Country Inn and Suites, Middletown, WI

Country Inn and Suites, Middleton, WI

Written by Carol Cain on 18 August 2009

After having left Billings, MT and still on a high from our hotel experience there, we headed out to North Dakota. Like I said in my previous post, everyone warned me that it wasn’t much to look at, but after accidently finding the Badlands there, I thought that maybe they were wrong.

Then we arrived to Fargo, ND…and in Fargo the worst hotel, if you can even call it that, ever. Ok, well not ever. I once stayed in a really, really horrible hotel in Miami, FL…but I digress…

I had been so busy doing other things that I delegated the hotel reservation duty to my husband. Like a true man, he went online, choose options based on price, after all no need to indulge, it was only one night, and he read reviews online. You know, all very practical-like.

What we ended up with was a Super 8 in Fargo, ND. A far, far cry from our wonderland suite at the Country Inn and Suites in Billings, MT the night before. As I walked in, I wanted to walk out. It was gross, gross, gross. And, like I have said before, the first impression in a hotel is everything. No one greeted us, it smell horrid, maybe a bit of cigarette, with a bit of mildew…I don’t know, awful and dirty. Even the kids were down. My poor husband felt so bad, he tried everything to improve my mood. But no dice. I was miserable. We left it at 4AM the next, I couldn’t stand it.

We made our way to Madison, WI. I was tired and irritable. A bad night, at a crappy hotel, in an uninteresting town will do that to a person…especially a hotel snob like me.

As we drove into WI, I began to see the beautiful green cornfields and huge farm houses I so loved when we drove along the countryside there. We even stopped at a peach farm and purchased some fresh, organic peaches, still warm from the sun that had been bathing the tree they were pick from. I was starting to feel better.

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Then we arrived to Middleton, in West Madison, WI, where our next *two free nights were waiting for us, courtesy of Country Inn and Suites. The location was wonderful. About 15 minutes from Downtown Madison from off the Belt Line nearby, it was still secluded enough to give you a sense of relaxation and privacy. However, it was also proximity to Greenway Station made accessing trendy shops, restaurants, cafes, and more very, very convenient. We had already taken advantage of their Streams and Shores road trip itinerary this time around, because we had already in our previous visit to Madison.

The lobby, as I began to learn from my previous experiences with them, was welcoming and warm. We went to our room and again, I was left speechless. Bright, and big. Clean and fresh. The kids immediately kicked off their shoes and threw themselves on the sleeper couch, turning on the flat screen t.v. to their favorite cartoon station.

And then I saw it, right there, on the dining table for 4, was a beautiful gift basket of cheeses, crackers, chocolates, and jam, a $25 Gift Certificate to the family restaurant across the street called Quaker Steak and Lube, and a 6-pack of Rustic Ale from Capital Brewery waiting for us. Before I could say anything my husband came up to me and kissed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” he said before grabbing a bottle of beer and grabbing a seat in the dinning room area with the kids.

The Welcome gift basket was left for us by the very gracious and very friendly General Manager, Rob, whom I met and thanked…and encouraged to take his family on a camping vacation of his own.

I toured the hotel. The pool is beautiful. We didn’t get chance to get in it this time around, but I swear, it was so inviting! And the eating area, for morning breakfast which comes with the room, was also very bright (we had breakfast there both mornings we were there and it was such a convenience).

I know the gift basket was added to our personal experience, but I even without it, I know we would’ve enjoyed our stay there as much as we did. The estimated cost for a room our size (1 bedroon King size suite) was about $110. For a family of 5 like ours, it was perfect. The little ones slept on the pull out couch, my 11 year old slept on a rollaway bed provided to us, free of charge, and which comfortable fit in the room without being an obstacle, and my husband and I slept in our wonderful king size bed, but not before cuddling up in front of our t.v. while the kids slept and loving every second of awesomeness. The hotel snob in me couldn’t have been more pleased.

So my advice: When trying to balance value, conservative spending, comfort, and a positive hotel experience during your travels for your family, don’t assume that “cheap” is better. I say stay away, far, far away from the likes of those Super 8 Motels, it is not only incredibly disgusting, but can also ruin your lodging experience and memories of the town. I encourage you, my traveling friends, to embrace the “hotel snob” in you and never compromise quality and comfort, over a cheap deal.

Country Inn and Suites was really great for us. We found rooms that fit our large family, we had privacy and the staff was helpful and courteous. We seemed to be the only patrons with small children we saw at either hotel we stayed at, but yet the patrons were welcoming and warm to our family as well.

I loved how clean everything was, and how fresh everything smelled. I loved the service and amenities, including the complimentary breakfast and Internet. My husband appreciated the proximity to shops and stores. The kids enjoyed the pool, having their own television, and the free cookies in the lobby.

Now home, my family and I are thinking about our next road trip adventure (coming soon) and we want to know:

What’s your idea of the best last-minute vacation?

*Disclosure: For the purpose of review I received a two free night stay in Middleton, WI from Country Inn and Suites for my family during our stay there. Though we are grateful for the hospitality and courtesy extended to us I affirm that it has in no way compromised the honesty of my review, and we hope that our experiences will help other families traveling and looking for a positive, comfortable hotel experience.