Hotel Review: TownePlace Suites by Marriott Detroit Auburn Hills – Outlet Mall Location & 2-Bedroom Suite Win
Shopping weekend. Full kitchen. Two bedrooms. And Michigan’s largest outlet mall steps away.
The TownePlace Suites by Marriott Detroit Auburn Hills ended up being the perfect home base for one of our family’s famous “restock and resupply missions” over Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.
Outlet mall. Costco. Sam’s Club. Target. Buddy’s Pizza.
This one had serious potential.
After two nights testing the Wi-Fi, gaming setup, pool, breakfast, and mall access at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Detroit Auburn Hills — here’s how it holds up from a teen perspective.
Let’s get into it.
🎥 Prefer to watch instead of read?
Check out my full YouTube video review below ↓
Arrival & First Impressions
We arrived in the late afternoon after spending most of the day in Frankenmuth. Pulling up to the hotel was easy, and there is plenty of parking — which matters when your trunk is about to be filled with cross-border shopping bags.
There were lots of luggage carts available right at the entrance, making it quick and easy to bring everything upstairs.
At check-in, we met Dahn at the front desk. She was friendly, efficient, and had us checked in without any issues.
The lobby was bright and welcoming, with seating that flows directly into the breakfast area. One thing to note: the breakfast dining space is on the smaller side. If the hotel is busy, you may want to plan your breakfast timing strategically.
The Room – 2 Bedroom Suite Upgrade
My parents originally booked a 2 Queen Studio, but we were upgraded to a 2 Bedroom Suite — and this was a huge win.
As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by a full kitchen:
- Full-size fridge
- Stove
- Microwave
- Dishwasher
For families or longer stays, this setup makes a massive difference.
Past the kitchen is a comfortable living space with:
- Sofa bed + ottoman
- Armchair + ottoman
- Large TV
- Dining table with four chairs
Down the hallway were two separate bedrooms — each with a queen bed and its own TV.
The bathroom layout was smart too. Vanity and sink outside, with a separate tub/toilet room.
Honestly, the suite felt more like a decent-sized apartment than a hotel room. There was more than enough space for the four of us — plus plenty of room for shopping bags.
If you’re doing a shopping-heavy trip, this layout works extremely well.
Wi-Fi & Gaming Setup
Connecting to Wi-Fi at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Detroit Auburn Hills was easy across all my devices — laptop, phone, iPad, and Nintendo Switch.
Speed test results:
- 20.2 Mbps download
- 20.5 Mbps upload
Not the fastest I’ve tested… but definitely not the slowest.
If you’re curious where that ranks compared to other hotels, check out my Hotel Wi-Fi Speed Leaderboard.
Gaming Setup
Connecting my Nintendo Switch to the living room TV was quick and easy. The TV was on a swing-out mount, which made HDMI access simple. There was also an outlet directly underneath the TV — huge bonus.
I even used the ottoman as a makeshift table for my dock.
Trying to hook up to the bedroom TVs though? Basically impossible. No nearby outlets and moving the dresser wasn’t worth it.
If you’re gaming here — stick to the living room.
Pool Vibes
The pool was a decent size and bright thanks to large surrounding windows. There was a good amount of seating with loungers and chairs, plus a small table.
Solid family pool. Nothing over-the-top, but clean and functional.
The gym, however, was one of the weakest I’ve seen:
- 2 treadmills
- 1 elliptical
- Small weight rack
- Bench
That’s about it.
You might honestly get more steps walking laps inside Great Lakes Crossing.
There’s also a small outdoor patio at the front of the hotel with tables, chairs, and a BBQ for guest use — a nice bonus feature for longer stays.
Food Options
Being steps from Great Lakes Crossing Outlets gives you a ton of food options.
Inside the Mall:
- Large food court
- Miyako Japanese Steakhouse
- Rainforest Cafe
Within a 10-Minute Walk:
- Chili’s
- McDonald’s
- Steak ‘n Shake
- Jersey Mike’s
- Five Guys
Less Than 5-Minute Drive:
- Texas Roadhouse (we ate here night one — always solid)
- Culver’s
- Olive Garden
- Meijer (perfect for stocking the kitchen)
And if you know my channel…
No Detroit-area trip is complete without Buddy’s Pizza.
We visited the Auburn Hills location (under 15 minutes away), and I’m saying it now — this might be the best Buddy’s location I’ve visited so far.
And yes… I finally got a Buddy’s Pizza T-shirt.
Breakfast
Breakfast was included and actually delivered well for a TownePlace:
- Cheese omelets
- Bacon & sausage
- Waffles
- Oatmeal station
- Yogurt
- Muffins
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cereals
For a select-service brand, it was solid.
Things to Do Near TownePlace Suites by Marriott Detroit Auburn Hills
This hotel is literally inside the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets complex. One mall entrance is just steps away.
For those unfamiliar, Great Lakes Crossing is Michigan’s largest indoor outlet mall with over 175 stores and entertainment options like:
- SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium
- LEGOLAND Discovery Center
- Peppa Pig World of Play
- Round1 Bowling & Arcade
- AMC Star Great Lakes 25
There’s also a carousel and play area near the food court — which brings back serious childhood memories for me and my sister.
Less than 5 minutes away is Topgolf Auburn Hills, which is always a fun teen-friendly option.
For cross-border shoppers:
- Target
- Costco
- Sam’s Club
All within 5 minutes.
If you’re looking for a more upscale shopping experience, Somerset Collection in Troy is under 20 minutes away.
Explore the Area (Teen Travel Map)
To make planning easier, I’ve created a custom Google Map highlighting everything near the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Detroit Auburn Hills that actually matters from a teen perspective.
The map includes walkable mall entrances, food spots, nearby shopping like Costco and Target, Topgolf, Buddy’s Pizza, and short-drive attractions — so you can quickly see what’s around the hotel and decide what fits your trip best.
If you’re planning a shopping weekend, longer stay, or cross-border resupply mission, this gives you a clear visual layout of how everything connects.
👇 Check out the interactive map below.
Final Thoughts – Teen Perspective
Overall, the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Detroit Auburn Hills is a really strong option for families staying in the Auburn Hills area — especially if shopping is part of your trip.
The 2 Bedroom Suite makes a massive difference. Separate sleeping spaces plus a full kitchen turns this into more of a home base than just a hotel room.
Yes — Wi-Fi could be stronger.
Yes — the gym is minimal.
But this hotel isn’t about luxury vibes or elite fitness centers.
It’s about convenience.
You’re steps from Michigan’s largest outlet mall.
Minutes from big box stores.
Surrounded by food options.
Family-friendly layout.
For shopping weekends? Perfect location.
For longer stays? Great choice.
For teens? There’s more than enough nearby to stay entertained.
This hotel is officially This Teen Travelz Approved ✅
— Mateo
This Teen Travelz
Explore more:
TownePlace Suites by Marriott Hotels – Teen Hotel Reviews
Michigan Hotels – Teen Hotel Reviews