Springhill Suites or Residence Inn?

We%26#39;ll be going to Virginia Beach for two nights in August, and I have some Marriott points to use up, so I was debating between the Springhill Suites on 9th St., or the Residence Inn on 32nd St.

It%26#39;s just my husband and I, so kids and/or pets don%26#39;t factor in to the decision. We%26#39;d consider the parking situation (we prefer to park on-site rather than in a lot a block or two away, as happens with some other beach hotels), cleanliness, noise levels, and being away from some of the riff raff that sometimes gathers at night.

That being the case, does anybody have an opinion on which would be the better choice? I see both are rated quite closely here, so I was hoping someone might have some input to help me decide on one over the other. Thanks!

Springhill Suites or Residence Inn?

What a wonderful dilemma -- 2 great hotels, located at the extreme ends of the resort strip both of which tend to be less congested than the middle section. Residence Inn is in an area that has a lot of new development, new shops and restaurants, if that matters. I really can%26#39;t think of anything that strongly argues for one over the other.

Springhill Suites or Residence Inn?

Yes, indeed, a wonderful problem. Great choices!

Both ends are nice. One thing you might do is look up www.beachstreetusa.com and www.vbfun.com and see if there is anything going on along the boardwalk during your stay and if you might want to be closer to that activity.

I think Residence Inn has the indoor pool but not outdoor if that%26#39;s a consideration.

Some people like to laze by the pool a bit and Springhill suites has an outdoor pool as well as indoor. They%26#39;re sort of glamorous with the water spouts shooting out water along the pool edges. (Their website has a 360 of the outdoor pool except that now there%26#39;s a building on the other side as well - the new Hampton Inn). The outdoor pool is not in the shade of the hotel since they put it on a lot beside the hotel/verrry high end condos. There%26#39;s a sandwich/drink little building there too.

SHS is newer but I understand Res. Inn is fairly recent and well maintained.

Some people like the enormous decks off the second floor rooms at SHS. They can be good for roomside sunning in the a.m. before the sun passes over the building. And for younger ones to have some play/outside time roomside. Some people don%26#39;t like the feel of being ';overlooked'; by those on higher balconies. We like the slightly higher floors for the broader view ourselves.

If you choose SHS our favorite when we can do it is the largest suite which has a roomier flow, like a small apt.

While I%26#39;m talking about SHS a lot I should add that we keep meaning to go to Residence Inn sometime but you know..you get a fav and go with the flow of others in the group too:) Res. Inn seems nice and luxurious.

Have you clicked on the candid photos at the reviews? Opt for ';all photos';. Sometimes you%26#39;ll catch a video.

Go to google and click on maps. It seems you don%26#39;t even need an address anymore for many places. Just the name and Virginia beach and a map comes up. Opt for ';Satellite'; and zoom in for a bird%26#39;s eye view.

Also, you%26#39;ll get the pop up of a photo of the hotel...click on that for more pix/video/comments.

Remember you can click separately on the word ';street view'; when that pop up comes up so that you can see what you%26#39;ll see as you drive up to the hotel and the neighborhood, one of my favorite features.

I also like http://maps.live.com/ for it%26#39;s clarity. You can click on bird%26#39;s eye view listed across the top of the pic free and zoom in.

Let us know which you decide on and why.

Wow, thanks for such a lengthy reply, explorer! I think that as of now, we%26#39;re leaning towards the Springhill Suites. It looks like they have more on-site parking available, which is very important to my husband. Also, we very much like to go to Il Giardino, so we%26#39;ll be very close for dinner. The outdoor pool is a nice option to have as well -- thanks for pointing that out. So while both properties look very nice, I think we%26#39;ll probably go with the Springhill Suites. Glad to hear that you like it!

I think the Residence Inn allows dogs in the rooms which means a possible allergy or flea problem. I personally don%26#39;t like the idea of animals on the beds or furniture so I choose not to stay there. I do stay at the Springhill Suites several times a year and have always had a great stay.