Tag Archives: Hotel

Lodging, Travel

Hyatt Place Park City, UT

Hyatt Place, 4377 N Hwy 224, Park City, UT 84098

This is the one farthest from Park City and closest to Snyderville, but honestly the two cities are just one long city.

View of bed and seating area of our room

Here is the thing about Hyatt Place, it is trendy.  People tend to confuse this with nice and upscale.  At this price range I prefer a classic to trendy.  I don’t like sliding bathroom doors made out of glass.  Glass does not muffle sound and if you are on a romantic vacation there are some sounds you just don’t want to hear.

I will give this hotel one major thumbs up, the breakfast was really good, and better than a typical continental breakfast.  The food tasted real and fresh versus reheated like you get at all of the average hotels.  I didn’t get a picture and I wished I had, but let’s just say I hate breakfast and I actually looked forward to getting up and going to eat at this particular breakfast spread.  It is the level I would expect at a really nice hotel.  The breakfast was probably the best thing about this hotel.

The rooms were temperature controlled which means you cannot open a window for fresh air.  Being located high up, near really fresh air, that was disappointing, but not completely unexpected.  You don’t want guests leaving the windows open in the dead of winter.

The hotel room is expensive because it is a Hyatt and due to the location.  There are a lot of things to do in Park City, especially in the winter so the prices shoot up at that time.

Again, location was a plus.  We needed to go into Salt Lake City and that was a short drive, scary, but short.  We also wanted to go hiking which was everywhere around us.  Park City really is a great location for an outdoor adventure:  hiking, biking, or skiing.

They do have a swimming pool outdoors if you enjoy that.  No one was in it.

Pool at the Hyatt

If you like trendy the Hyatt Place is the hotel for you.  If you like privacy you might want to look at other options.  Again, the breakfast was really good so that might be a determining factor, but the price is high as well.

Lodging, Travel

Super 8, Bemidji, MN

Super 8, 1815 Paul Bunyan Dr NW, Bemidji, MN 56601

We were going to stay at a resort near Bemidji or at a cabin in Lake Bemidji State Park and decided to drive up the night before so that we could get a jump on the vacation.  I am pretty sure it was the resort, Wilderness Bay Resort, and our trip to Lake Itasca State Park.

Either way we arrived at Super 8 in Bemidji and were relieved to find a pretty nice, simple hotel. I remember thinking that it was very clean and the management really cared. The front desk was really friendly.

Our room was on the second floor and down a short hallway. Just up the stairs there was an overlook so that you could see the front desk from above and they had items hanging on the wall. I found the decoration to be very neat, it was hockey themed.

Hockey decor at Super 3 Bemidji, MN

The room was clean and pretty big.  We got a king I think.  The bathroom was very obviously clean.  I remember the room being fairly quiet.  I think we were away from the other guests.

The breakfast was spot on.  It was exactly what you would expect from a continental breakfast in America, but clearly the best parts of that type of breakfast.  I am always so happy when they have waffles.

The breakfast layout at Super 8 Bemidji, MN

We didn’t know where to eat in Bemidji when we arrived, but luckily this hotel was right next to Four Points Bar and Grill.  This place had a delicious and messy burger that I enjoyed.  Unfortunately, it seems that the restaurant didn’t make it as I can no longer find it on Google.

If you need a place to rest your head the Super 8 in Bemidji is a good, and affordable option.

The only negative that I found regarding this hotel is getting out of it.  There are two paths out, and the front staff will try to steer you in the right direction, but one of those paths is a very sharp left, directly into a right hand turn with heavy traffic circulating through it.  You need a quick vehicle with great maneuverability to leave that way.  It wasn’t an issue for us, but I could see some people having a hard time leaving via that route.  There are other options, but it is something to think about.

Overall I recommend the hotel.  That breakfast was pretty good.

Lodging, Travel

Roadway Inn and Suites, Spearfish, SD

Roadway Inn and Suites, 2275 E Colorado Blvd, Spearfish, SD 57783

I really liked this hotel.  It isn’t super nice, but it is exactly what you need.   We stayed here on a trip to everywhere.  It was our first stop on a trip out west.  If you are looking for a place with a pool and hot tub this one is pretty nice.

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The rooms are fairly basic.  You get a bed and a seating area.  I believe the pillows were a normal size.  Something that I never thought would be a concern, but we have all encountered the tiny pillows some hotels have these days.

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The coffee in the room is Arabica coffee which is really important.  100% Arabica, I cannot stress how important this is in coffee.

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You get a free breakfast.  The eating area is extremely small, but you can always take it back to your room.  The gravy for the biscuits and gravy was really good.  The biscuits were a bit dense, but tasted okay.  They also had cereal.

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Rodeway Inn & Suites May 2016 010

The best part about staying at this hotel was the Perkins across the street.  With your hotel key you can get a free desert.  Perkins deserts are really good so this was a great perk.  I am not sure if they have it all of the time, but if they do it might be the best reason to stay at this hotel.

It isn’t the Four Seasons, but it is clean, up to date, the food is okay, and it is a good area to stay in.  If you need a place in Spearfish, SD I suggest this one.

Lodging, Travel

Microtel, Rochester, MN

Microtel, 4210 Highway 52 North, Rochester, MN 55901

This was my first stay at a Microtel.  This particular location seemed fairly new.  The rates are good and you get just what you need.

A micro room has exactly enough for up to two people in it.  It reminds me of a tiny house in the way everything is perfectly placed and how well space is utilized.  The first thing you will notice is how small the room is.  The bathroom is immediately inside just off to the side.  It comes with all of the standard items.

Microtel July 221

There is only one bed, a seating area in the window and a small desk area in front of the bed.  It is spaced just right so that you can move around, but there isn’t a lot of room to spread out.

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I liked the pillows.  They were not stupid small like some chains give you.  The television was up in the corner just above the closet.  There was even a fridge under the desk.  It really did have everything that you would need.

If I was travelling alone or a business person this place would be perfect and possibly my first choice, always.  With two of us it worked pretty well.

Microtel July 210

The breakfast.  You get a free breakfast and they had waffles.  Yum, I was so full.  It was one of the best breakfasts that I have had at a hotel in a really long time.

Microtel July 267

Try it.

Lodging, Travel

Holiday Inn Express, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Holiday Inn Express, 1033 Wisconsin Dells Parkway South, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53913

As far as middle of the road hotels go Holiday Inn Express is fairly nice.  If you have children this one would be the place to be.  I even overheard a small child tell his mother that he didn’t want to leave while I was there.

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My favorite part about the bed was that the pillows weren’t those stupid tiny pillows a lot of the hotels have gone towards.  They were normal and plenty of them.  The bathroom was fine.  The sink was outside which is nice with two people or more in the room.

The room comes with all the standard things that you will need or want.  You can make coffee, and yes that is a keurig machine.  There is a microwave, a fridge, and a television.

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There are two pool areas for the children and a game room.  The inside one has a castle.  The outdoor one wasn’t available at the time of year that we were there, but it looked amazing.

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As a child I am  not sure I would need anything else, but then outside of your hotel are lots of great places to go see too.  The food in the area is amazing with Monk’s Bar and Grill just down the street and Macs in the downtown area.  Plus water slides and all sorts of places to visit including Devil’s Lake just a short drive away with its trails and picnic areas.

They serve you breakfast at the hotel with the standard mass produced junk that you get at all hotels these days.  They do a good job of making it and they make a ton of it, but it is Sysco and don’t think otherwise.  The dinning hall was chaos and it wasn’t even peak season when we were there.

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Overall I slept well in this hotel and that is the most important thing.  If you need a place to stay in the Dells I would recommend this one.

Restaurant

Hilton, Bloomington, MN

Hilton, 3900 American Blvd West, Bloomington, MN, 55437

The price of the Hilton is really good for what you get.  This isn’t your low end hotel.  Everything about it is nice.  You pay a little extra for this, but not a lot extra.  A lot of the rooms are cheaper or at the same rate that I have paid at somewhat iffy places on my travels.  Everything in this hotel looks so nice, so clean, and so upscale.

This is a great hotel to use as a base for both a vacation and for business travel.  It is right near the airport, the Mall of America, the bus stations at the mall (there are probably ones closer), and the light rail.  The hotel offers shuttles.

Hilton Bloomington 2nd floor 1 Hilton Bloomington 2nd floor 2

The Hilton near the Mall of America has recently been renovated and the inside looks sweet.  The staff at this Hilton want to make your stay a great one.  The rooms are clean, which was the truth even before the renovations.  Most of the cleaning staff has worked there for eight or nine years which says a lot.  Check out the inside of this suite.  This Hilton passes 4 inspections per year and does very well on them.

bedroom area of the executive suite
bedroom area of the executive suite
the living area in the suite
the suite area separate from the bedroom area

The lobby area is very nice.  You can hang out in the seating area or the bar.  The drinks are great and reasonably priced for the twin cities.  Take the time to get to know your fellow travelers and guests.  During the week you will run into business travelers.  On Friday and Saturday you are more likely to run into someone on vacation.

Hilton lobby seating area
Initial seating area outside of the bar
Hilton bar from the front
View of the bar from the front entrance.

The bar has 3 entrances, seating around the actual bar and seating near the fireplace.

Hilton Bloomington Chef samples

The food

I have attended 2 events at the Hilton and the food is amazing, and I truly mean amazing.  If you want food that is actually better than you can make at home I suggest eating here.

The chef comes up with the most incredible recipes.  I had a duck and wild boar dish that was to-die-for.  His soups are incredible.

They had a state fair theme at one of the events and the hot dog/sausage link thing I had was what I remember a good hot dog tasting like.  The bacon on a stick was pretty great too.

I hear the fish tacos are incredible and the Ruben is wonderful as well.

Lodging

Hampton Inn Spearfish, SD

Hampton Inn – 240 North 27th Street, Spearfish, SD 57783

The Hampton Inn in Spearfish, SD is right off the interstate and clustered near a few other hotels in case you didn’t make a reservation.  The prices are fairly low.  The hotel seems clean.  Here is their website.

Issues I have had with this particular hotel include a deadbolt that wouldn’t lock due to the door not being properly aligned, tiny pillows, and the breakfast.

You get a free breakfast at this hotel, but it isn’t very good.  Everything is prepackaged and then heated up which is what you would expect at a hotel of this quality.  Actually based on how nice the inside of this hotel is and the dining area I expected more, but they do not have a proper kitchen area or connected restaurant so you get prepackaged food.  This might not be an issue, but I swear the potatoes were freezer burned last time we ate there.

The bed is actually really nice, but then they give you a ton of tiny pillows.  Move your head to the side and boom you are on the bed and not the pillow.  It is pretty annoying.  The bathrooms are new and nice.

You do have access to WiFi and I believe it works fairly well.  They also have a pool.  The children running the halls seemed to be very happy about that.  There are stairs at the end of the halls or an elevator that you can take in the middle.

Overall it is an OK place to stay, but I suggest getting your breakfast somewhere else.  The price makes it a place worth staying in this area.  Plus on the other side of the interstate is a pretty decent Perkins chain restaurant where you can get your breakfast or a late meal.