A Hotel Review

In my sales job, I spend a fair amount of nights in random hotel rooms around the midwest. It isn't my first choice to stay in a hotel by my lonesome, and I'm thankful for opportunities to stay instead with friends and family. But I don't happen to know anyone in, say, Springfield, IL or Cleveland, OH. So hotel rooms often enter the picture for me. Not a huge deal.

I happen to be sitting in one at this very moment.

And, during this past year of frequent hotel stays, I've developed a favorite.

Now let me just say that most of the time, I can't stay in posh places like The Peabody. My expense budget can't handle swank like that. So I'm talking here about the mid-level standard type. No Super 8's thankfully. More like a Hampton Inn.

My favorite, favorite hotel chain in that price range is the Hyatt Place. Why, you ask? Well, let me just tell ya.

-They're new. Now, I can't promise that for all of them. But it is pretty new chain and every time I've stayed in one either the building has been recently built or the room has been completely updated.

-They're always well decorated. I'm totally a visual person, and appreciate the attention to well-chosen colors, materials, and lighting. They really seemed to nail down the details, down to the fashionable throw pillows.

-My room has always been clean. Need I say more?

-The lobby is very welcoming - and even stylish in its design. Functional, innovative spaces. A specialty coffee bar where they serve Starbucks. I must say that it is nice to walk into an inviting space after driving for hours on end. Many hotels of a similar price range sport dated, stained green carpeting and a tunnel-like entry. And a desk I don't want to touch with my bare hands.

-Each room has distinct living and sleeping spaces. But they don't have that seedy Extended Stay feeling to it. I appreciate the ability to sit on a couch (as opposed to a bed) with my laptop and work... er... I mean blog. Apart from sporting a design I could choose for my own living room, it is big, comfortable, and comes complete with an ottoman. There's also a nice desk area, kitchen-ish area, bathroom, etc. The whole room is spacious and designed innovatively. (Is that a word? If not it should be.)

-The beds are comfy.

-Free WiFi. This is pretty standard at this level of hotel. The more expensive ones, on the other hand? $10 per day, easy. Yuck.

-Each room is equipped with a 42" flat screen HD television. This is Josh's favorite part of the Hyatt Place experience.



So there you have it. My reasons for choosing this hotel whenever possible.

And yes, I've written this entire post from a nice tan couch with my feet up and while glancing occasionally at the big TV swiveled in my direction. Thankfully Lombard, IL had a Hyatt Place option for me tonight. It makes life on the road that much more enjoyable.