Stay Report: Marriott Chicago O’Hare (Chicago, IL - August 2021 )

   Stay Report: Marriott Chicago O'Hare
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I was traveling to Chicago for a couple of days, but because of travel plans we needed to be close to the airport so we focused our search into hotels in this area.  In my search,  I was looking for hotels that had airport shuttles but also had access to the L Train and in my search I found the Marriott Chicago O'Hare.  The hotel matched all the criteria I was looking for and it was available for a reasonable price so I booked it.  After I booked it, I called to confirm the details of the shuttle and the service I received was not great; I thought it was a one-off but actually that was the type of service I was going to receive throughout my stay.

My family arrived before me and even though we had called to confirm the airport pickup and shuttle times, we were told 'just call when you arrive and the shuttle will be there'.  Every time we asked we got a different response - one person said the shuttle ran on a schedule and another said that it was upon request.  We tried taking the shuttle three times - once from the airport, once to the airport, and once again to the airport and each time it was EXTREMELY delayed and/or it was a guesstimate as to when it would actually go.  After that, we stopped using the shuttle at all.

The hotel is located about 10 minutes away from the airport and is located across the highway from the

Rosemount train station.  The hotel looks like it was built in the 1950's with a high hotel and a huge parking lot.   You have to cross the huge parking lot and walk across the highway on a pedestrian bridge to access the train - its not bad during the day but can be a little sketchy at night.  There are plenty of restaurants and grocery stores within walking distance and there are lots of delivery options available as well (we did a delivery option and when it was delivered to the hotel, they were told to leave it on the table in the lobby.  We went down to pick it up and no one confirmed to ensure it was our order so you can pick up any order you want).  

The lobby was designed in a circular fashion with the check-in desks to the left, the bar and restaurant straight ahead, the elevators to the room on the right, and the concierge desk also on the right.  We checked-in and were not given any information and in fact the attendant could not have cared less (even though there was no one behind us).  We received our key and proceeded to our room.  Even though the area for the hotel was large and the hotel building looked large, the rooms were smaller than I expected.  As you entered, there was a bathroom on the right and a closet on the left side.  The bathroom was standard and contained a sink, a toilet and a bathtub - the only negative about the hotel was the minimal space.  The closet was also a standard hotel closet and contained shelves, a place to hang clothes, an iron and ironing board, as well as a safe.  Further into the room, on the right side were the 2 double beds with a nightstand in the middle.  The beds were decent and provided a good nights sleep - again the space between the beds were tighter than anticipated.  In front of the beds was a chest with a drawers on the bottom and a TV on top.  Next to that was a desk on wheels so you can move the desk around the room.  Along the wall were windows which were a nice addition as it allowed light to come in and make the room feel brighter and bigger.  In between the beds and the window was an armchair and lamp - it was a nice addition but there was not enough space for all the furniture so it felt cramped.

Amenities in the hotel included restaurants, fitness center, a concierge, wifi, and airport shuttle.  I already talked about the poor service regarding the airport shuttle, and due to the limited time I did not have time to try out the other amenities.  I did try the wifi but it was not strong and kept dropping; it was so bad that for work I used my own hotspot versus the hotels wifi.  Overall, it was a disappointing stay at the hotel.  The only positives were easy access to transportation and easy access to services but everything else from customer service to room quality was negative.

Stay Report: Seattle Airport Marriott (Seattle, WA - September 2020)

 Stay Report: Seattle Airport Marriott
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I was flying from New Orleans to Bozeman via Seattle (see report here) and was only supposed to be transiting in Seattle, but unfortunately my flight from Seattle to Bozeman was cancelled.  I was flying with Alaska Air and I went their customer service desk where I got rebooked on the next flight, given meal vouchers, and given a hotel voucher for Seattle Airport Marriott.  The hotel provides a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel so we made our way to the shuttle area to catch the shuttle.  According to the hotel, the shuttle departs every 20 minutes from the hotel to the airport and makes rounds, so your wait depends on the number of passengers getting off and various stopping points in the airport.  While the free shuttle is nice, given the hotel's size and the number of passengers, the shuttle filled up really quickly with the passengers + luggage so the hotel should think about utilizing a bigger shuttle during certain times of the day.

The shuttle took about 10 minutes to get from the airport to the hotel.  We entered the hotel lobby which had three c

heck-in desks on the right-hand side, a sitting area in the middle, and the restaurant and bathrooms off to the middle and left hand side.  As there were a lot of guests checking in, and only two check-in desks open, there were lines at each of the stations and guests were supposed to socially distance while standing in line (although this was not monitored nor enforced by staff).  Once I got to the front, my check-in process was very quick as I was only going to be there for less than 12hrs.  Once I received my key, I was given instructions on how to get to the room and they seemed more complicated than necessary; apparently the hotel has two distinct and separate towers that are only connected through a second floor entryway.  The directions were somewhat clear from check-in to the room, but from the room back down to the lobby the directions were NOT clear and there were many guests roaming around trying to locate the lobby.  There were two elevators, and no other guests next to us, so it was easy to socially distance in the elevators.

It was a long walk down a hallway to get to our room and once we got there, space was a premium because it was a very tiny room.  You entered into a hallway which led into the bedroom area, and in the hallway on the left-side was a sliding door to the bathroom.  The sliding door was a nice touch but it did not slide all the way, nor stay in that position so the bathroom was never completely shut.  Inside the bathroom consisted of a sink, a toilet, and a shower as well as bathroom toiletries such as lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and towels.  The bathroom was width wise narrow but had more space lengthwise.  The hallway also contained a large entryway which could be used for those with disability assistance; we used it as storage for our luggage since the main room was compact.  Further down the hallway, on right-hand side, was an open closet with a rack and hangers, an iron and ironing board, and a luggage rack.  Continuing along with right-side of the wall, into the bedroom area, was a desk that was both a working space, a storage space, and also contained a coffee-maker on top.  That was connected to the entertainment section which contained a TV on top and a chest below with drawers and a fridge; the TV was a smart TV and there was a port panel on the side to connect various items to the TV.  

Across from all of this, along the left-side wall were the beds.  We had requested a room with two beds so there were two Queen beds with a nightstand in the middle.  The beds were comfortable enough to sleep and were large enough to comfortably sleep two people.  In between the two beds was a nightstand and in between the beds and the window was a long chaise which was nice in providing extra space, but was a bit cramped in terms of space for the room.  Space was generally at a premium and on top of that there was a lot of furniture, too much in my opinion, given the size of the room.  A plus point of the room was that there were plenty of outlets and USB ports throughout the room - next to the bed, on the desk, on the nightstand, and next to the TV so you could charge as many devices as needed.

As I said, we were only there for less than 12hours so I was not able to enjoy all the facilities of the hotel.  The hotel does have complimentary wifi, there was a restaurant/bar, ice machine, a fitness center, and a business center.  The airline had provided meal vouchers so I had picked up food from the airport, but the hotel's restaurant did have late hours to accommodate late arriving passengers.  

Overall, it was an interesting stay at the Seattle Airport Marriott.  The positives were the nice clean room, the many outlets throughout the room, the comfortable beds, and the spacious grounds.  The negatives were the tiny room, too much furniture so the room felt cramped, and the lack of signage around the spacious hotel.  While it would not be my first choice, it was a nice and decent layover hotel.

Stay Report: Hilton Houston North, IAH Airport (Houston, Texas - December 2014)

Stay Report: Hilton Houston North, IAH Airport
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photo courtesy of Hilton.com

We were flying in and out of Intercontinental Airport (IAH) so needed to find a nice, clean hotel that also provided easy access to the hotel.  We found a great hotel in the Hilton Houston North which provided great airport hotel (though not connected to the airport).  The Hilton Houston North is located about 15-20 minutes away from the airport and is situated between a business park and a mall. The property is very large, has ample parking with security around it, and is able to handle large crowds (many flight staff were staying at the hotel and many large holiday parties from the surrounding businesses were also taking place at the hotel)

As you enter into the lobby, the first thing you notice is how large it is.  Straight ahead is the restaurant and coffee area while to right are the check-in desks and waiting area as well as the elevators to the guest rooms (meeting rooms are to the left).  As the hotel is designed to handle large groups, check-in was smooth and efficient so we received our key and went to the room.  

The rooms are spacious and looked modern and updated with new Hilton amenities. We had a room with

photo courtesy of Booking.com

2 double beds so as you entered there was a bathroom to the right and a closet to the left.  The closet was standard and contained a shelf, hangers to hang your clothes, an iron and ironing board, as well additional blanket and pillow.  The bathroom contained a toilet, an updated sink and tub as well as bathroom toiletries but the bathroom had nod been renovated as much as the main room but it was still large and pleasant.  Further into the room on the right side were the two double beds with a nightstand in the middle while across from this was a chest with drawers on the bottom and the TV stand and coffee stand on top and a mini refrigerator as part of the chest.  Next to the chest was a desk with a chair and between the bed and window, which faced out onto the parking lot, was a chair and a lamp.  The room was spacious and comfortable enough for an overnights sleep. 

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

As a full-service hotel there are many amenities for the guests including a fitness center, a pool, meeting rooms, a business center, parking and wifi.  The wifi was complimentary and it had decent speeds, enough to check email and watch videos.  The business center was located next to the meeting rooms on the first floor and contained 4 computers - 2 macs and 2 windows - which provided access to internet and office documents and could easily print out materials.  The hotel also offered late night dining (when we arrived around 11pm - both a cafe and room service were still available) as well as a breakfast buffet. There is a Starbucks in the lobby, but it was closed the morning we were there.  Self parking was available at no charge and there were plenty of spaces available as well.  The hotel did provide a shuttle to the airport, there were lots of shuttles, but this shuttle was combined with other hotels in the area (the Hilton, the Marriott, and the airport) but as I said the shuttles were plenty and ran often.

Overall, it was a nice stay at Hilton Houston IAH Airport.  I was traveling a lot to Houston during this December and I enjoyed my stay so much that I had rebooked the hotel for my other stays as well.  The positives are the spacious rooms, the complimentary self parking, complimentary wifi, and frequent shuttles.  The negatives are the distance away from the airports and the hotel easily sells out.

Stay Report: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Houston Intercontinental Airport (Texas - September 2019)

Stay Report: Fairfield Inn Houston IAH Airport

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I fly out of Houston Intercontinental a lot, especially for long-haul travel, so usually when I travel I like to arrive the day before my flight to get a proper rest and ensure that I am ready for my flight.  There are many hotels in and around IAH airport and I have tried many of them trying to find a good one that I can consistently use.  I am looking for a nice and clean hotel that has good rooms, decent service, usually allows a later checkout (since the flights are later in the afternoon/evening) and free parking; complimentary breakfast is a bonus.  While this list is basic, it has been a struggle finding a decent hotel that fits this criteria (you can see reviews of my previous stays on this blog).  I was traveling internationally in September out of Houston so needed a hotel, and all the places that I have normally stayed were either sold out or ridiculously expensive.  The only decent hotel that was affordable was the Fairfield Inn Houston IAH Airport.  I have stayed at Fairfield Inn's before and they are a mixed bag - some of them are nice but some of them look like upgraded motels and that is what I am looking for - so based on this I was hesitant to stay but it was only one night so I went ahead and booked it.

Booking and managing the hotel was very easy through the Marriott website and the Marriott app.  The morning of my arrival I was offered the chance to check into my room through the app, but I decided to wait until I got to the hotel.  The hotel is located off the same road as the airport, but on the other side and is set a bit back from the street so it is a bit secluded (and surrounded by trees, so does not look all that safe especially at night).  The hotel shares a parking lot and compound with a TownePlace Suites (also by Marriott) and it was a bit confusing as to which way the Fairfield Inn was and where the main entrance to the hotel was.  As soon as you entered the hotel, you can tell that the hotel had been updated and modernized as everything look updated and new.  As you entered into the lobby, on your right was the sitting area for lounging as well as the sitting area for the breakfast in the morning.  Further ahead on the left was the check-in counter, and then continuing down was the business center on the right and the elevators to the left.  Like I said, the lobby looked updated and modern and fresh so it gave a nice first impression to the hotel.  Check-in was quick, I received my key and took the elevator up to my room.

The hallway to my room was very long so it seemed like the hotel is very large and expansive.  After I finally got to my room and opened the door, there was a bathroom on right hand side and a closet on the left.  The bathroom was standard with a sink, a toilet and a tub but the size was large and it was spacious.  The bathroom also had towels and bathroom toiletries from Paul Mitchell.  The closet was spacious and had options to hang or shelves to store the items, and there was an iron and ironing board in the closet as well.  Further into the room, there were two double beds on side of the room with a nightstand in the middle.   Across from the beds was a chest with drawers on the bottom and a TV on top, as well as safe on the bottom.  There was a desk next to the chest and then next to the desk was a stand with the fridge at the bottom and microwave and coffee maker on top.  The room provided a lot of amenities for the guests to enjoy, it was spacious, the beds were large and comfortable to sleep in, and overall it was a nice and comfortable room. 

Fairfield Inn has some standard amenities for the guests to enjoy at all its hotels including complimentary parking, complimentary wifi, complimentary breakfast, and a fitness center.  This hotel had all that plus a business center, with complimentary printing, as well as meeting rooms.  The fitness center was in an odd location, right next to guest rooms, but was spacious and had tons of equipment and room to work out.  The parking was vast (although you may not want to park right next to the forest); the wifi was complimentary and fast enough to stream videos and check email; and the breakfast was a standard complimentary hotel breakfast which means it was not fantastic but had decent options for an average breakfast.  As my expectations were low, the quantity and quality of amenities that the hotel had far exceeded my expectations and I was pleasantly surprised.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my stay at the Fairfield Inn IAH Airport.  Based on my previous experiences with the brand, I was not sure what to expect so I kept my expectations low; however, my expectations were far exceeded by the hotel.  The spacious rooms, the updated decor, the comfortable beds, the decent breakfast, and the location right next to the airport were all pleasant aspects; and I cannot think of a negative aspect of the hotel.  I will definitely stay here again and hopefully I have the same great experience as I did this time.

Stay Report: Houston Marriott North, IAH Airport (Houston, Texas - April 2015)

Stay Report: Houston Marriott North, IAH Airport
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photo courtesy of Booking.com

We were flying in and out of Intercontinental Airport (IAH) so needed to find a hotel near the airport that also provided parking.  There are many hotels around the airport and previously I had stayed at the Hilton Houston North (review here). It was an enjoyable experience but I wanted to try another option and choose the Houston Marriott North (both the Hilton and Marriott share the shuttle to the airport).  The hotel itself covers a massive property about 10-15 minutes from the airport and is surrounded by many other hotels.  Even though this area has many hotels, there are not a lot of services in terms of restaurants or stores within the area (especially within walking distance, but this is Texas so who walks).  

The hotel has a massive lobby that includes a restaurant, sitting area, and check-in desks all the way in one corner.  While the open and big lobby is nice, it does make it a bit hard to navigate to the check-in desks.  The customer service at the check-in was lacking (it was lacking all over the hotel, but more on that later) as when I checked in I was not greeted as an Elite Marriott Rewards member nor was I given information about the amenities of the hotel.  I took my keys and proceeded to the elevator which took to my room.  The elevators are located at one end of the hallway with the rooms located in the hallway.  There is only one set of elevators so if your room is at the middle or end of the hallway, it is a long walk to the room.  


The room itself was a standard room but the oversized furniture made the room feel smaller.  As you entered the room, there was a hallway with the the bathroom on the left side and a closet on the right.  The bathroom had standard facilities of a toilet, sink, and bathtub and was a decent size - not too small where it was confined but not large either.  There were nice bathroom toiletries available and an abundance of towels also available (in various sizes as well).  The closet contained a place to hang your clothes as well as a iron and ironing board.  The hallway leads into the main part of the room, where the beds are against one wall and other furniture across from it.  The beds were comfortable and provided a decent nights sleep, and in between the beds was a shared nightstand.  Across from the beds was a chest with the TV on top and drawers on the bottom, and right next to that was the large desk.  In between the bed and the window was a chair and a footstool.  While all the furniture was appreciated, it was too many items and too large of items to fit comfortably in the small room - it made the room feel small and cramped.    

In terms of customer service - there is nothing negative to say but then there is nothing positive to say.  I was not greeted as a Marriott Rewards customer upon check-in and during another instance, we had requested to stay beyond check-out time.  Check-out time is 12pm with late check-out being 2p, and we wanted to check out at 4pm or 6pm and was told that this would cost me 1/2 day rate of the rate I paid for the hotel; Starwood hotels provides a 4pm or later check-out for all its Starwood members so for Marriott to be this stingy is not a good business model.  At the time of the booking and stay I was a Marriott Rewards Elite member and no concessions and no additional service were provided.  Even if I did not have this experience, I still would have rated the customer service as average to poor and needed improvement.  

The hotel is a full-service so there are many facilities for the guests to enjoy.  These include wifi, a fitness center, meeting rooms, restaurants, a pool, a business center, and a shuttle to the airport.  The fitness center was massive and was very nice; the fitness center provided free apples and water which was a nice addition.  The hotel also offers a laundry facility where guests can wash their clothes (although the facility looked a bit dated).  The wifi was complimentary and was of decent speed; fast enough to load videos and check email.  The shuttle is one that is shared with other local hotels and mainly transports guests to and from the airport.  

Overall the Marriott provided a decent room and nice hotel amenities - such as computers and printer services in the lobby, a really nice and expansive fitness center as well as a nice pool area. Some of the negatives include a smaller room - it seemed a bit compact - and not great customer service.  There are many hotels in the area, so given the choice I would not choose to come back to the Marriott as surrounding hotels have equal room size (or bigger) and more importantly better customer service.  

Stay Report: Hilton Paris CDG Airport (Paris, January 2012)

Stay Report: Hilton Paris CDG Airport
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photo courtesy of Hilton

I was going to be transiting in Paris twice, the first for about 1.5 days and second for 14 hours; based on this I was looking for a place near the airport.  I was traveling with someone else and that individual does not like taking buses, so the hotel I choose would have to be connected to the airport and/or train station.  The Hilton Paris CDG Airport fit that criteria as it is connected to the train station by a walkway.  There are two entrances to the hotel – one is on the main street while the other is connected to the Airport Train Station.  From the Airport Train Station, there is an exit with the ‘Hilton’ sign on there and it’s a 2-3 minute walk to the hotel; the walkway is not covered so if it is cold or raining, you get cold or wet.

Booking the hotel is very easy through the Hilton website.  Hilton was having a ‘points blowout sale’ so I used my HHonors points for a free stay for one of my transits.  From the outside, the hotel looks very large and nice.  The walkway from the train station is connected to the hotels parking lot, so you have to walk through the parking lot to the main entrance to enter the building. 

The hotel has an open lobby so the inside feels large and grandiose.  As you enter, on the left side are the check-in desks as well as bellman service.  There is a small waiting area in the middle, and to the right is the restaurant/bar.  Even though there were a lot of guests, check-in was relatively quick and we proceeded towards the elevators. The elevators are located further into the lobby, and the elevators themselves have glass walls so that you can see the lobby as you go towards your room.

photo courtesy of Hilton

The rooms themselves were large Hilton rooms and this is something I was not expecting, as generally the rooms in Europe are smaller but this room was big even by American standards.  As you enter the room, on the right-hand side was the bathroom which was nice and very large.  There were double sinks, a toilet plus bidet, a standing shower (which was very roomy), and a tub.  The bathroom contained PeterThomasRoth toiletries which are very nice.  Across from the bathroom, on the left-hand side, were closets and storage space.

As you continued further into the room, on the right-hand side were the 2 double beds.  The beds

were very large and comfortable and provided a very restful night’s sleep.   There was one night stand in between the two beds.  Across from the beds was a chest with drawers on the bottom and a TV on top as well as a desk.  Other furniture in the room included a couch, located next to the second bed, with a foot stool that faced the window.  The window was very large and provided great views of the runway.  When the curtains were opened, that is when the spectacular-ness of this hotel really shined --- the views were of the active runway so you could see planes taking off all day and all night (you could not hear the planes so it was a comfortable night sleep).

The hotel is a full service hotel so there are many facilities available including a fitness center, which I did not get to try; a restaurant, which I did try and regretted it as it the service was slow, the food was not good, and it was very expensive; and complimentary wifi both in the lobby and in the room.  On the second floor of the hotel there were additional facilities including the business center and meeting rooms.  The meeting rooms can be accessed via stairs in front of the elevator or via the elevator.  The business center contained computers and printers, but hotel charged to print boarding passes.  There is also a crew lounge on the second floor, as apparently many airline staff stay at this hotel.

photo courtesy of Hilton

Even though you can walk from the train station, the hotel does provide a complimentary airport shuttle to the airport.  The shuttle is supposed to be between the hotel and Terminal 2, and pick-up is always at Terminal 2 but if the shuttle driver is nice they will drop you off to whichever terminal you want.

Overall, it was a pleasant stay at the Hilton Paris CDG Airport.  I was looking for a hotel that was close to the airport but was also connected to transportation, and this hotel fit all criteria.  The hotel is nice and comfortable, provides a good sleep, and the windows facing the runway are a great bonus.  The service at the hotel is also good – in between my stays, the hotel kept some of my luggage for me.  If you are looking for a hotel close to the Parisian action, this is not your hotel; however, if you are looking for a hotel close to the airport and with direct access to the train then this a good option.  Note: the hotel is connected to the train by a walkway but there are no restaurants or stores near the hotel.  There is a bus that stops at the train station which takes you to other hotels in the Roissy village, and in that village there are some restaurants and small convenience store/local store.  It’s about a 5-10 minute bus ride.

Stay Report: Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon (Miami - January 2016)

Stay Report: Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon
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I was spending a couple of days in Miami and was looking for a hotel near the airport, and in my search decided to try the Hilton Miami Airport.  Overall, the hotel provides a nice and large facility near the airport with plenty of amenities (including a nice shower).  The hotel is located in an office park, so that there is not that much around it.  That makes it very quiet and provides a lot of space, but makes it difficult to access services without a car.  Like all Miami airport hotels, this hotel also charges for parking (the standard seems to be $17 per day).  There were plenty of spaces as the hotel has a lot of land.

The lobby of the hotel is very large and open - you enter in the sitting area and on right hand side is the check-in desk.  Right next to the desks is a hallway which leads to the elevators and the outside.  The hotel restaurant is located in the lobby as well.  The hallway to the elevators also leads towards the fitness center (which was pretty big) as well as to the large outside area.  As the hotel is connected to a business park, the business park has a walking trail and the hotel is connected to this walking trail.  You can walk around the hotel grounds as well as the business park.  Outside is also where the outdoor pool and jacuzzi are located.

Check-in was efficient and we received our keys and went to our room.  There seems to be a main wing and then two additional wings on each side of the hotel - but only one elevator in the main wing to access all wings.  Our room was located in the second wing so it took a couple of minutes to get from the elevator to our room.  

The room was nicely decorated, modern, and with various spaces for luggage and electrical outlets.  As you entered into the room, on the right was the closet and storage while on the left was the bathroom.  The bathroom had a tub, a full sink and toilet. The tub had a really nice and powerful shower and it was very nice and relaxing.  Right outside the bathroom was a table with the coffee maker.  In the room there were two double beds with a night stand in the middle.  The beds were large and spacious and provided a good night’s sleep.  Across from the bed was a TV with storage underneath.  Right next to the beds on the wall were windows that spanned the width of the wall -- the windows were only from the midpoint up as below the windows was a desk that also went along the entire width of the wall.

As we were spending most of our time exploring Miami, I did not get a chance to explore the hotel amenities - the fitness center, the outdoor pool and jacuzzi, and the restaurant.  The only amenity I did experience was the wifi, which was complimentary and provided good speeds.  Overall, the hotel provided a nice location near the airport, a comfortable room and many amenities to have a relaxing time.  Some airport hotels usually do not provide many amenities, but this hotel provides a lot of amenities across a large property. 

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Paris - CDG Airport (Paris, December 2011)

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Paris - CDG Airport
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photo courtesy of IHG

I had a day layover between two flights so I was looking for a hotel that was near CDG airport and also had access to the train to go into the city.  There were many options that met these criteria, but since I was only going to be there for a little while I did not want to spend a lot.  The Holiday Inn Paris CDG Airport provided nice accommodation in a comfortable setting at a low cost.

It is very easy to book the hotel through the IHG website.  The hotel is located in the Roissy village, which is the town/village located right next to the airport and where most of the hotels are located.  The hotel is not connected to the train station, but there is a free bus that goes from the train station and makes a loop to the surrounding hotels in the area (it runs about every 10-15 minutes).  From the train station to the hotel was about a 5-10 minutes bus ride (the Holiday Inn is part of the later stops).  As the bus runs a loop, you can take the bus from the hotel to the train station but it does take some time so factor this in.  Even though the hotel is located towards the back of the ‘hotel’ village, it is actually closer to the real village so you can walk (about 5-7 minutes) to the village town center to access restaurants, coffee shops, ATM and bank, as well as a convenience store/market. 

From the road, you walk up a nice covered walkway to enter into the hotel.  There are benches on either side of the walkway so it provides a nice place to sit outside and wait for the bus.  As you enter in the hotel, straight ahead is the check-in desks.  To the left of the check-in desks is the restaurant and bar as well as little sitting area.  To the right of the check-in desks is access to the first floor rooms as well as the elevators.  There is also a monitor that provides live information on your flights.  Check-in was quick and efficient, I received my key for my room on the first floor, and proceeded to my room.

The room itself was comfortable, nice and updated, but it was not the biggest room.  I had booked a

photo courtesy of IHG

room with 1 queen bed so as I opened the door, on the left was the entrance to the bathroom while on the right was the closet.  The bathroom was clean but very small; it reminded me of a standard European bathroom.  The bathroom had a toilet, a bidet, a shower, and a sink but it was all right next to each other with very little room to move.  The shower was also very small and tight.  The interesting and nice thing about the hotel was that they had dispensers for shampoo, body wash, and lotion instead of individual, travel-size containers – a nice eco-touch.  The bathroom shared a wall with the main area of the room. 

The main area had a queen size bed against the right-hand wall and across from the bed was a desk along with a chest with drawers on the bottom and TV mounted against the wall.  Next to the bed was a small chair and table that faced the windows – there wasn't much to look at but the curtains were thick so they could block out most of the sun (if you wanted to sleep during the day – again a nice touch since passengers are coming in from all over the world).  The bed was a standard Queen-size bed that you would fine in America and it provided a really comfortable sleep.  (I was surprised at the size of the bed as I was expecting the smaller, European-style beds).  Overall, the room looked and smelled clean and comfortable. 

photo courtesy of IHG

The hotel has many facilities, but since I was there for a short while I did not experience them all.  The hotel has a business center, fitness center, restaurant, bar, wifi, and complimentary shuttle.  I did experience the wifi, which was complimentary and had good speeds.  I was also able to print out my boarding pass from the business center.  As previously stated, I also used the complimentary shuttle which, although took some time, provided good access to the trains and to the city.

Overall, it was a nice stay at the hotel.  The hotel looked modern, the lobby smelled really nice, and the service was really good.  The hotel had access to the bus for transportation (the hotel was in contact with the bus so you could wait inside the warm hotel until the bus alerted the hotel that it was on its way) as well as was in walking distance to the Roissy village to access restaurant, shops, and ATMs.  The only negative was the ‘small-ish’ bathroom and the transportation via bus, but both of those were small negatives as overall it was a pleasant stay.

Stay Report: Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel (February 2017)

Stay Report: Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel
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For our last night in Amsterdam, we decided to stay near the airport as both of us had flights early in the morning the next day.  We had a choice between either staying in the city and  getting up early to leave for the airport, or stay near the airport and get some additional sleep - we choose the later.  Our plan was to leave our luggage in our hotel located in the city, go sightseeing, and then head to the airport hotel that night.

There are many hotels near Amsterdam Schipol airport - many are near the airport but there are three that are connected to the airport: the Hilton, the Sheraton, and the Mercure.  According to the reviews, the Sheraton is the one that is most centrally connected to the terminal (2-3 minute walk); the Mercure is located after security in the transit area (so has a lot of restrictions); and the Hilton is located a bit further from the terminal (5-10 minute).  Based on the reviews and information, we decided to book the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport hotel.

We had taken the bus directly from the city center to the airport.  The bus drops you off at Plaza Park 2 and from there you enter into the departures area.  You can see the Sheraton from Plaza Park 2, but the entrance is through the departures zone.  From the departures zone, you take a travellator that connects you to a bridge.  The bridge ultimate leads to a parking garage, but in the middle of the bridge is the entrance to the Sheraton.

You enter into the lobby area which has a nice open atrium with lots of windows and makes the place look very big.  As soon as you enter the lobby, on your left is the ‘business center’ with computer access (which is extremely slow) and some couches.  Further ahead in the lobby are the check-in desks.  Check-in was smooth and quick and we received our key to the room.  We were on the 6^th floor and the elevators were located opposite to the check-in desk.  In between the elevators and the check-in desk was the fitness center as well as the SPG check-in desk.  We took the elevators to our room.

The 6^th floor is an SPG floor which meant that one side had access to the SPG lounge while the other side did not.  Both sides had access to refreshment area which included free coffee.   We went to our room which was overlooking the atrium.

As you entered into the room, on your left was the entrance to the bathroom and on the right were the closets.  The closets contained an iron, an ironing board and a safe.  Even though the bathroom was pretty big, with a nice tub and long sink, the shower were pretty small comparatively.  The bathroom also contained nice Sheraton toiletries.  Further ahead in the room, on the left hand side were the two beds which were situated near each other.  Next to each bed was a nightstand.  The beds themselves were very comfortable and provided a really nice sleep.

Across from the bed was a chest with drawers on the bottom and the TV on top.  The chest also contained a fridge and the minibar. Between the bed and the window was a chair.  Overall the room size was very generous, and felt more like an American-size room versus the smaller European-size room.

The hotel had two restaurants, one on the bottom floor and one next to the lobby.  There was also a fitness center, which again was very large and provided a lot of nice equipment.  As an SPG member, free wifi was included but it was generally slow and always asked for the login.

Overall, it was a nice stay at the hotel.  The location was very good as the hotel is connected to the departure zone through a walkway, so it’s a 2-3 minute walk from the hotel to the departure zone.   The room size and bathroom size were also nice.  Negatives included slow in-room access and slow internet access in the business center.

Stay Report: Courtyard Chicago O'Hare

Stay Report: Courtyard Chicago O'Hare
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was stuck at O’Hare International Airport overnight and the next morning – so I could either sleep in the airport or find a hotel nearby.  When I have been stuck at airports before due to weather, the hotels around the airport usually have inflated prices, but I was surprised to see that the hotels around O’Hare were decent.  I looked around and the Courtyard O’Hare Airport was having a sale so I decided to stay there.  Courtyards are known to be decent hotels with good service, so I booked a king-bed room for one night.  The hotel provides complimentary airport shuttle, and luckily the shuttle was waiting when I arrived.  The shuttle provides services to and from the airport as well as to any services – restaurants, stores - that are on the to the airport.  It was a quick drive from the airport to the hotel. 

The hotel is located next to a block of hotels, and is right next door to the Hilton Garden Inn (some other drivers would get confused as both hotel entrances are right next to each other).   The hotel itself is built like a standard Courtyard.  As you enter into the hotel, there is restaurant and bar on your left hand side while the check-in counters and ‘the market’ are to your right.  In front is the business center – two computers plus a printer – as well as computer station to print out boarding passes.  There is additional seating, tables and patio that leads to the pool.  The hotel also offers a fitness center.  Check-in was easy and I proceeded to my room.  The elevator to the rooms was a bit confusing – I went past the check-in desk and towards the rooms on the 1^st floor and about a-quarter down the hallway was the elevator that took to my 5^th floor room.  It was an odd layout.   While the lobby looked updated and modern, the hallways and the room itself looked a bit dated. 

I entered my key and opened my room and first impression was that the room was smaller than other Courtyards I have been too – it was comparable to a New York City hotel room that are compact.  When you entered into the room, there was a bathroom on the left and an entry way that led to the main room.   The bathroom was divided with the sink on one side and across was a closet, with a doorway in the middle that led to the toilet and bathtub.  While everything was decent, the look and feel of the room felt dated.

On the other side of the closet was the bedroom.  As you stepped into the bedroom, on the left was the king-size bed with two nightstands on each side.  The main bed was supposed to be a king but did not feel as big as a king, felt more like a bigger queen-size bed.  The space of the room was small on the other side of the bed there was only room for the nightstand between the bed and the wall.  On the side of the wall where you entered, diagonal from the bed, was the TV stand with drawers underneath and a connected desk.   On the other side of the wall, across from the desk, was a sofa with a table in front.  This sofa pulled out into a sofabed.  Overall, the bed was comfortable enough for one night but the room felt compact. 

As I was there for one night, I did not get to try any of the hotel amenities except for the wifi.  The hotel offered free wifi which was strong and able to stream videos without disruption.  You could also sign into multiple devices without charge or disruption to the speed.  This was a very nice feature of the hotel.   

Overall positives include access to the shuttle, amenities included free wifi and fitness center, while negatives included dated hotel and compact room.