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Showing posts with label Minot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minot. Show all posts

Friday, September 6, 2013

Minot, North Dakota / Hampton Inn & Suites

August 2013, Weekday, 2-night, King guestroom #323

Status perks and check-in
My check-in experience was better the last time I stayed at this Hampton Inn & Suites. This time, the front desk agent did not recognize my status, and I did not receive the guestroom preferences in my profile (top floor, away from elevator). When I learned the guestrom I had been assigned was not on the top floor, I asked if one was available, and the agent said no. I then asked if my room was a studio suite, and she said yes.

During check-in, the front desk agent said my guestroom number out loud when there were other guests present at the counter and in the lobby. The other employee working at the front desk did the same thing when she gave the guest next to me his room key--he was in guestroom 205! Sure enough, when we got on the elevator, he pushed floor 2, and I pushed floor 3.

Guestroom
This guestroom is not a suite. It is a basic room located less than half way down the hall from the elevator. It is located on the front side of the building facing the road, and I could hear the traffic from the guestroom.

The tile bathroom near the entrance was roomy with a nice walk-in shower.


A single-serve coffee maker with most of the needed supplies was located on the vanity. The cellophane wrapped condiments were open, and the stir sticks were missing.


Standard Hampton Inn bath amenities were also on the vanity and a hairdryer was provided. The towels were good quality.

A closet with a mirrored door was located outside the bathroom. It contained an iron and ironing board.

The bedroom area contained a soft chair, lamp, small fridge, microwave, flatscreen TV on an armoire, desk and chair, king size bed, suitcase bench, nightstands with lamps, and lighted alarm clock. I was surprised to see a telephone on the desk and next to the bed. I have stayed in many Hampton Inns recently that have only one telephone next to the bed.

The bed was comfortable, and the sheets were silky soft. I did not recall the sheets being such good quality the last time I stayed at this hotel. Even so, I did not sleep well. I could easily hear the guest overhead thumping around, and guests in the hall let their doors slam until 1 a.m. I was surprised to hear so much noise from the hall because the guestroom door was heavy, and there were no visible gaps around the door.

Food & Beverage/Fitness center
I had to leave before breakfast in the morning, and I did not have time to use the fitness center. Both of these items are covered in my first review of this hotel. You can find the details here.

Shuttle service and misc.
I chose this hotel because it is very close to the airport. In fact, I was able to walk back to the hotel after returning my rental car. It was less than a mile walk, and there was a sidewalk most of the way. A small portion of the exit road from the airport did not have a sidewalk; however, since there was no traffic, this was not a problem. Shuttle service was prompt the next morning.

Before my two stays at this hotel, the only other hotels I found near the airport were a couple of unknown hotel brands. Right before I departed, I discovered that a new Hyatt House had opened near the airport, and that they provide shuttle service. Although I have never stayed in a Hyatt House, my experience at other Hyatt hotels has always been great. If I need to return to this area, I would probably choose the Hyatt House next time. I did not like the manner in which the front desk agent provided check-in service, and I did not like the hallway noise in the evening.  

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Minot, North Dakota / Hampton Inn & Suites


April 2013, Weekday, 2-nights, King suite #428


Status perks and check-in

I reserved a basic king guestroom, and I received an upgrade to a  suite. I had requested a suite upgrade in my written comments when I made my reservation online. During check-in, the front desk agent recognized my status, and she told me that she had given me an upgrade to a suite.

Guestroom
I was comfortable at this Minot Hampton Inn, and I loved the guestroom. The bed and pillows were super comfy, and it was comfortable for working.


The kitchen area at the entrance included a small fridge, microwave, sink, single-serve coffee maker with supplies, ice bucket, and a roll of paper towel.



The living area contained a couch with two pillows, footstool/coffee table, end table, and lamps. A long desk with two chairs and a flatscreen TV were located between the sitting and sleeping areas. A lamp, telephone, plenty of outlets, and an ethernet cable were on the desk. The Internet connection worked great.


Nightstands with lamps were located on each side of the king-size bed. An alarm clock and a telephone were also on one of the nightstands.

The bathing area contained a tub/shower combo and the toilet. A decorative shelf on the wall above the toilet held the towels and washcloths. 

A closet with mirrored doors by the vanity contained an iron and board. A Conair hairdryer was in a bag under the sink. 

Basic Hampton Inn bathroom amenities provided on the vanity did not include face wipes or mouthwash. I observed two baskets of good quality bathroom amenities in the hallway outside two guestrooms a few hours after I had checked in. I did not learn the purpose of the baskets, although I wish they had been for me!

Food & Beverage
Breakfast items the first morning: imitation eggs and sausage, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, waffle maker, cold cereals, juices, coffee, tea, and milk--2% and fat-free.

Breakfast the second morning: cheesy omelets, sausage, canadian bacon/ham pieces, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, waffle maker, cold cereals, oatmeal, fresh whole apples, pears, and bananas, juices, coffee, tea, and milk--2% and fat-free. I assume that whole fruits and oatmeal were also out the first morning, and I missed them. 

Cookies were available at the front desk in the afternoon.

Fitness center
The fitness center contained about five cardio machines with cardio theater, a water cooler, hand weights, towels, and sani-wipes. The temperature was cool, which was just right for working out.

Overall and misc.
The drive into this hotel is located exactly where my GPS thought the hotel was located, although the hotel building is located a bit farther up the drive. It is barely visible when arriving from the South, and there is not a hotel sign at the entrance drive. I was glad I saw the hotel and turned in when I arrived, because there is only one entrance into the parking lot.

I stayed in three newer Hampton Inns in North Dakota this trip, and they were all similar to this one. I thought the room at this hotel was the cleanest and nicest of the three. The other reviews will be posted soon.

Area dining
I saw a billboard for the Sakura Japanese Steakhouse in front of the Hampton Inn, so I had sushi there one afternoon. The restaurant is located near the Dakota Square Mall, a few miles south of the Hampton Inn. The food was excellent; however, the service was terrible. The server never smiled, and she did not checkback with me during the meal. The host seemed annoyed when I asked if I could have a larger table to do some work while dining. There were many tables available when I arrived around 1:30 p.m., so when she started to seat me at a small table barely big enough for two, I asked if I could have a larger table. It was not like I had made this request when the restaurant was filled with noontime lunch-goers.

I dined at the Olive Garden in Minot, which is also located in the mall area near Sakura. The food and service were both good, and I had a new experience at this restaurant. The server offered me two free generous wine samples. He said that they are allowed to give three samples per guest. I did not request a third sample, although I am sure he would given it to me, if I had asked. It has been awhile since I ate at Olive Garden, so I do not know if all their restaurants offer this, or if it depends on the area. I was done working for the day when I stopped there, so I enjoyed the samples!

Jimmy Johns, and a Pizza restaurant called Spicy Pie, which also serves beer, are within walking distance of the Hampton Inn.