The 2020 Hotel Evaluation

This will be the third year I'm giving Warren a night in a hotel for his birthday gift. And the best thing is -- HE REMEMBERS IT, and talks about it, and is looking forward to it.

WHO DOESN'T LOVE A NICE HOTEL?

Last year, we had TWO televisions!

This year, I decided to get him even more involved in his own Birthday adventure....

So, Warren gets to choose his birthday hotel. In November -- we started to tour local hotels. We have A LOT OF NEW hotels in this area -- and it's been fun.

Here's how it works...

Lilly helped Warren come up with some "criteria"....then she made a spreadsheet. It takes up two pages in her journal notebook.

When we go into a hotel, we approach the desk -- and Lilly gets out her notebook. She and Warren take turns asking questions...and she writes down the answers.

Their questions are:

1. Do you have a swimming pool?
2. How deep is it?
3. How late is the pool open?
4. How much is a room for one night?
5. Is breakfast included?
6. Do you have waffles? Fresh fruit?
7. Could we see the room?
8. Could we see the swimming pool?

On our way out, the kids assess the lobby. It's funny to see how interested they are in having a nice lobby. Sometimes, we stop to play a game of Bananagrams or LRC in the hotel lobby...

Most of the time, the hotel clerks act like they are getting a kick out of the kids asking all these questions. Lilly and Warren both take this evaluation job very seriously. For example, they both loved My Place (new in town), but it's a residential hotel, with no pool and no free breakfast.

I thought the Courtyard by Marriott would be a contender (Warren LOVED their lobby) -- but the clerk wouldn't let the kids see the pool area.... On the way out to the car, Lilly said, "we're crossing them off. That guy was actually rude to us."

They Loved the "Current" hotel downtown. It's a boutique hotel, with a rooftop bar...but the swimming pool was tiny...and the room was $150+...

The Hampton Inn was the clear front runner...$109 rate/free breakfast/6' deep pool, open until 10..

Breakfast is their FAVORITE MEAL...

But, then -- we went to the Steeplegate Inn!! An older hotel, locally owned, with great yelp reviews. The pool is only 5' deep, but it's in a huge recreation area (with a pool table -- which NO OTHER HOTEL had). AND -- we could get a room that opened up to the swimming pool!! Youza...

Also, there's a restaurant in the hotel...which we sampled. And Warren declared their cheese curds "better than HyVee's".

So, folks -- WE HAVE A WINNER..!!  Tonight's the night...wish me luck...