Tale of Two Completely Different Visits
On
one hand, we have an oasis in the middle of the desert. On the
other...well, it’s less so much an oasis and much more a dump. How can
this be? Well, follow along for the story of the good and bad of the Quality
Inn in Barstow, CA.
Why stay in Barstow and why at this motel?
When
traveling through the desert, usually for business, I look forward to a shower
and rest. A glass of wine doesn’t hurt either. That said, why would
I choose dry, windy Barstow?
Barstow
is the only in-between spot to stay when traveling to Arizona from our home in
Northern California. It is also the only town for over a hundred miles—if
staying on highway 40—with a Starbucks. Gotta have my afternoon
mochas. In addition, lodging choices are slim in this part of California.
Finding a clean, quiet hotel/motel is difficult.
Lastly,
we stay at this particular Quality Inn because our rooms in the past have been
adequate and the free breakfast exemplary—a proper breakfast.
Sleepless in Barstow
With
our three coffee and restroom stops, our driving time was just over seven hours
when we pulled up to the Quality Inn. I was exhausted and couldn’t wait
to get into our cozy room. The receptionist was bright and cheery,
as usual, while selecting a ground-floor room around the back of the motel
facing the parking lot for us. This typically is not an issue for us since we
are not there for the view. Our focus is on showering and sleeping.
Thankfully, the shower worked and I had plenty of hot water.
The
room itself was your typical roadside motel, complete with a comfortable bed,
desk, drawers, television, and small bathroom. However, everything
in this room seemed old, tired, and perfumed. The deodorizer used when
cleaning the room was overpowering. Still, I wasn’t disappointed. I
just wanted my glass of wine and our deli dinner we brought from home.
There is no way I wanted to leave this room after driving all day.
This
part of the evening went well, since all I wanted to do was munch, sip and
watch HGTV. Perfect. It wasn’t until we decided to slip into bed
that it all went south. We hadn’t paid much attention when we walked to
our room, but we were directly next to a walkway leading to the onsite
restaurant. This restaurant also has a bar. Sigh. Consequently,
loud arguments,
conversations and vehicles coming and going interrupted what should have been a
restful sleep.
Avoid
this area of this motel!
Play it again... only quieter
With
our business finished in Arizona, we had to rush home for our next client.
Thus, we had no choice but to duplicate our previous driving trip—Barstow
again. However, knowing how noisy the front end of the motel can be, I
requested something in the back stating how little sleep we had with our last
visit. Typically, at this point in a conversation with a lodging
receptionist, she would mention an upgrade or some sort of compensation,
especially since we have stayed here several times. But no. There
was only an apology and hope for a more pleasant evening this time around.
Uh... Okay, I sincerely hope so too.
The
room was nearly the same, only less tired and old. It didn’t seem as
perfumed either. The best part of this room choice was the silence.
It was quiet and less traveled. We heard nothing and had the best sleep
of the previous three days. Priceless.
A hot breakfast, please.
In
my opinion, the best part of staying in this Quality Inn is the hot breakfast.
The onsite restaurant offers Quality Inn guests free breakfast. The
choices are limited but excellent. My favorite is the two eggs any
style, with sausage or bacon and hash browns. There is also fruit,
yogurt, and cereal or pancakes. Beginning another long day of driving is
even better with a full belly.
Will I stay again?
I
hope to be able to take a different route for my next trip. If not, I
will try Quality Inn Historic 66 Barstow again. I now know what to avoid,
so I should be able to get a good night’s sleep.
Motel Review:
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