After checking out of the Austin Crowne Plaza, I hoped I'd find my luck improved at a different hotel. I checked into the Austin Town Lake Holiday Inn in Austin Texas, an interesting property with a round tower on the bank of Lady Bird Johnson Lake. I was offered a choice of an executive room or a room with a view of the lake. I decided on the room with a view, (mostly because it was on the side of the hotel away from the expressway) and I must admit the view was lovely at sunset. This hotel is an older property, but I can’t complain about it. It was quiet, clean, and comfortable.
I think I’ve mentioned before that I often choose to eat in the hotel bar when I’m on the road. It’s usually quicker, and more than likely has the same menu offered in the restaurant. It’s also a fun way to hear “traveler tales” from other road warriors who’ve had a little too much if you know what I mean. I’ve heard some wild stories, and while I’m sure that 98 percent of them are seriously embellished or completely fabricated, it certainly beats watching reruns of Desperate Housewives on TV. Plus, most bartenders are pretty good conversationalists which makes dinner time a little more interesting for those of us traveling alone. And I can get a pomegranate martini.
This time I ordered an appetizer - chicken strips. Down at the end of the bar were a couple of guys that had been talking to the bartender about being in town for a video game software developer’s conference. They looked like kids. Or maybe I just felt old? Anyway, when my plate arrived, I wondered if I had mistakenly ordered the Colonel’s family sized bucket of chicken with all the fixins. It was huge! I commented to the bartender that I thought I had been given the party platter, and said I’d be happy to share if anyone else at the bar would like some.
Video game software developers have good appetites.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
No jewels in this Crowne
I should have picked up on the first clue.
After I checked in to the Crowne Plaza in Austin, Texas I went to the elevator and my key wouldn't work in the executive floor key reader on the elevator. I went back to the front desk and the clerk told me that the middle elevator was always a little weird, and I should use one of the other two. I pushed the button, and the middle elevator door opened. I pushed the button again. No other elevator responded. It was starting to remind me of a Twilight Zone episode I saw once. I finally took the service elevator. The service elevator magically stopped on every floor.
My room on the executive floor was the very last room at the end of the hall. I think it had previously been a closet.
I was actually stunned when I walked in the room. The ceiling was low. The room was almost entirely filled with the king-sized bed, which was actually pushed up to the wall. I don't know how the housekeepers were able to make it up. The nightstand was in the only possible location in the room and was about two feet from the bed. I tried to make the best of it, I really did. But I was supposed to stay three nights at this hotel. I decided it was going to be unacceptable when I realized I was going to have to get out of bed to turn off the lamp or turn off the alarm. The whole experience reminded me of the pictures in my childhood storybook of Alice in Wonderland. When Alice ate the cake she grew so large she had to bend over to stand up in the room. Weird stuff in that book.
I plugged in my laptop at the desk to use the free hotel internet. The signal was so low the internet was virtually nonexistent. I looked at other available wireless networks in the area, and discovered that the hotel next door had a pretty good connection.
I looked for another outlet to charge my blackberry and ended up having to charge it in the bathroom. My cell phone just had to wait its turn. I'm just glad I didn't have to wait in that line.
I decided to stay the night, then checked out the next morning and went to another hotel. If I wanted to stay in a rabbit hole I would've invited Alice.
After I checked in to the Crowne Plaza in Austin, Texas I went to the elevator and my key wouldn't work in the executive floor key reader on the elevator. I went back to the front desk and the clerk told me that the middle elevator was always a little weird, and I should use one of the other two. I pushed the button, and the middle elevator door opened. I pushed the button again. No other elevator responded. It was starting to remind me of a Twilight Zone episode I saw once. I finally took the service elevator. The service elevator magically stopped on every floor.
My room on the executive floor was the very last room at the end of the hall. I think it had previously been a closet.
I was actually stunned when I walked in the room. The ceiling was low. The room was almost entirely filled with the king-sized bed, which was actually pushed up to the wall. I don't know how the housekeepers were able to make it up. The nightstand was in the only possible location in the room and was about two feet from the bed. I tried to make the best of it, I really did. But I was supposed to stay three nights at this hotel. I decided it was going to be unacceptable when I realized I was going to have to get out of bed to turn off the lamp or turn off the alarm. The whole experience reminded me of the pictures in my childhood storybook of Alice in Wonderland. When Alice ate the cake she grew so large she had to bend over to stand up in the room. Weird stuff in that book.
I plugged in my laptop at the desk to use the free hotel internet. The signal was so low the internet was virtually nonexistent. I looked at other available wireless networks in the area, and discovered that the hotel next door had a pretty good connection.
I looked for another outlet to charge my blackberry and ended up having to charge it in the bathroom. My cell phone just had to wait its turn. I'm just glad I didn't have to wait in that line.
I decided to stay the night, then checked out the next morning and went to another hotel. If I wanted to stay in a rabbit hole I would've invited Alice.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Room with a view
The Holiday Inn Express in Wichita Falls Texas is a lovely, relatively new hotel on the outskirts of town. It was a bit challenging to find at first because of the highway construction. In order to get to it I had to drive through the gas station and around the Sonic Drive-In. After the first time finding my way in though it was no problem.
One side of the hotel overlooks a little man-made lake. I bet there is a nice view. I wouldn't know because I wasn't on that side of the hotel. I wonder what you have to do to get one of those rooms? I'm a Platinum priority member, I booked an executive suite - and I didn't get a room with a view. I got a room with a lovely view of the highway construction, complete with sound effects. But, the heavy machinery didn't bother me too much because the fan worked well in the room.
I also discovered that I wished I was better skilled at TV channel-surfing. The hotel had HD TV, but I couldn't find the HD channels. It turns out that I had to channel down on the remote control in order to find them. I never thought about channeling down from zero. It would have been nice to know that. Maybe the hotel could give a hint or two in their hotel guide. They could call it "Remote Control for Dummies."
Speaking of control... the toilet seat in the bathroom slid over when I sat down. Now I know that this isn't a big deal, but it was a little disconcerting.
Oh, and one last thing. This hotel had a surprising number of active military personnel staying there. Word must have spread that if you had to go TDY to the local air force base, it was a quality hotel with quiet rooms. And, I hope that the servicemen and women were warmly welcomed and given the very best rooms with a nice view of the lake.
One side of the hotel overlooks a little man-made lake. I bet there is a nice view. I wouldn't know because I wasn't on that side of the hotel. I wonder what you have to do to get one of those rooms? I'm a Platinum priority member, I booked an executive suite - and I didn't get a room with a view. I got a room with a lovely view of the highway construction, complete with sound effects. But, the heavy machinery didn't bother me too much because the fan worked well in the room.
I also discovered that I wished I was better skilled at TV channel-surfing. The hotel had HD TV, but I couldn't find the HD channels. It turns out that I had to channel down on the remote control in order to find them. I never thought about channeling down from zero. It would have been nice to know that. Maybe the hotel could give a hint or two in their hotel guide. They could call it "Remote Control for Dummies."
Speaking of control... the toilet seat in the bathroom slid over when I sat down. Now I know that this isn't a big deal, but it was a little disconcerting.
Oh, and one last thing. This hotel had a surprising number of active military personnel staying there. Word must have spread that if you had to go TDY to the local air force base, it was a quality hotel with quiet rooms. And, I hope that the servicemen and women were warmly welcomed and given the very best rooms with a nice view of the lake.
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