Sunday, October 16, 2011

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / Hampton Inn & Suites

September 2011, Weekday, 2-nights, King guestroom

Status perks
I did not receive anything extra for being a Gold member, and I did not expect anything since Hampton does not usually offer any upgrades or other perks.

Guestroom
I had reserved a king balcony room because that was the only room type available when I made my reservation. When I got to my room, and saw that there was a connecting room door, I called the front desk to ask if there was another king-bed room available. I was going to be staying at the hotel for two nights, and I have often heard bothersome noise from the room next door when there is a connecting door. The front desk agent said that there were not any available room types like my current room that did not have a connecting door. I told her that I did not need a balcony room; I had only reserved that because that was all that was available. I stated that I would prefer quietness over a balcony. She said there was a room without a balcony available at the end of the hall. I asked if the room size and amenities were the same in other ways, because the room I was in had a refrigerator and microwave. She said that the rooms were the same, and that she would meet me there, so I did not need to go back to the front desk. 

Before I left the guestroom, I looked at the diagram on the back of the door, and saw that the room I was in was larger than the one I was moving to. When I mentioned this to the agent before entering my new room, she said that is because the diagram included the balcony, and that the rooms were the same size. She said that she had reduced my rate $10 per night for moving to a non-balcony room. The guest who would be given my room was going to receive an upgrade. When I entered my new room, I saw that it was the same size as my first room. I was impressed that the employee knew this, and that she had met me on my floor, so I did not need to return to the front desk!

The guestroom was spacious and quiet. I really liked the coffee setup outside the bathroom where there was also a microwave and small fridge. The only thing I  did not like about the guestroom is that there was not a soft chair or couch. A straight back chair with a soft seat, was in  the corner by the desk.

Business center
The business center was a large room with several computers, a printer, and any office supplies one might need--tape, white-out, note pads, stapler, paper clips, post-its, and more. It was open 24 hours, and I did not have any trouble printing several documents.

Fitness center
The large fitness center was located down the hall from the business center, and was also open 24 hours. The room contained several cardio machines, weight machines, hand weights, a large flat screen TV, water, towels, sani-wipes, and a scale. The temperature was comfortable, and all the equipment was well maintained.

Food & Beverage
The breakfast seating area was a large comfortable room across from the front desk. Food items were the basic fare--scrambled eggs, waffle maker, fruits, yogurt, breads and danishes, juices, coffee, and milk.

Misc. & Overall
I thought the hotel set up was fantastic. The bottom floor was devoted to guest amenities, which were open 24 hours. The pool, fitness center, and business center were all open 24 hours. Since I live on the east coast, I am often up early when working on the west coast, so I really appreciated the 24 hour accessibility. The hotel building looked new, as did the shopping and dining establishments across the street. I ate at two of the restaurants across the street, and highly recommend the Ugly Fish Asian Bistro--it was the best food I had in this area while visiting for the week!

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