Hotels near Destiny USA, Syracuse

Very happy with our room and the cleanliness of everything. Staff was very nice and accommodating. The one glitch was driving past the entrance due to the sign location. Breakfast buffet was good. We really enjoyed our stay.

There is free parking, and there are many Americans living in the area.

Hotel worth staying at

Like most people, we haven't done much traveling this year.. So, we were really looking forward to a quick overnight in Syracuse to visit some friends. I was using my Marriott credit card annual certificate for a complimentary one-night stay. We could have picked several other Marriott properties, but they all charged a $50-$75 fee for traveling with our dogs. So, we chose the Aloft as they are dog friendly and do not charge a separate fee. (bravo!) Nice room 2 queen beds. Small windows that actually open for fresh air. Bathroom/closet area strangely configured. All this empty space under the sink/countertop with a small refrigerator there. Great--except that the last guest's leftovers from Applebee's were still in there. Hmm, so that obviously wasn't cleaned. Wonder what else wasn't? Closet opposite sink/countertop. You had better not be short, as it is elevated off the floor and you won't be able to reach the hangars. Small Mr. Coffee machine in alcove next to closet. Based on the refrigerator, no thanks. Cool modernistic sink, but easy to splash water everywhere. Pocket door to toilet and standup glass enclosed shower. One hook for towel/clothes, etc. Have to reach in to turn on water to warm it up, which means opening the door, which means water splashes on the floor. Oh, and the warm water? Never showed up the Sat. night we were there. I let if run (and splash while checking temp), run/splash, repeat. Finally gave up and took a very quick cold shower.

In May '22 we spent two nights at the Quality Inn and Suites in downtown Syracuse. Our experience there was mixed but it exceeded our expectations, which were fairly low, going in. We chose it because it was modestly priced and within walking distance of St. Joseph’s hospital and Armory Square (the city’s main restaurant district). We had read the negative reviews and we knew that area of the city was a kind of rough so we had no illusions that this was a five star hotel or that it would even be up to the standards of Quality Inns in the suburbs. This “inn” is a motel, not a hotel, and guests can get to their rooms from the parking lot or from the lobby, through partially enclosed and secured walkways along the exterior of the building. This was a plus for us as we were still COVID-careful and trying to minimize time spent in enclosed public spaces. It helped that we had mild spring weather during our stay. Getting to and from these rooms would probably feel very different in the cold of winter or during a summer heat wave. The three-story building is old and clunky with an exterior that is utterly devoid of charm but is being reasonably well maintained. Our room was clean, spacious and seemed as if it had been remodeled not too long ago. It had a microwave, a medium-sized refrigerator and a coffee-maker but, surprisingly for a so-called “suite”, no table on which to eat. It was darker than we would have liked, as the décor was heavy on deep blues and browns, but it wasn’t so dark as to feel uncomfortable. Our one window was on the back of the building and afforded an uninspiring view of the highway and an abandoned warehouse, but it did provide natural light and was partially screened and could have been opened, had we wanted to do so. Most of the other rooms have windows on the front, facing the walkways, and probably let in less light. The parking lot is unsecured but it is monitored by video cameras, which are watchable by the desk attendants. There was safe in our room that was big enough to store our laptops and other valuables. The area in which the motel is situated has seen better days and is a hodge-podge of industrial and commercial buildings, once-stately structures that have fallen into decay and a few small businesses, including a 7-11 and pizza shop. We felt totally comfortable walking around during daylight hours and the few other pedestrians we encountered were in no way threatening. The folk staffing the reception desk seemed to members of one family and could not have been nicer or more helpful. We would happily stay there again.

August 2021 we stayed at Residence Inn Armory Sq. We were moving my last child into Syracuse. Needless to say I was a wreck. Leaving one day I happened to meet Mel. She saw my sadness empathized with me…about my baby and empty nest. I was crying she asked if she could give me a hug & I was so grateful for it. Then she said you need chocolate. She got me a Snickers bar for my ride home. She left me with parting words if I need anything to find her “Mel I’m always here” Fast forward Feb 2022 we returned for a visit. Ad soon as I saw Mel I approached her to thank her. To tell her home much her hug & kindness helped me at a hard time. She remembered giving me the Snickers bar I didn’t. She then said I’m going to give you another. A Snickers and a hug our tradition. We chatted for a while before I left . What a wonderful lady! Additional comment she graciously handled an extremely rude customer earlier in the day with grace & professionalism

We had asked for a room not facing the highway and we ended up getting a room on the highway. Way too noisy and kept us up quite a bit, also woke up the kids. Pool area was quite dirty, same Band-Aid and tuff of hair in the same spot for two days. The pool itself also had quite a bit of hair. Bar hour was good, general cleanliness of the rest of the hotel was also good. We had issues with hot water, it seemed to run out then come back randomly. Passed on these same comments at checkout. If it wasn't for the proximity to the mall, I wouldn't recommend this place.

Breakfast is the same every day, and the location is next to Syracuse University. The decoration facilities of the hotel are relatively outdated and the bed is too soft. We booked it for 4 days. We couldn't stand it until the third day and we had to change the hotel. Ctrip’s policy on room reservations is not flexible enough. When encountering special circumstances, they need to communicate with the hotel. They will refuse directly. We negotiate with the hotel and the hotel basically agrees to refund one day’s room rate. As long as Ctrip communicates with them, it’s fine. Ctrip customers directly Tell us that because we ordered no refunds, we can't communicate and feel depressed.

Upon entering our room, we were hit with a strong, unmistakable odor of cigarette smoke. I appreciated that the hotel was dog friendly, however upon check in they informed me that all dog rooms were on the 2nd floor. The front desk clerk claimed this was to avoid potential anxiety in the elevators for dogs (probably the real reason was they didn't want dogs peeing in the elevator). The elevators were vert slow so I did appreciate being able to walk the one flight, although I did not appreciate the view from our second floor window which looked directly over the highway! Oddly, the blackout curtains did not close all the way, and the sheer panels let the light in. We were only there one night, so it wasn't a huge deal. The decor was pretty dark and dated. The one good thing was the bed was very comfortable and the pillows were great. We chose this hotel for its proximity to Syracuse University as the closer hotels were booked for move in weekend. I have it booked again for Family weekend but am having second thoughts given the very high nightly rate.

King suite was perfect for transitioning from camping with friends back to an intense professional obligation out of town. I needed to print a last minute document and the lobby desktop and up to date printer worked perfectly. My suite was fully equipped with a refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher. The hotel met my request for a bathtub to soak my bones coming off of a rigorous camping and hiking trip. I will return for my next work obligation in Syracuse!