In today’s unique blog post, we will be exploring a new Marriott hotel that is under construction, situated in the heart of the Virginia mountains and just steps away from amazing natural trails and popular tourist attractions. I happened to stumble upon this location since it was directly behind the hotel I was staying at on my recent vacation to Virginia.
There was not much information available regarding this hotel, nor were there any signs promoting it around the site. I actually asked the front desk of the hotel I was staying at, as well as a few locals, and I was told that this property was going to be a new Marriott hotel.
Prior to exploring, I walked the property from my hotel’s parking lot, and there were no fences, trespassing signs, or any other barricades blocking access to the site. Because of this, I decided to go ahead and photograph and film the property. I did not enter the interior for safety reasons as I was unsure of the condition of the building in its current phase of construction and did not want to trespass. The sole purpose of this video is to explore and document the property as it was and enjoy the rare sights of actually getting this close to a hotel under construction. No property was damaged, vandalized, or stolen during this exploration.
If you are planning on urban exploring, please note exploring abandoned or buildings under construction can be extremely dangerous and result in serious injury. This exploration was filmed a safe distance away from any major hazards and was done so safely.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at this new Marriott hotel in the heart of the Virginia mountains and just footsteps away from amazing natural trails and popular tourist attractions.
Photo Gallery
Video Exploration
Discovering this hidden gem of a Marriott hotel in the Virginia mountains has been an extraordinary journey. From the first glimpse of its construction to capturing the beauty of nature in the background, this experience has been filled with wonder. This hotel, set amidst the Virginia mountains, offers a unique blend of tranquility and luxury. The photos and videos showcased here provide a glimpse of its allure. We explored responsibly, showcasing its grandeur while respecting the property.
I hope you all enjoyed our very first YouTube video and this blog post! Stay tuned for more content on it’s way soon.
Very interesting news has been unfolding in Las Vegas these past few months as Hard Rock International purchased The Mirage from MGM Resorts International for a whopping $1.08 Billion! While it is sad to see such an iconic and revolutionary Vegas resort go, the Hard Rock plans are just stunning. Join us today as we venture into the history of this once beloved resort and what Hard Rock has in store for Vegas.
History of The Mirage:
The Mirage was the vision of Steve Wynn who was a visionary that forever changed the landscape of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, NJ. Wynn early in his career oversaw the construction and operation of several notable Las Vegas and Atlantic City hotels, including the Golden Nugget, the Golden Nugget Atlantic City, The Mirage, Treasure Island, the Bellagio, and Beau Rivage in Mississippi, and he played a pivotal role in the resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip in the 1990s.
The site where The Mirage site was previously home to a motel during the 1950s then the motel was torn down to become the Polynesian-themed Castaways Hotel and Casino. Wynn acquired the property 1987 from its owner Howard Hughes. After the purchase, Wynn was quick to demolish Castaways and begin construction on the Mirage.
At first, the resort was announced under the name Golden Nugget after the existing Golden Nugget property he owned on Downtown Fremont Street at the time. After careful consideration, he later changed the name from Golden Nugget to “The Mirage” and purchased the name from the La Mirage Hotel and Casino and the Mirage Motel, which was renamed to the Glass Pool Inn and Key Largo after the purchase for $250,000.
The Mirage officially opened its doors on November 22, 1989. The Mirage remained under Wynn’s ownership until 2000, when his company was acquired by MGM Grand.
Mirage’s Legacy:
The Mirage, being one of the first heavily themed hotel and casinos in the Las Vegas Valley since Caesars Palace in 1979, began a period in Las Vegas’s history known as the “family-friendly era” where previously mob-run hotels and casinos were replaced by heavily themed resorts that catered mostly to families and children. This included the Excalibur in 1990, Treasure Island, MGM Grand, and Luxor in 1993, New York-New York in 1997, the Bellagio, and the Mandalay Bay, Venetian, and Paris in 1999.
Original Hard Rock Hotel & Casino:
Prior to Hard Rock International purchasing The Mirage, the company had another resort on the strip where the current Virgin Hotels Las Vegas sits today. The original Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was the first ever Hard Rock hotel ever to be built in the country. As of today, there are about 24 hotels not including 17 hotels under development and construction.
The Las Vegas location was a trend setter and was known for its party scene, vast nightlife, entertainment and famous performances. LV opened its doors in March of 1995 and over the years expanded the property to include multiple hotel towers and additional expansions to accommodate the vast nightlife scene.
However in 2018, this all changed as in early January of that year, rumors floated around that Sir Richard Branson was going to be buying the Hard Rock hotel-casino and sure enough on March 30 an official announcement was made. This ended Hard Rock’s Las Vegas Hotel presence until 2022 when Hard Rock purchased The Mirage from MGM Resorts International for a whopping $1.08 Billion!
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Planned Return:
So what exactly does Hard Rock have planned for their big Las Vegas return? Hard Rock is planning on demolishing the iconic Mirage Volcano to make way for a massive 800 – 1,000 room guitar shaped hotel tower. The guitar-shaped hotel will also include a casino with 200 slots and 12 table games.
Specific details have been very sparace and difficult to come by. As of now, there is no definitive decision as to whether the property is going to be closed during construction, partially open, etc.
However, according to several sources, Hard Rock is planning a renovation and expansion of event and meeting space at the Mirage, a renovation of villas and the private gaming room, plus an “enhanced pool experience.” The planned renovations will also add 80,000 square feet of casino space and 83,000 square feet of convention space to the former Mirage. That’s accompanied by an addition of 1,164 slot machines and 161 table games. Renovations are expected to add nearly 3,000 theater seats, plus 596 hotel rooms and three food and beverage outlets to the property.
No additional news, details or information have been shared at this time nor is there a specific timeline for the project. Currently as Hard Rock finalizes plans, seeks approvals and prepares for construction, The Mirage name will remain. Under the terms of the purchase agreement, according to the Dec. 2021 release, MGM Resorts will retain The Mirage name and brand, licensing it to Hard Rock royalty-free for a maximum period of three years while it finalizes its plans to rebrand the property.
There are also no plans or details announced regarding The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil show that has been a Mirage staple for many years. It is highly likely this show could remain as it fits perfectly within the Hard Rock theming.
Overall, this is definitely a wise business decision and investment as there are no guitar shaped buildings on the strip which will help make the property stand out. Many of the resorts on the strip look nearly identical with the exception of the heavily themed resorts, or well established resorts. Additionally, there is no other existing guitar shaped hotel except for Hard Rock’s Hollywood, Florida casino resort. While it will definitely be sad to see some classic strip icons go, in the long run it will definitely be worth it as new icons are being created.
One Last Look Inside The Mirage:
Before we say farewell to The Mirage, let’s take one last look inside the famous property.
Genius Business Decision?
Wow! What a gorgeous and well kept property. When MGM Resorts was asked for the reasoning behind the sale they stated it was to shift focus on their existing properties in Las Vegas and build on those experiences. Additionally, shortly after the sale, we saw MGM Resorts buy the famous and most popular strip resort Cosmopolitan for $1.6 billion. MGM is also allocating capital in preparation for the billion dollar investment for a new casino resort located in Osaka, Japan.
Overall I think this was a smart business decision by MGM Resorts since it allowed them to purchase the Cosmopolitan while allowing them to allocate funds for future projects, expansions and new construction. I personally can not wait to see the new Hard Rock property and the guitar hotel tower rise above the Vegas strip.
What are your thoughts on The Mirage and upcoming changes to the resort? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!
Greetings friends! I am back with a new blog for all of our friends! I will review the four-day vacation that I took recently, highlighting each day with reviews and thoughts on each park. I will also add my suggestions and tips so that you can make your vacation planning easier! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the review!
My family left our home in North Georgia at about midnight, Friday morning. Our deal was that I would pay for every other refill of gas in the car, as well as half the grocery bill and the parking fees at the hotel. We would stop around 8 am to eat some breakfast at a Pilot Travel Center for a restaurant named Iron Skillet. After our Breakfast, we would head to our first destination on our vacation… Weeki Wachee!
Weeki Wachee Spring State Park
Weeki Wachee was started by a US Navy named Newton Perry, who was looking for an interesting spot for a new business. Newton would experiment and invent a method of breathing underwater from a free-flowing air hose supplying oxygen from an air compressor. This would give the appearance of thriving twenty feet underwater with no breathing apparatus. They would build an 18-seat theater built into the limestone so viewers could look right into the natural beauty of the ancient spring submerged. On October 13th, 1947, the first showing at the theatre would open. In the 1950s, Weeki Wachee was one of the nation’s most popular tourist stops.
By the 1960s, girls were coming from Tokyo to try out for the privilege of being a mermaid at Weeki Wachee. The mermaids would perform eight shows a day to sold-out crowds and as many as half a million people would come to the Springs to see the mermaids. The city of Weeki Wachee would become incorporated by 1966, putting the small town on the map. By 1982, the waterpark “Buccaneer Bay” would open with waterslides and white-sand beaches. Weeki Wachee is celebrating 75 ‘fintastic’ years right now, with some beautifully painted mermaids along the main paths.
Now, it is time for my thoughts, reviews, and tips for Weeki Wachee. While we were at Weeki Wachee, we were able to catch the show in the lagoon but the room was rather full already so we didn’t get the best seating to see some of the action. The show they performed was the Little Mermaid, which my sisters enjoyed greatly. My first tip is to arrive at the theatre about 30 minutes before showtime if you wish to have a good seat, as it fills up quickly. Weeki Wachee also offers a boat ride but sadly it was already full for the next three trips, so we skipped the tour. I love walking down the trail as the flora is somewhat beautiful but the shade was much appreciated in the heat that day.
My Rating: 4/10
The reason my rating is so low is just due to how little there is to do at the state park. I think it is a cute pitstop, but with only three mermaid shows and a boat ride. You can easily get bored at the park. I thought they could have done more flora on the trails, though some of the flowers were beautiful. My biggest complaint was the fact that the boat rides filled up rather quickly and made the rest of our visit rather boring. There is some theming around the park, but it is sparse and mostly used for photo ops. The statues they had out for the 75th anniversary could have spread out the park, maybe like a treasure hunt in my opinion.
Tips & Tricks
My first tip for visiting Weeki Wachee is to try going for a boat ride first. Head straight to the boat docks. While many will be watching the mermaid show in the morning, the line for the boat ride will be low. However, after the first show is over, the line and queue fill up for boat rides. My second tip is to keep an eye on the times for the mermaid shows. The park opens the theater for seating 30 minutes before the show and keeps doors open until the theater is full or the show is in progress. When we arrived, the theater was rather full but we were still able to get a seat. However, when the action scenes in the middle took place, it was hard to see much.
Now, for a trick for those who have young kids. The state park does have a Ranger show towards the back that will teach kids all about beautiful animals, there is also a playground for them to burn their energy out on. My biggest trick is that we also took a child harness to help keep the youngest from running off, but allow her to still run around for fun.
Universal Endless Resort- Dockside
Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn & Suites and Dockside Inn & Suites are a pair of hotels located in Universal Orlando in Orlando, Florida forming a single resort. The resorts are built on the former site of Wet ‘n Wild Orlando, which closed in 2016. The hotels were built as value-level hotels for Universal Orlando.
We stayed for 3 nights in a two-bedroom suite on the 4th floor of the 1st tower, with our room in the middle of the tower itself. Each 440-square-foot suite has 2 bedrooms, separate bath and vanity areas, and a kitchenette. Each suite can sleep up to 6 people with two queen beds in one room and one queen bed in the other. Each suite came with two TVs, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a coffee maker, and other guest amenities including a safe. Staying at a Universal property does come with perks, including Early Park Admission alongside free transportation to CityWalk and back.
My Rating: 8/10
I was blown away at how big the hotel was, having only worked in hotels with 100 rooms at most. The lobby was really beautiful with its design and the theme of a beachside getaway. I do have to dock some points for the fact that they didn’t have enough luggage racks to handle so many guests which were rather disappointing. I didn’t include the marketplace or any of the dining options in my review as I didn’t experience it. The pool looked nice but I never got the chance to swim as I was exhausted after each day. My family said that the pool got cold easily so they didn’t stay in the pool for long. The room was really clean and I loved the location with a rather nice view of ICON Park and good views of the sunrise in the morning. Our room keys even had our names on them, with different characters from the Universal parks pictured on them. The room was straightened out each day with beds made. The checkout process was also rather simple and easy, plus we got to keep our keys as souvenirs!
Tips & Tricks
If you are staying at a Universal Resort, I would suggest that the first tip, once you are settled in, is to talk to the Universal Vacations desk in the Lobby. The guest services will be happy to answer any questions, make reservations and help you plan your day at Universal Resort. If you are going to SeaWorld (Like I did), you will need to make a reservation for the shuttle at least a day ahead at the desk as well. Another tip, while you are at the Vacation desk, is to go ahead and buy the PhotoPass. It was $70 plus taxes but cheaper than if you wait to buy the pass once you are in the park. The Photo Pass is well worth the money spent and I will explain it in the next part. When you check in, be warned that you will have to pay for parking ($15/night).
Stay tuned for the next part where I review my experiences at Universal & SeaWorld during my trip!
We’re officially back after being on the road experiencing even more of what Pennsylvania has to offer! This time we are in the Harrisburg Hershey area. From chill vibes in the hotel to the sweet eats, to exploring caverns, this trip had it all. So without further ado, let’s dive into today’s review!
Hampton Inn Harrisburg-East (Hershey Area)
Customer Service – 5/5
I’ve got to say Hampton Inn is starting to become one of my favorite Hilton brands and my go to hotel brand. Much like Holiday Inn Express, every time I visit a Hampton location the service is always on point and I never have issues with the service I get. Unlike Holiday Inn Express, Hampton always seems to go that one extra step and really blows you away. I’m not sure if it’s just because Hilton standards are different from IGH, but I’m seeming to like Hilton more and more every time I go.
Upon checking in, the front desk agent was very polite, respectful, talkative (in a good way) and overall on point! I’ve mentioned this in previous reviews and I’ll say it again. I absolutely love seeing fellow front desk agents out there just doing amazing at their jobs! It was honestly nice to be on the receiving end this time instead of the giving end.
Later on in the evening, the room next to ours (we had the adjoining door so we could hear into the next room slightly) went out for a while. While they were out, the alarm clock in their room kept going off for about 30 mins. I waited a bit to call since I wanted to give the neighbors the benefit of the doubt and I also didn’t want to be that person that complains. When I did call, the front desk agent was once again on point and came upstairs and took care of it right away.
Sadly for this front desk agent, he would later have to come back upstairs again around 10:30pm. The neighbors when they got back were blasting their tv all night long, talking overly loud (almost to the point where it was screaming) and making a lot of noise. Being I work at a hotel, I know what it is like having to deal with situations like these all the time. When I did call, the front desk apologized and shortly after, I heard them in the hallway knocking on their door. I heard them ask the room to politely turn the tv down and keep the noise down a bit. After that, I didn’t hear a peep out of them the rest of the night. The front desk handled that like a champ!
Rooms – 4.8/5
Out of all the rooms I have stayed in so far, this has been one of the best rooms I’ve stayed in. From top to bottom everything in the room was brand new being the hotel was recently renovated. One thing I love about this brand is their attention to every detail in their room designs. In addition to being very well kept and updated, the rooms were also spotless! As someone who works in the hotel industry, one of the first things I always look for and expect is cleanliness. Got to say, Hampton never disappoints when it comes to this. Only minor issues I noticed with the room were a few small areas that were just cosmetic and didn’t affect the room at all (just two tiny areas that had wallpaper peeling & the back of the bathroom door needed a bit of touch up paint). Other than those few very minor things, this room was perfect and well worth the price!
Amenities – 5/5
Of course what’s not a hotel stay without the free breakfast in the morning. I do have to say Hampton Inn’s breakfast is definitely far superior than Holiday Inn Express since it’s more consistent, the food selection is larger and their breakfast is always cooked and prepared perfectly.
I always make sure I hit the waffle maker section of the breakfast area. There’s nothing better than a fresh waffle topped with a vast amount of toppings. I always make chocolate chips, peanut butter or sprinkles. Usually I top half with chocolate chips then the other half with peanut butter. Of course I can’t resist the maple syrup either!
On a quick side note, I totally found it pretty cool and astonishing how the staff wrote positive messages on the bananas for the guests! This is the first hotel I have stayed at that did this. It just goes to show the level of care the staff have for guests and providing excellent guest service. Nice touch Hampton!
Final Thoughts & Rating
Overall, this entire stay was flawless and perfect just like I expected it to be. Customer service was beyond excellent, the rooms were nearly perfect and breakfast was on point as always.
Rating the hotel on a scale of 1 to 5, I would rate this location a 4.9/5! But hang on, that’s not the end of the review! Up next, we’ll be covering all the restaurants I stopped at during the trip as well as a brief review on Indian Echo Caverns.
Restaurant Reviews
The Original Golden Eagle Diner – 2/5
This was definitely an interesting diner from slot machines, a full bar and weird decor stuck somewhere between the 1960s & 1970s. Yes you heard that correctly, this diner has a full service bar which operates around lunch time and diner. However, I believe they do use it at breakfast only for mimosas and other breakfast cocktails.
Overall, the experience was not very good and I honestly wouldn’t recommend this diner. Cleanliness was a major issue from the very start. The silverware I got was not clean so I sent it back and got another set, only another dirty set. I once again asked for another set and it too was dirty. I had to combine pieces from the sets. I had to have a completely clean set. The issues didn’t stop there with cleanliness, the table I was seated at was a bit dirty to the point I had to take the sanitizing wipes they had on the tables for Covid, to reclean my table. Lastly, being I was on the road, I used the restroom prior to leaving and it was totally disgusting! It was as if nobody ever cleaned it for a long time. It was so gross!
As far as food goes, don’t expect much either. The food was really bland, and didn’t taste that good. I was expecting better because the reviews were so good for this place. Sadly, that was not the case as I ordered what I expected to be pancakes but instead got overly sugary, cake like “pancakes” which did not even taste like pancake batter.
Lancaster Brewing Company – 5/5
This honestly wasn’t my first time eating at Lancaster Brewing Company. It was back during (year) when I stayed at Holiday Inn Express in Lancaster, PA. One thing I enjoy about LBC is the wide selection of food available and their large drink selection (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
I’m not much into drinking alcohol however, I did try their Peanut Butter Beer they had on tap as well as bottled. It actually tastes a lot like peanut butter and isn’t overpowering like I thought it was.
During my last visit, I ordered the LBC burger which is 1/2 pound of our signature chuck/sirloin house blend, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and house-cut fries. LBC has very good cuts of meat and burgers. One thing I also enjoy about their burgers is when you ask for it to be cooked well done, they cook it perfectly. Sometimes when they cook them well done, they tend to overdo it and cause the burger to have a burnt taste. This visit however, I didn’t go for a burger and went with a thin crust pepperoni pizza which was absolutely amazing!
Indian Echo Caverns
Our last stop of our trip found us at Indian Echo Caverns just outside of Hershey with beautiful sights hidden within plain sight thousands of feet underground. The caverns have a long history dating all the way back to the 1700s. The temperature in the caverns is a consistent 52 degrees which feels absolutely amazing on a hot summer day or freezing winter day. Let’s take a look at some photos:
And with that, this officially concludes our PA road trip in the Harrisburg Hershey area. Thank you for your patience during the past few weeks with no new content. Stay tuned for loads of new content on its way. I recently started a new job in the casino industry working on the hotel side, so expect lots of casino related content, more crazy hotel stories and travel tips. Additionally, (Zach) Hyrax recently went on a Florida trip. From Universal Studios to SeaWorld, his trip had it all. Stay tuned for the blog posts all about it!
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. is a hotel company headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey. The company is known as the largest hotel franchiser in the world, with 9,280 locations across 22 unique brands. Some of those brands include the well established Howard Johnson, Days Inn, Ramada, Super 8, Travelodge, Baymont, La Quinta, and Wyndham. There is partially a brand for every market out there (economy, extended stay, full service, luxury, etc.)
So what’s the problem with Wyndham? Well, many of these brands are very established meaning many locations are very old, outdated and are becoming less appealing. Throughout the years as Hilton, Marriott, IGH and many others rolled out new designs, updated their brands and upped their standards, Wyndham just fell silent and kept on going. So, now many of these brands across the country are becoming less appealing due to this. Another reason for this is with these brands being franchises, it also means on top of being outdated, some locations aren’t run very well giving Wydnham a bad image. Lastly, the standards Wyndham has are very soft compared to what other companies have. They are jokingly called the “relaxed” hotel company which ties into the first point made above.
All these factors give Wyndham a poor image. However, it is worth pointing out that not all locations or brands are terrible. It all boils down to the ownership and management at that particular location. Between 2018 and 2021, Wyndham finally woke up and came out with new concepts, updated designs and rolled out new standards. In today’s post we will be taking an in depth look into Wyndham Hotels & Resorts most recent brand prototypes and what the future holds for some of these brands. So without further ado, let’s jump into our first brand!
Days Inn – Bask in the Sun
The Days Inn brand was founded in 1970 by Cecil B. Day, who opened the first location in Tybee Island, Georgia. From the very start, this brand was innovative and creative with playing with new concepts and ideas. For example, when the second location was constructed, it featured a restaurant and gift shop combination called Tasty World. In addition to this, the hotel also had on-site gasoline pumps to sell unbranded fuel to motel guests. Days Inn was one of the first hotel chains to offer discounts to senior citizens. It was also among the first to locate its properties along suburban and rural exits on the Interstate Highway System, as opposed to more urban locations.
The brand is now a part of the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey. As of December 31, 2018, Days Inn includes 1,728 locations worldwide with 137,678 rooms.
Throughout the years under Wyndham’s control this brand has fallen from its roots and just sat quite with no new room designs or innovations done. Pair this with very loose and poor quality control measures, the brand really has fallen to a cheap, hit or miss roadside motel brand. Finally, after many years in 2018, the brand announced it would be refreshing everything from room designs, branding and more.
As someone who works for this brand, I have to say this new room design really excites me as it really embraces the original spirit of the brand and takes the color scheme of Days Inn and really builds on it. As someone really into marketing, I love when companies make subtle references to their brand by using their color scheme or logos in creative ways. I can definitely see, at least in my hotel, the rooms going for a higher rate once we roll out this design.
Howard Johnsons – Go Happy. Go Hojo.
The history and story behind this brand is actually very interesting and a cool story to really take a look at. The Howard Johnson brand actually started as a chain of famous restaurants that were the first to sell 28 flavors of ice cream and create the classic diner experience we all enjoy today. Continuing to build on the very successful concept, Johnson began pairing new restaurant locations with lodging to target more travelers and families.
Sadly, much like many of Wyndham’s economy or mid-tiered brands, this brand has also suffered the same fate of falling far from its roots and developing a poor brand image. Perfect example, the Howard Johnson location not far from my hotel I work at is notorious for police activity, drugs, prostitution, and other questionable activities. The hotel really is a hive for all these troublesome people and activities. However, just because this one location is like this doesn’t mean they are all exactly like this. My point is many of these locations suffer similar issues while some locations are much better off. It honestly all depends on the operators and owners of the property.
I have to say out of all the prototypes released, this is one of my favorites since it really takes the classic Howard Johnson style and brings it into the 21st century. It really reminds me of something you would see from HGTV or from one of those renovation shows. Like I mentioned above, the past few years this brand really has strayed far from its roots. I feel like this design really shouts Howard Johnson. One thing I do dislike about the design is I feel like there is way too much going on with the first design with the blue accent walls while in the other room there is too little going on. I feel like these designs clash with each other since one room has too much furniture, accents and decorations while the other is slightly too simple. Regardless this is 100% a major improvement over what the brand currently has.
Super 8 – See You On the Road
Ron Rivett and Dennis Brown created the new Super 8 Motel corporation with each of them owning 50% of the stock in the new company. Super 8 got its iconic name from how much a room used to cost back then, $8.88 which is about $50.00 in today’s money. The first Super 8, with 60 rooms, opened in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 1974, built near a Holiday Inn with just some drawings made by Rivett as blueprints. The stucco exterior with an English Tudor style was inspired by Rivett’s father-in-law, who was a stucco; the English Tudor style and placing of Super 8’s near Holiday Inns was an established procedure for setting up new Super 8’s for years to come.
Out of all the prototypes I looked at that Wyndham released, these were by far my least favorite by a long shot. I feel like all they really did was take dull, drab and outdated and tweaked it barely. It really feels like these rooms are just more updated versions of old dated rooms. I feel like there could have been more effort put into these rooms. The color pallet in each variation feels too dark and clashes with everything else in the room.
Not only did I feel like the interior was not amazing, the exterior was no better. If you look at the images of what new locations would look like, they look like an office building and not a hotel. While I do give them credit for trying to stand out from the standard box like design, I feel like they could have done a better job of making it look less office-like and more welcoming and relaxing like a hotel should be. Even the lobby also has an office building and commercial like atmosphere to it. Regardless, it is definitely a step in the right direction for the brand over what exists now.
Ramada
Like many of the brands we already discussed, Ramada also had very humble routes and was innovative from the very start. Founded by Marion W. Isbell with the investment help of Michael Robinson and Del Webb, the brand started in 1953.
Ramada opened its first hotel, a 60-room facility, on U.S. Route 66 at Flagstaff, Arizona in 1954 and set up its headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, where the chain built the Sahara Hotel on North 1st Street downtown in 1956 (which later became the Ramada Inn Downtown) and a 300-room Ramada Inn in the 3800 block of East Van Buren in 1958 that would become the chain’s flagship property and headquarters.
Inspired by rival hotel chain Holiday Inn, Ramada seeked to develop a chain of roadside motor hotels conveniently located along major highways which would provide lodgings with hotel-like quality at near-motel rates plus amenities such as TV, air conditioning, swimming pools, and on-premises restaurants.
I always found Ramada an odd brand because it’s so widespread. Some locations have ballrooms, event space and are full service. Those are generally the nicer locations. Have an old school Hilton feel to them. Meanwhile there are also the select service locations that are just dumpy roadside motels.
One thing I find interesting about Ramada is how much nicer the locations are in Europe, Canada and Asia. It just speaks volumes of where the brand currently is and what it hopes to be. Overall, I find the rooms are pretty much copy and paste from the Days Inn prototype. For Days, it works all the colors and the design. I think here it’s just too similar to Days. Also the design for Days Inn works since that is a select service/economy brand whereas Ramada is more of a full service midscale brand. I think Ramada is trying to be something it’s not. It’s trying to become like a Hilton, Marriott or IGH brand which it will never come close to.
AmericInn
The AmericInn Franchise was founded by Jim Graves, and the first location opened in 1984. By 1990, there were more than 20 AmericInn properties located in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 1994, AmericInn began franchising with the help of Wyman Nelson, an entrepreneur known for expanding the Perkins Restaurant and Bakery chain in the 1960s and 1970s.
Expansion outside the Midwestern United States began in 2000. AmericInn has 240 motels, with more than 80 percent of its locations in the Upper Midwest.
All AmericInn properties include a recreation area with pool and whirlpool, as well as fourteen different types of guest rooms. A complimentary hot breakfast, called “AmericInn Perk,” is also offered at each hotel and includes bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy, waffles, pastries, cereals, juice, and fruit. Rooms are built with masonry block, sound deadening foam and heavy drywall between rooms, as well as concrete slabs, to minimize noise within rooms.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts acquired the brand in July 2017.
This honestly does not look like a brand Wyndham Hotels. It honestly has more of a Holiday Inn, Hilton or Marriott feel to it. We mentioned throughout this post, the contestant problems Wyndham has across its portfolio from poor cleanliness, bad management, outdated standards and more. AmericInn feels like the total opposite to all these issues. This is honestly the way Wyndham should be going portfolio wide. These rooms are definitely a good way to repair their damaged image from many of their brands without moving too far over to the luxury side. Genius move by the brand acquiring this chain back in 2017.
La Quinta
Just like all of these brands, La Quinta also started out as a separate independently owned and operated hotel company. The brand got its start in 1968 from a pair of brothers Sam and Phil Barshop. However unlike most of these brands, where many locations are poorly run, not clean or maintained, La Quinta has actually been setting the standards for new Wyndham brands and renovations. The brand is actually looked at as one of their top brands and is often compared to a Hilton or Marriott brand. Think about that for a second, most of the brands we have talked about, are not even remotely close to or comparable to Hilton or Marriott. This brand actually did such a good job, it’s now even helping the brands up their game and up their standards.
The brand has also been so successful that it is now beginning to be used in dual branded hotel prototypes. A dual branded hotel comprises two similar hotels from the same brand family – such as a Residence Inn and Moxy by Marriott – in a single building. The brands share the same back of house areas and oftentimes share common areas.
Sadly, it is very difficult to find many development plans, images or renderings for the rooms that are publicly available. However on Wyndham’s franchising site, there are images showing what current locations look like.
Overall, this is honestly Wyndham’s best and strongest brand they currently have in their portfolio. I would honestly love for all of their brands to get on La Quinta’s level. I think if Wyndham got their economy and mid-scale brands to this level, they could easily compete much better with the top hotel companies like Marriott, Hilton or IGH.
Final Thoughts
With Wyndham scrambling to play catch up to the competition, I think these new prototypes and standards will go a long way to improving all the brands and the experiences guests will have.
Will these prototypes be enough though? I honestly don’t think so since Wydnham has such lax standards as it is. Many locations are poorly run and not maintained so in locations like this, I think this would just be a waste of time. You can make a hotel look as nice as you’d like but it won’t hide the problems of the hotel as maintenance wise or management wise. In locations like that, it’ll just look nice for a few months to a few years before it is back to where it is. However, in locations where management is good and the ownership cares, these upgrades can definitely go a long way. I honestly think Wyndham needs to step it up and follow in La Quinta’s footsteps since that is honestly their best brand (of course not including the luxury brands or resorts).
What do you think of Wyndham Hotels and these new prototypes? Will these new changes convenience you to stay at a Wyndham Brand? Let us know your thoughts down below.
I recently had the fabulous pleasure of having the ability to take a field trip to the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City with my college’s hospitality club. Join me as I take you with me on a full behind the scenes tour. We’ll get a sneak preview of the 770 room hotel tower, banquet spaces & more!
Starting The Day:
Our tour kicked off at the lobby where we met the Director of Sales for the property as well as a Sales Coordinator. We began the day inside the beautiful meeting room upstairs poised above the lobby. We all introduced ourselves and got a sense of the property, how Covid has affected the day to day operations and how the city has seen an increased competition from more neighboring states legalizing gabling over the past few years.
Hotel Tower Tour:
After this, we were shown around the 770 room hotel tower where we got to tour a basic standard room, a junior suite, a normal suite, and a VIP/Penthouse suite. These rooms were just stunning and mind blowing! The views of the entire city, the ocean and bay were stunning!
Would you believe me if I told you the last time the rooms were renovated was in 2012? Yes 2012! These rooms are in fantastic shape and well kept for being long overdue for a renovation. All of us students were all mind blown when we were told this. We were told there are plans to soon renovate one floor of the tower at a time shortly after the holiday season. If the rooms looked this good now, I can’t wait to see what they will look like after all the upgrades and improvements are made.
Casino, Restaurants & Marina Tour:
From here, we went downstairs and got a tour of the casino floor, as well as all the restaurants on the gaming floor. Unfortunately, we were strictly prohibited from taking photos or videos on the casino floor. From what I can tell you, the casino floor is definitely smaller than the other casinos in the city but it still offers plenty of slot and table games. Personally, I think less is more for the space they have. The way the casino is set up, it’s not overcrowded or empty. It’s perfectly designed for the space there is and it works. It doesn’t dominate the property or is up in your face which is perfect. The property markets itself as a boutique casino hotel that goes more for a luxurious resort feel. With the casino set up in the manner that it is, it works perfectly to achieve that goal and feel they are going for.
After taking a brief tour of the gaming floor, we were granted a sneak peak inside the Chart House which is one of their top restaurants in the resort. The restaurant overlooked the entire marina and had stunning views across the entire dining room. Most of not all the walls were covered with floor to ceiling windows.
From here we descended down a spiral staircase and were taken down to the lower level where the Marina is and one of many of their outdoor patios/decks. This outdoor space was personally my favorite since you had stunning views of the city, ocean as well as the neighboring Borgata and Harrah’s resorts. Besides this outdoor space, there are also two outdoor rooftop decks one near the pool and one directly next store to that. These roof top decks are so massive, that they have the ability to host events for a couple thousand people! Speaking of events, our guided tour headed there next.
Ballroom & Event Spaces Tour:
At this point, everything I saw on the tour was impressive enough but my jaw dropped even more when we were taken into the grand ballroom and The Wave nightclub. My first thought was how many of my hotel ballrooms could fit inside the grand ballroom (most likely between 4 – 6) and the sheer capacity it had. When I heard the kinds of events they have there, it honestly made sense. We were told the ballroom hosts anything from large dinners, fundraisers, conventions, weddings, concerts, shows and more. I’ve seen first hand at my hotel what goes into running large events but it’s mind blowing to see that on a far larger scale.
From here, we were shown The Wave nightclub which as the name implies, is Gold Nugget’s night club and premium nightlife spot. Ironically enough, the club is marketed towards an older, middle aged crowd instead of a younger crowd. The club hosts a lot of cover bands and well established DJs. I think the coolest thing about this space is how when the club is closed during the day, it is used as an event space. You wouldn’t think a nightclub would be a good fit for an event space but honestly the space works very well.
Lunch & Guest Speakers:
After this, we took back upstairs off the lobby where we started the day to take a lunch break. We were not only welcomed to a great lunch but also guest speakers from the property as well. We got to meet the Director of Food & Beverage, Human Resources Team, the Executive Director of Player Development & Front Desk Operations and of course the sales team who was showing us all around.
This honestly was one of the best parts of the tour in my opinion since we got to ask questions about the property, casino operations, career advice and any other questions we had. One thing that amazed me was the one human resources lead worked in Atlantic City for 40 years! She told us her experiences at all of the casinos she worked at and shared insights with us on how to help our careers. This was really eye opening and inspirational. I recall telling my professor after the fact, how it was so cool to get a taste of the culture and the morale just in a short 2-3 hour span.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I got to say I was super impressed the entire time while on the tour. From the rooms, hotel operations, employee culture and more. It honestly really won me over and gets me excited for the future. I am extremely thankful for the hospitality we received during our tour and glad to have met everyone. This was the first casino hotel I took so far down in Atlantic City and now that I will be going to school down in the area, I can’t wait to go on more tours like this.
Imagine if you will, you are driving down a road when suddenly you see a bavarian-style village on the other side of the hill. Before you panic and try to grab your passport, let me explain that you are still in the United States. You have just stumbled upon a city that looks like it belongs on a postcard… the Alpine Village of Helen, Georgia. Willkommen Freund (Weclome friend)!
What is Alpine Helen, Georgia?
Helen was platted in 1912, and named after the daughter of a lumber official. The town was incorporated in 1913.
Formerly a logging town that was in decline, the city resurrected itself by becoming a replica of a Bavarian alpine town, simply in the Appalachians instead of the Alps. This design is mandated through zoning first adopted in 1969, so that the classic south-German style is present on every building, even on the small number of national franchisees present (such as Huddle House and Wendy’s).
In 1975, DOCUMERICA photographer Al Stephenson documented the life, recreation, and economy of the Helen area before and during the construction of Alpine Helen. The City of Helen does have a sister city: Füssen, Bavaria.
Modern Day of Alpine Helen, Georgia
Tourism is a key economic activity in Helen, catering mostly to weekend visitors from the Atlanta area and also motorcyclists who enjoy riding the roads in Helen and its surrounding areas. Helen can be crowded in late October when autumn leaves typically peak. It also hosts its own Oktoberfest during September, October, and November. Events and festivals are held throughout the year, including the “Southern Worthersee”, which is a stateside Volkswagen and Audi event that pays tribute to the Worthersee Tour in Austria. An annual hot-air balloon race is also held here on the first weekend in June.
The main road through town is north/south Georgia 75. The Helen stream gauge (HDCG1) is located on its bridge over the Chattahoochee in the middle of downtown. A parallel route to the west is labeled Georgia 75 Alt to identify it as a bypass route around the town and its traffic jams in the autumn and on some weekends.
Unicoi State Park and Lodge, spanning 1,050 acres (420 ha), is located immediately northeast of Helen on Georgia 356. The park encompasses Unicoi Lake, a 53-acre (21 ha) freshwater lake, offering outdoor activities for all seasons. Among these are a swimming beach, trout streams, wheelchair-accessible fishing docks, seasonal canoe, kayak, and paddle boat rentals, seven picnic shelters with charcoal grills, three playgrounds for children, spots for birding, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) of hiking within the park (with adjacent trails in the Chattahoochee National Forest), 8 miles (13 km) of mountain biking trails within the park, and several places to enjoy the natural environment of the lake and park. Unicoi State Park also offers lodging in several forms, including in its unique barrel cabins. Access to Anna Ruby Falls, part of the Chattahoochee National Forest, is through the park.
Hardman Farm State Historic Site is also located near Helen, along with the Sautee Nachoochee Indian Mound and the beautiful Mount Yonah for those hikers who wish to challenge themselves.
Oktoberfest in Helen
The Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a traveling funfair. It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid or late-September to around the first Sunday in October, with more than six million international and national visitors attending the event. Locally, it is called d’Wiesn, after the colloquial name for the fairgrounds, Theresienwiese. Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich event. However, things are much different in the town of Helen.
Celebrate the start of Oktoberfest with a parade at noon on Sept. 10, 2022, in downtown Helen. Helen’s Oktoberfest runs from Thursday to Sunday through September and daily from Sept. 29 to Oct. 30, 2022.
Like its German counterpart, the celebrations are different from weekday to weekend. Weekends are popular with tour and college groups, while weekdays tend to be a bit more family-friendly. The event is open to all ages. Admission is $8 during the week, $10 on Saturdays, and free on Sundays, with food and drink available for purchase. The doors open at 6 p.m. throughout the week and 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Unlike its counterpart in Germany, Helen continued its Oktoberfest celebrations during the COVID pandemic, though all guests were required to wear face masks and many of the events were postponed till the next year.
Where to Stay in Helen for Oktoberfest
Accommodations book up for Oktoberfest quickly, so make plans in advance. Alpine-inspired hotels like Valhalla Resort Hotel and The Heidi Motel are popular options for their amenities and quirky suites, respectively. There are also outposts of national chain hotels in town.
If you’re traveling with a group, a rental cabin can better accommodate you, which you can find in Unicoi State Park and Smithgall Woods State Park or with companies like Cabin Rentals of Helen, Georgia Mountain Rentals, and Pinnacle Cabin Rentals. Some have hot tubs and others have full kitchens.
Campgrounds are another option, whether you’re looking for basic tent sites or RV sites with all the bells and whistles. You can also stay in nearby communities like Cleveland, Dahlonega, and Blairsville. Helen is an easy drive from Atlanta, less than two hours, and only an hour from the Lake Lanier area.
What to Do in Helen for Oktoberfest
Enjoy live music and dancing
The event has a rotating group of musical acts, playing traditional German tunes and modern favorites. Dance the polka and others with festival regulars. Sing along with the songs like “Ein Prosit.”
Eat and drink
The Festhalle has the ceremonial tapping of keg like you’d see at the Munich version of the celebration. The tents have a selection of German and American beers for those who are of age.
You can’t visit Helen for Oktoberfest without trying some German food! Hofer’s of Helen is where to start your day with delicious pastries or, later in the day, Reuben sandwiches made by Germans who immigrated to the town in the 1950s. Cafe International and The Troll Tavern are also lunch options. Bodensee has authentic favorites like spaetzle, goulash and wursts. The Heidelberg German Restaurant, Old Bavaria Inn Restaurant & Lounge, Muller’s Famous Fried Cheese Cafe, and Hofbrauhaus are additional options.
The bars and restaurants in town have Oktoberfest specials. It should go without saying, but if you’re going to imbibe, make a plan to get home safely via taxi or designated driver.
Explore nearby attractions
While you’re in the area, take advantage of the natural surroundings with a hike to Anna Ruby Falls or visit one of the many nearby vineyards for a tasting. Test your putt-putt skills on one of the many mini-golf courses in Helen or take a ride down the mountain on the Georgia Mountain Coaster. Maybe you want to take a boat out on the nearby Unicoi Lake or try to make your mark in the Archery range at Unicoi State Park. There is so much to do in the city and surrounding area for everyone of all ages! Who knows… maybe you will find some gold while panning.
In Conclusion
As you can see, the city of Helen is so much more than a town. It’s a celebration, a festival, and a party. It may not be the biggest alpine village in the United States- but in my opinion, it is one of the best. With some much to offer year-round, maybe it is time to make plans for a visit. So pack your lederhosen and practice your yodel. We will see you in the Mountains!
In our latest review, we took a weekend trip out to PA where we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Lancaster – Mount Joy and toured The Turkey Hill Experience. In today’s second part we’ll be focusing on the restaurants we ate at during the trip. So without further ado, let’s dive into today’s reviews!
Metro Diner – Bensalem, PA
Customer Service – 5/5
From the very moment I entered to the time I left, all the staff I encountered were very pleasant and on the ball. I think if you’re working at a diner or lunchent you need to have the personality and right people skills for it.
The waitress I had definitely had superb service skills, was very friendly and attentive. If I were a local to this area, I would definitely return here. Another important part of a restaurant is its food and beverage. Speaking of that, let’s dive in!
Food & Beverage (F&B) – 5/5
Overall the menu had a lot of variety and unique items on it such as chicken and waffles with ice cream on top! I’ve seen lots of variations with chicken and waffles but this one had a very interesting spin to it. Their variation was as follows: Half a fried chicken and a Belgian waffle, topped with powdered sugar and sweet, strawberry butter. Served with our signature sweet and spicy sauce.
I honestly have never seen a plate of chicken & waffles with strawberry butter. This picture doesn’t do justice! The portions are huge but well worth every bite!
As much as I wanted to order this amazing dish, It was a little too much for me since it was early in the morning when I stopped in for breakfast. I ended up ordering a short stack of pancakes and bacon. Remember how I mentioned before how portions are very large? Well… these pancakes were so big they barely fit on the plate! When I went to put butter and syrup on one of the pancakes it was partially flooding off the plate. Definitely worth it though! I even had some leftovers I was able to enjoy later on in the day.
Today’s Pizza & Mamma Rita Italian Restaurant – Mount Joy, PA
There honestly isn’t too much to say about this restaurant being it is just like any other normal pizzeria you would go to. This review is going to be a little brief and not as in depth but nonetheless, we’ll still rate it like we normally do.
Customer Service – 5/5
The staff working the counter/restaurant were very friendly, professional and helpful. I really honestly don’t have much more to comment on since the service was excellent.
Food & Beverage (F&B) – 5/5
I honestly didn’t know what to expect from the restaurant. I just googled it and saw it was just a short distance from the hotel. I’ve been to many pizza places while on vacation, most were good and some were not. I honestly have to say the pizza here was pretty good and I would definitely recommend it.
As someone who has worked in the restaurant business before making pizzas, I know the science to a good pizza. When making a pizza the two most important factors that affect your dough are time and temperature. You need to make sure the dough proofs up, but don’t over proof and you also need to make sure it is the perfect temperature. The pizza I had was excellent! The dough was not too thick and also wasn’t too thin to the point where the pizza fell apart. There was just the right amount of sauce and cheese and the pizza was cooked perfectly!
Taylor Chip Cookie Co. – Lancaster, PA
This by far was one of the best parts of the weekend gateway and well worth the stop. For those that know me personally, they know I love my cookies! I’m literally always eating cookies all the time. This stop was like a no-brainer for me.
Taylor Chip Cookie Company is a local cookie store that bakes a variety of gourmet cookies from scratch using the freshest and highest quality ingredients. (That’s their secret to a great cookie!) They currently own and operate two locations in PA and offer nationwide delivery through their website.
Customer Service – 5/5
Overall, the store had very friendly and helpful associates. Once again, I really honestly don’t have much more to comment on since the service was excellent.
Food & Beverage (F&B) – 6/5
These cookies are just too good so they break our rating scale! There are so many options for cookies to choose from including: Chocolate Chip, P.B. Fudge, M&M, Brookie and so many more! For a full list of their cookies, check out their website: https://www.taylorchip.com/.
I purchased half a dozen cookies in order to take home as many cookies as I could in order to try most of them. I purchased M&M, Chocolate chip, Brookie, Double Choco Brownie, Snickerdoodle, and Loaded P.B.
Out of all the cookies I tried, I personally liked the M&M cookie the best. But all the cookies I got were amazing. I definitely recommend trying them all.
Pro Tip: If you heat the cookies in the oven at 300 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes. They actually will taste better if you do this, especially if you eat them the next day.
Very big news just came out of the hotel industry recently and I have to admit the news came as a bit of a surprise. Join us today as we discover the headlines, break down the news and give our thoughts on it.
The Big News:
In this very shocking news, Choice Hotels announced it was acquiring Radisson Hotel Group Americas for a sum of $675M. Currently, Choice Hotels has the following brands in its current portfolio prior to this transaction:
The deal, once closed, includes nine brands, 624 hotels and over 68,000 rooms!
For those unfamiliar with the Radisson brand or Radisson Hotel Group (RHG), it emcompasses all franchised, operations and branding of the Radisson Hotels throughout the U.S., Canada, South America as well as the Caribbean. RHG also includes 10 Radisson Blu hotels, 130 Radisson hotels, nine Radisson Individuals, one Park Plaza hotel, four Radisson Red hotels, 453 Country Inn & Suites by Radisson and 17 Park Inn by Radisson hotels, as well as the Radisson Inn & Suites and Radisson Collection brands.
Thoughts & Reactions:
Overall, this is definitely a bold move for Choice Hotels. Earlier in the year a few rumors were going around saying Choice was looking to drop some serious cash to expand into the luxury and higher tiered hotel market. I think one primary reason for doing this merger is smart, is by doing so you can compete with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Wyndham, like Choice, has economy brands, extended stay but Choice lacked many things that Wyndham had. Those being luxury brands, upper-mid scale brands and resorts. Can they compete with Wyndham and overall be at the same level or better? Only time can tell.
With this merger to close in 2022, there are still many loose ends and questions left to be answered. Here are some of the top few questions and concerns that come to mind:
With Radisson under Choice Hotels, will standards for Radisson drop? Get better? Or stay the same?
Personally, I’m not sure how this will turn out for Radisson and their nine brands. While I feel like this a good move since they will expand and get more exposure, I feel like with how Choice operates some of their brands, I can’t help but feel standards may slip. Then again, with acquiring nine strong brands and a few luxury brands in the mix, maybe this will make Choice stronger and in turn help them. Only time will tell how this plays out.
Will the Radisson Rewards/Loyalty program be combined with Choice Privileges?
Radisson Rewards is not as well known or as large as Choice Privileges. With that being said, I can definitely see one of two things happening. Choice takes Radisson Rewards and merges it with Choice Privileges to make one cohesive rewards system that is easily utilized across all brands. The other thing I can see is Radisson Rewards stays around and is overhauled and works together with Choice. They would promote both together, be able to transfer points between the two and redeem member only offers for both. While that may seem like a lot of work, I think that makes the most sense. (And we’ll see why with our next question).
With the European operations still under Radisson and not being sold, will this cause confusion and inconsistencies from the American operations?
Anytime you have split operations across the globe, it’s always a challenge logistically keeping supply chains, standards, operations and finances on track. However in this case, this transaction makes it interesting and creates a tough challenge. If Choice makes changes to Radisson, they only have control over the American/North American division. I think there are definitely going to be some tough challenges that both Choice and the European/Asian division of Radisson will need to figure out. I find it very odd how you would sell off half of your brand then keep the other half. It’s just so hard to wrap your head around.
I definitely think this merger took a lot of people by surprise. As mentioned above, we did hear rumors earlier in the year about Choice looking to buy but, those rumors only mentioned purchasing one or two induvial brands not an entire hotel company. I honestly did not expect that either. Regardless I think over the next few months and years, we’ll have to see how this plays out for both sides. What do you think about the Choice Hotels and Radisson Hotel Group merger?
After a long tiring (yet rewarding) semester of college and a hectic work schedule, I decided to take a brief vacation from work and do a quick overnight trip to Pennsylvania to kick back and relax. In today’s Touristician Review I will be recapping my trip from my hotel and all the stops I made along the way. In part one, we will be focusing on the hotel review and our visit to The Turkey Hill Experience. In part two, we’ll focus on the restaurants we are at during our trip. So without further ado, let’s dive into today’s review!
Holiday Inn Express Lancaster – Mount Joy, PA
Customer Service – 5/5
One of the main reasons I always choose this particular brand is because of the high service standards and never having a problem with service. This time was no different. Upon entering the hotel, the gentlemen working the front desk gave a very friendly and welcoming greeting. I honestly didn’t catch his name but I wish I did so I could have left a positive comment about him online. It honestly felt good to be on the receiving end of a check in versus on the giving end. Throughout the check-in process, the gentlemen were very friendly, helpful by providing information on the amenities and also thanked me for being an IHG Rewards member. Being a rewards member, I was able to get the membership rate of $127.00 for the stay plus taxes versus $149.00 for the standard rack rate. Honestly not a bad deal at all! Well worth it!
As a fellow front desk agent who also works in the industry, to see someone else doing your job and killing it (in a good way), is absolutely amazing to see.
Rooms – 3.8/5
Now for one of the most important areas of the review, the hotel room! This particular location was brand new and only about a year old. When you entered the halls, lobby, etc you can definitely tell it was new since it had that new building smell.
Overall, I was very impressed with the design of the room and the attention to detail that was done in the room. For example, the pillows being embroidered with the type of pillow it was (soft, firm, etc.). This not only is amazing attention to detail, but it helps you be more comfortable while relaxing and sleeping. Many of the hotels don’t do this and it makes figuring out what kind of pillow you are using difficult and more time consuming. On top of very detail oriented rooms, the technology utilized at this location is very impressive and should be used at all their locations. Upon walking in and turning on the television, you are greeted with a screen that welcomes you, says your name on top and acts as a personal concierge. From the tv you can view your bill, check out, request a late check out, explore attractions in the area as well as get information about the hotel.
You may be asking, why such a low score for such an impressive room? One of the main reasons for such a low score was due to some minor cleanliness issues in the bathroom of the room. It was mostly some soap scum stains under the shelving units in the shower, shampoo and soap remiance (these came from the shampoo, body wash and dispensers in the shower. IGH eliminated single use toiletry items [with the exception of soap] and replaced them with dispensers in the bathrooms). Other than those few issues there were a few stains on the wallpaper but they were not earth shattering nor did they affect the functionality of the bathroom.
The only other cleanliness issue I had was the microwave in the room was covered in food. It appeared like it was some kind of soup broth. (I’m honestly not sure what it was). Regardless, it was pretty gross.
Amenities – 3/5
I’m going to be honest, this was the most disappointing part of the stay right here. Upon going down for breakfast at 8am, the cinnamon rolls that were under the lamp were dry, crusty and hard. I can tell they haven’t been changed out for a while. When I went to get a fresh one that wasn’t warmed, I found a piece of plastic in the roll as I bit into it. Also too, I can tell food wasn’t being rotated out like it should have been either. A lot of the food looked like it was out for a while when I went down. I would say the absolute worst thing about today was seeing the breakfast server take the garbage can full of trash, put it on the coffee counter where I just made coffee moments earlier, take the garbage out, put a new bag in, then put the can back and never wiped down the counter.
As someone who works in the industry, I definitely have a level of understanding for employees who work in hotels. However, when I see simple things like this being done incorrectly and food not being handled safely where it affects you, I do get fired up so to speak about it. I think if you work in the industry, you tend to be a lot more nit picky and notice everything that a normal guest wouldn’t see since you’re exposed to the line of work daily.
Final Thoughts & Rating
Overall, minus the few issues I had with the stay, I did have a very nice relaxing stay. Getting back to customer service for a second, when I did mention the issues I had the brand and management was very polite and professional and handled all the issues I addressed with them. As mentioned above, one of the main reasons I always choose this particular brand is because of the high service standards and never having a problem with service.
Rating the hotel on a scale of 1 to 5, I would rate this location a 3.8/5! But hang on, that’s not the end of the review! We still have an ice cream factory to talk about!
The Turkey Hill Experience – Columbia, Pennsylvania
The Turkey Hill Experience features interactive exhibits allowing you to learn about dairy culture, the story of Turkey Hill Dairy, and how the company’s ice cream and iced tea flavors are selected and created. The best part is the unlimited free samples of iced tea and ice cream!
I have to say this was a very fun and interesting experience. When was the last time you were to eat unlimited amounts of free ice cream and sample as many ice tea and lemonade products? That was honestly the best part of the whole place! Despite having a lot of exhibits geared towards younger children, the displays and history where very interesting to both learn about and see. My favorite exhibit was the one where you had to pick a ice cream flavor and be quizzed on what went in it. Overall, a very fun stop on the trip.
If you enjoyed today’s review, be sure to check out part 2 of this post coming out shortly. In part 2, we’ll be covering all the delicious eats and restaurants that where experienced during this weekend trip.
Touristician 