Doc Savage

I've stayed at the Country Inn a number of times, and they do have one of the greatest staffs I've run into, and a pretty good free breakfast. They go out of their way to give me room types I've requested. Again, nice comfortable quiet rooms, an added perk are the free cookies at the desk 24 hrs/ day and free lending library (note to self: take that book back... ) .

sdsearch

I was just there Friday night (for one night). But I didn't stay up late.

Now that I've been there, I kinda see the perception issue, since it struck me too: The hotel is spread out way too much, and books (right now, anyway, dunno how it was as the Four Points) way too lightly, and the spread the people out too much over the buildings. Which results in a car here, a car there, and many dozens of empty parking spaces between them. Having had a car broken into at another hotel when it was parked in an otherwise-unused area of that hotel's many parking lots, this sparseness of parking at this Park Inn turns me off. So I ended up parking near one of the frontmost buildings, where a lot of of people were parked, even though they put me in a room in the backmost building.

Having said all that, there's an exit of the parking lot to a side street that's closed and locked shut (with a sign on it telling you to use the main exit). If that were open previously, that would have been a bigger issue, since it would have allowed people to come in on the side (not visible to the front desk area people) and go back out on the side, accessing the back buildings. It does seem more secure with that exit closed and only the main street exit open. But never having been there before, I don't know if this is a recent change or if it's been closed for a long time.

Parking aside, the hotel on the inside had a feel of a central valley Four Points, in that it reminded me a lot of the Four Points in Bakersfield (which is still a Four Points).

I had some weird issues with the keys. In the evening, after coming back to the hotel after dinner, both keys needed many tries to open both doors (the building door and my room door). But in the morning, both keys opened both doors on the first try every time!

But once I was inside the room, the room was nice enough.

The wifi worked fine for me. It took a minute or two to get the sign-in page the first time, but after that I had no issues. (I wasn't trying to do anything heavy duty like streaming, though, just email and web pages.) Btw, the wifi connection was still called "Four Points", and the splash page gave yet a different hotel name (which I forget), which I presume was what they called themselves breifly between being dropped by SPG and being picked up by Carlson.

I did go into the Smuggler's Cove restaurant at breakfasttime to look at the buffet. It seemed lackluster, certainly not a buffet that I felt like paying, even if only $9ish. And there was not a single person in there eating breakfast (around 8:30 am Saturday morning). So I went and had breakfast offsite.

Btw, I chanced on what seemed like the best gas price (and especially the best credit card gas price) in the area, only about 1 mile from the hotel: $3.45.9 at a Valero that you get to from the hotel by going south on Blackstone then turning right (ie, away from the 41) on Shields and going a handful of blocks. This compared to $3.51.9 at the Arco (meaning no credit cards) next to the hotel, and $3.60ish (often meaning $3.70ish for credit cards!) at most other gas stations in the Fresno area, including another Valero station a bit closer to the hotel in the other direction.

Anyway, without this big a promotion, I doubt I would ever return to this hotel. There's just too many other choices for hotels in Fresno, including the CI&S (with a breakfast that seems like it might better, even though it's free!) if I want Club Carlson points. It seems like it would be worth the $60 deep discount rates that some people report getting (not Club Carlson earning, though), but my rate of $83ish was also on a 35% off sale (which doesn't happen every day), and so the regular rate is no better than the CI&S. To me, it would have to priced under the CI&S to make up for the cost of the breakfast. (But then, I don't claim to understand the Park Inn brand, never having seen it anywhere else. I just notice that it seems a very lightly booked hotel relative to the number of rooms it was built to, so I'm not sure if they consider it to be "working" for them or not.)

AICML

I also stayed here and the Country Inn and Suites as part of the 44K promotion and to visit family so I did actually sleep in the hotel rooms. I thought the area was fine, we are talking about Fresno here. I did not see any prostitutes or shady people hanging around. The parking lot seemed like any normal parking lot to me, although there were not many cars parked but a couple of large tour buses during my stay. As a Club Carlson gold member I got a lovely view of the parking lot on the first floor and I made sure to keep the blinds shut. My room was fine but you could tell it was old and the complex reminded me of the Four Points Pleasanton in its layout. I liked having a small refrigerator since I brought a couple drinks and fruit. Although my room didn't smell, when I visited my parents room in a different building the hallway stunk of cigarette smoke and their room had an unpleasant smell. I would probably not return to this hotel unless it was for a promotion as I agree with the other posters that the Country Inn has a nicer feel to it and a cheaper price if I wanted to stick with Club Carlson. The regular weekend price over $100 is not worth it. I am glad I only had to stay one night but at the same time I'd have no problem staying during a big promotion and felt perfectly safe in the hotel and area.

SanDiego1K

My husband is in Fresno periodically on business. He has been staying here because it was just 9K points with 2nd night free with the credit card. It was a great deal. The 2nd night free is now gone and the redemption level has jumped to 15K points per night. He needs a paid stay for the current 30K points bonus (for those with the CC credit card) so I put him at the Country Inn which was $25 cheaper. He stayed there last night. fwiw, with his one stay experience at the Country Inn and multi stay experience at the Park Inn, he prefers the Park Inn. He said the Park Inn rooms are twice the size of the room he was given at the Country Inn and it has a recliner which the Country Inn lacked.

fwiw, his business associates consider the Park Inn to be in a sketchy area. He lacks that perspective, perhaps because he does not know Fresno.

ORD-TGU

Just stayed here.
Booked last minute.
Was visiting Sequoia National Park.
Everything in the area booked solid (Free entrance to park day plus full moon).
Park Inn was an option, although 1 hour away.
I would rather burn 15k/night than spend the $100 plus for a night. I know not great redemption value.

The rooms were spacious, although a bit dated.
As Concierge received free buffet breakfast.
Due to drought, the area is dry and barren, landscaping is dried up, does not look good.
Dusty and stray cats on property.
But it was paradise, after a long hike, a hot shower and comfortable bed was great.