Hampton Inn Digital Key

We like staying at Hampton Inn when we travel. It started a very long time ago whenever we took road trips across the US. A couple of years ago I got the Hilton Honors app and use it to book rooms on the day we are traveling to whatever destination seems feasible. I never used the digital key because it wasn't available at all sites and I didn't want to bother. So this time I thought we would give it a try. When you book your room you then have the option to confirm your reservation and select the room you prefer if you don't like the room they pick for you based on your preferences. After that, it asks if you want a digital key. That means you can walk right to your room number without having to stop at the front desk. Then you hold up your smartphone to the door knob where you would normally swipe your entry card, press a button, and the door opens. It worked really well, and then you have the option to change the name of the room number for security and safety issues. I always like to try all new digital gadgets and such so now I can add this to our list. Hopefully it will continue to work well. What they didn't have this time was chocolate chip cookies! We arrived a bit too late and they were all gone. 

Hampton Inns Are Our Favorite

IWe have been using Hampton Inns for over thirty years. I'm not sure how or why we started to go there, but once we did, we just liked them. They were reasonably priced, clean, and available. When we decided to take a two week road trip to California and back this month, I downloaded the Hilton Honors app because I knew I would be needing it every day to book a room in advance. After the first day it became obvious that every one else was traveling at this time and things were filling up quickly, and the app made it a lot easier to manage the details. Aside from that, I would start to accumulate honors points that might one day turn in to a free night's stay. Needless to say, all the locations and Inns we stayed in were really nice, with the exception of one. It was in Flagstaff Arizona. We actually prefer to stay outside of a major city to avoid all the hassles of driving in to a mess.  But aside from that, this particular inn was really run down. We were in a "basement" room, with a very old heating system, and it felt overall really yucky. I decided to comment about it since all the other places were so nice. Unexpectedly, we received an email from Brian, who apologized for the room and offered a full refund, which we accepted. This isn't the reason we like Hampton Inn, but we now like it even more. Thanks Brian for your attention to our feedback.

Hampton Inn Exercise Room

We always stay at Hampton Inns when we travel. And that was the case on a recent trip to Wisconson. We oftentimes travel the entire distance in one day - 800 miles in 14 hours - on the way back. We don't particularly care to stay in motels. We can't sleep in them, but we love the drive. Since I retired, we've been walking about three miles every morning, doing a half hour of exercise, and also twenty minutes of stationary bicycling. But when we aren't at home, something gives and we just don't keep up with this routine. I always used to wonder why people had to have an exercise room while traveling. Now I get it, but still prefer the open road for walking. So when we stopped in LaPorte Indiana, we headed right to the exercise room. Since we are not familiar with either the equipment or the "room" we don't use it correctly. I didn't realize the air conditioning wasn't on until after we were done - it was just hot! And the equipment needs to be set up to your liking. But we are learning. At least I had the right shoes on for it. Neither one of us lasted as long as we liked. And I was glad no one else was in the room with us. Now that we are back home, we are trying to reestablish our routine, but it's taking awhile in the 90 plus degree heat. One of these days we may just walk in the Library of Congress air conditioning rather than outside. In Wisconsin it was the ice and snow; here it is the heat and humidity. The exercise room is taking on a whole new meaning. 

A Hampton Inn Renovation In Process

We have been traveling since last Friday. It's been awhile since we took a road trip in summer. The traffic is heavier and the hotels are full. I tried to book a Hampton Inn several hours before the arrival time but it was full! So I looked for the next city and tried again. There was a warming that renovation was in process. We didn't want to take any chances so we made a reservation in Wilson, North Carolina. When we arrived there they told us there was no cable. Okay. The room looked like it had just been completed that day. It smelled new and was set up for the twenty first century with charging stations everywhere, sliding shower doors, sleek lighting fixtures, and pull out shelves. The chaise was nice but my husband didn't care for the green cover. It was comfortable as rooms like these go. Unfortunately this morning the Internet wasn't working either. We didn't get a discount for the missing services, but we didn't inquire either. It didn't bother us too much, but I'm glad we didn't have any kids to think about. Since we were traveling for an emergency this is not the time of year I would choose either. We are anxious to get back home today. There's nothing like it. Let's hope our cable and Internet are working. 

 

Hampton Inn and Thunderstorms

We always stay at Hamption Inn whenever we take road trips, which has been more frequent lately. We usually don't travel during summer months because of the traffic and overall vacation congestion. But at least now it is easier to book reservations ahead of time to ensure getting a room. A very long time ago we experienced a situation that was impossible to find a room and never want to go through that again. As luck would have it, the typical summer rain storms came just at the time we reached our destination. Everyone pulled off and headed for this Hampton Inn. The line was so long we decided to have dinner and come back. When we returned an hour later the rain had stopped and our room was ready. And there was no line. Too bad our final destination requires at least one overnight. But it beats flying as long as we enjoy the ride.