contained chairs and a bbq area.  After check-in, we received the key and proceeded to the room (the Element always provides their own luggage trolley's to assist in transporting your luggage - a great idea).

Element rooms are designed as mini-suites and resemble a New York studio apartment with a bed, a

sitting area, bathroom, and a mini-kitchen.  As you entered the room, on the left was a spacious bathroom with a large counter and small sink, a toilet, and a shower; there was soap for the sink and refillable shampoo/conditioner and body wash in the shower. In the hallway, across from the bathroom, was a closet with an iron, ironing board, and a place to hang your clothes.  Further into the room, along the right-side of the wall was the mini-kitchen which contained a sink, a stove, a large fridge, a dishwasher, plates, glasses, a sponge, and dishwashing liquid; there was also a mini-sink and a coffee maker on the large counter space.  Running along the side wall, above the chaise lounge chair, was the window which was large and let in lots of natural light.  Across from the kitchen, along the left-side of the wall were the two beds with a nightstand in the middle.  The beds were comfortable, large for two people, and provided a goodnights sleep.  There were also plenty of outlets near the bed or on the nightstand to charge all your electronic items.  In between the beds and the kitchen was an extended desk which contained the desk on one side and the TV stand at the end; the TV could be flipped towards the couch or the bedroom.  Even though there were lots of items and amenities in the room, it did not feel compact or stuffed (like some other hotel rooms) but felt more like a studio apartment in New York City. 

Usually, the Element provides lots of amenities for its guest including complimentary wifi, complimentary parking, complimentary breakfast, access to luggage carts, a full-stocked and large gym, a bbq grill for guests to use. a large patio to host bbq and outside activities, as well as a large indoor seating area for guests to enjoy.  Due to the pandemic some amenities were not available or were curtailed, including breakfast which was available as a takeaway bag from the front desk and included fruit, a breakfast bar, yogurt and a bottle of water;  at the time of the review the gym was open and many people were using it throughout the week.  Also, due to the pandemic their housekeeping services were drastically reduced so if you needed something, you generally would ask the front desk for it.  Safety-wise, masks wearing and social-distancing signs were plastered everywhere but the compliance was generally up to each guest. 

Overall, it was an interesting stay at the Element.  Good aspects included a comfortable hotel room, complimentary amenities such as wifi, gym access, and parking, and overall a nice vibe at the hotel.  Areas for improvement include a better breakfast serving and consistent service (some service was great while others were ok).