Baltimore's BEST Inner Harbor Hotel? (La Quinta Inn & Suites Review!)
Alright, buckle up, buttercups! Because we're diving HEADFIRST into the murky, magnificent waters of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor hotel scene. And guess what? We're not just sampling the La Quinta Inn & Suites – we’re living it. Forget perfectly polished travel blogs – this is the raw, unfiltered truth, complete with my own personal baggage (metaphorically speaking, though I did spill coffee on one of the towels).
La Quinta Baltimore Inner Harbor: The Good, The Bad, and the Totally Unexpected
Let's be real, finding a good hotel in Baltimore can feel like navigating a crab pot. You're hoping for a juicy prize, but you might end up with a tangled mess of clawing disappointments. But hey, La Quinta? They really tried to make it feel like you were staying somewhere nice.
First, the Essentials (and the Accessibility Buzz):
Accessibility: Okay, let's get the serious stuff out of the way first. The La Quinta prides itself on accessibility. I'm not in a wheelchair, but I did see ramps, elevators, and what appeared to be accessible rooms with wider doorways. Look, they ticked the boxes. Good on ya, La Quinta. They've got you covered. Even if you forget a thing, like a phone charger, and ask the front desk, it's no big deal.
Wheelchair Accessible?: Yes! It's a win.
Internet (Bless the Wi-Fi Gods!): Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! THANK YOU, sweet baby Jesus of reliable internet! Seriously, I’ve been burned by hotel Wi-Fi far too many times. This was actually…decent. I could stream, work, harass my ex on Facebook without too much lag. A win.
Internet Services (the LAN life): I didn’t see a LAN, which is fine by me. Wireless is the way!
Internet (Wi-Fi in Public Areas): Yes. Same deal. Very easy to access.
Rooms That Didn't Suck (Mostly):
- Available in all rooms! This is a big one, right? It's got air conditioning, what more do you want?
- Air Conditioning: Essential, especially in Baltimore in the summer. It worked. No complaints (except when I was trying to sleep).
- Alarm Clock: Yep. Beep beep. Or, you know, use your phone.
- Bathrobes: Ah, the luxury of a bathrobe. (Did NOT use it. I’m more of a "towel-only" kind of person.)
- Bathroom Phone: Why? Do people call from their bathrooms? Baffling!
- Bathtub: Nice. Used it. Relaxed.
- Blackout Curtains: A GODSEND. Baltimore has some amazing sunrises. Also some pesky city lights. These curtains saved me!
- Carpeting: Meh. Carpeting is carpeting.
- Closet: Adequate.
- Coffee/Tea Maker: Yes! Needed that morning caffeine fix.
- Complimentary Tea: Nice touch. But let's be real, the coffee was the star.
- Daily Housekeeping: They did a good job!
- Desk: Worked. Did some work. Hated it.
- Extra Long Bed: I’m tall. I appreciated this.
- Free Bottled Water: Always welcome, especially after a night of, ahem, "exploring" the harbor.
- Hair Dryer: There.
- High Floor: I found a higher floor!
- In-room Safe Box: There for the valuables.
- Interconnecting Room(s) Available: Good for bigger groups.
- Internet Access – LAN: Nope, not here, and again, not a complaint
- Internet Access – Wireless: YES!
- Ironing Facilities: Did not iron anything, which is a telltale sign of a true vacation
- Laptop Workspace: The desk.
- Linens: Clean and comfortable.
- Mini Bar: Nope. Didn’t miss it.
- Mirror: Essential for pre-adventure selfies.
- Non-smoking: THANK GOD. I HATE the smell of smoke.
- On-demand Movies: Didn't bother. Baltimore has too much fun to have.
- Private Bathroom: Yes.
- Reading Light: Yup.
- Refrigerator: Useful for storing…leftovers.
- Safety/Security Feature: Hopefully, they were working!
- Satellite/Cable Channels: Too many channels. Lost.
- Scale: Nope. Glad.
- Seating Area: A few chairs.
- Separate Shower/Bathtub: Nice for soaking
- Shower: See above.
- Slippers: Nope.
- Smoke Detector: Yep. Good.
- Socket near the bed: Crucial for phone charging.
- Sofa: A nice plus. Needed a nap space.
- Soundproofing: Needed!
- Telephone: Why?
- Toiletries: Generic.
- Towels: Clean and plentiful.
- Umbrella: Hey, Baltimore.
- Visual Alarm: Good to know.
- Wake-up Service: Or just set an alarm.
- Wi-Fi [free]: See above. A MUST.
- Window that opens: Nope.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (The Belly’s Perspective):
- Breakfast [Buffet]: It was a standard continental breakfast. Cereals, pastries, fruit, waffles. Edible. Didn't wow me, but it filled the hole.
- Alternative meal arrangement: Unsure.
- Asian breakfast: Unsure.
- Bar: Nope.
- Bottle of water: Supplied.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yes.
- Coffee shop: Nope.
- Desserts in restaurant: Unsure.
- Happy hour: Unsure.
- International cuisine in restaurant: Unsure.
- Poolside bar: Nope
- Restaurants: Nope on-site. But, hey, its Baltimore's INNER HARBOR. You will be spoiled for choice.
- Room service [24-hour]: Nope.
- Salad in restaurant: Unsure.
- Snack bar: Nope.
- Soup in restaurant: Unsure.
- Vegetarian restaurant: Unsure.
- Western breakfast: Buffet.
Things to Do (and Ways to Relax – Mostly Fail):
- Fitness center: Yes. Went once. Felt guilty.
- Gym/fitness: Same as above.
- Pool with view: Yes.
- Swimming pool: Yay! Took a dip. Refreshing.
- Sauna: Nope.
- Spa/sauna: Nope.
- Steamroom: Nope.
Cleanliness and Safety (Because, you know…):
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Hopefully
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Seemed like it.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: Definitely.
- Hygiene certification: Unsure.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Maybe.
- Safe dining setup: See above.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Possibly.
Services and Conveniences (The Stuff You Need or Forget You Need):
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes.
- Business facilities: Nope.
- Cash withdrawal: Nope.
- Concierge: Nope.
- Contactless check-in/out: Yes.
- Convenience store: Nope.
- Currency exchange: No.
- Daily housekeeping: Yes.
- Doorman: Nope.
- Dry cleaning: Unsure.
- Elevator: Yep.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Yes.
- Food delivery: Yes.
- Gift/souvenir shop: Nope.
- Invoice provided: Unsure.
- Ironing service: Nope.
- Laundry service: Unsure.
- Luggage storage: Yes.
- Meeting/banquet facilities: Unsure.
- Meetings: Unsure.
- On-site event hosting: Unsure.
- **Safety deposit
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because we're about to dive headfirst into my Baltimore adventure, centered around that… ahem… charming La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Inner Harbor Downtown. Let’s just say, my expectations were… fluid.
Day 1: Arrival and the Inner Harbor Shuffle (aka, Mild Panic)
- 1:00 PM: Touchdown at BWI! Okay, so far so good. Flight was… a flight. You know. The usual. Got my bags (surprisingly quickly, praise the travel gods!), and now, the UBER quest. Always a gamble. Was praying for a clean car, a chatty driver with insider tips, and… bam! A beat-up Honda with a driver who looked perpetually confused. He did know where the La Quinta was, though. Progress!
- 2:30 PM: Checked in to the La Quinta. Okay, the lobby was… beige. Very beige. Like, designed by someone who'd never seen color. The guy at the front desk was nice enough, though, bless his heart. He seemed slightly traumatized by my luggage (two giant monstrosities, no shame). Room? It was… a room. Clean enough, I guess. Bed looked inviting, which was the main criteria at this point.
- 3:30 PM: Unpacked (ish). Okay, let's be honest, more like "threw everything vaguely near a surface." I was starving. First priority: food. Inner Harbor was the obvious choice, despite the… touristy reputation.
- 4:00 PM: The Inner Harbor. Okay, here we go. Initial reaction? Overwhelming. So many people! So many boats! So many… seagulls plotting world domination. Seriously, they were eyeing my French fries like they were gold.
- 4:30 PM: Found a place to eat! Had some crab cakes. They were good! But I'm pretty sure I'm still paying for them. Everything in this town is expensive. Took a few photos, but my battery did not cooperate!
- 6:00 PM: Wandering around. Got lost. Twice. The Inner Harbor is deceptively large. Almost stepped in pigeon poop. My shoes are probably doomed.
- 7:00 PM: Tried to find the National Aquarium, but failed. My internal compass is clearly broken.
- 7:30 PM: Decided to just give up and get take-out. Back to the La Quinta. Honestly, the thought of my bed was intoxicating.
- 8:00 PM: In my room. Ate my takeaway. Watched some terrible TV. Felt a profound sense of exhaustion and contentment. This is the life.
Day 2: History, Hysteria, and a Deep Dive into Crab Cakes
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the La Quinta. The breakfast… it was free. Let's just say, expectations were met. The scrambled eggs tasted suspiciously of… something. I opted for the fruit salad. Or, what resembled fruit salad.
- 10:00 AM: The Historic Ships in Baltimore! This was supposed to be educational. It was. I learned I get seasick easily. The USS Torsk? Cool ship, terrible for my stomach. The Constellation? Beautiful. I could feel the history. The wind. The… nausea.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch. The Crab Cake Crisis of 2024. Seriously. I had to find the perfect crab cake. Yelp reviews are a double-edged sword, I swear. Found a local place, "Faidley Seafood" at Lexington Market where I had heard they had a great crab cake. The place was a zoo. Seriously chaotic. But the crab cake…. it was legendary. I could have eaten five. Maybe six. The pure, unadulterated joy that crab cake brought me… It was transcendental. Best crab cake I've ever had. Worth the potential food poisoning! (Kidding… mostly.)
- 2:00 PM: Wandered aimlessly. This is a skill I’ve perfected. Ended up at the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum. Creepy, but great. Gave me legitimate chills. Poe would have appreciated my existential angst.
- 3:00 PM: Fell into a tourist trap. Bought a useless souvenir. Regret.
- 4:00 PM: More crab cakes. Obviously.
- 6:00 PM: Fell asleep in my room. Didn’t even make it to dinner.
- 7:00 PM: Woke up. Felt strangely… satisfied. Baltimore was growing on me. The crab cakes were definitely helping.
Day 3: Art, Architecture, and the Farewell Fizzle (and more food)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the La Quinta. The eggs… were the same. I’m starting to think they're pre-cooked and stored in a vat of… something.
- 10:00 AM: The Walters Art Museum. Beautiful! Absolutely stunning. Got lost in the art. Spent way too long staring at the Faberge eggs. (I have a thing for sparkly things).
- 12:00 PM: Attempted to find a recommended sandwich shop. Failed. Ended up at yet another place. The sandwich was… fine. Perfectly adequate. Not crab cake level, though. Nothing, nothing, is crab cake level.
- 1:30 PM: Walked around the Inner Harbor, soaking up the atmosphere. Realized I was seriously going to miss this city. The grit. The history. The seagulls. (Okay, maybe not the seagulls.) Got a second crab cake for the road.
- 3:00 PM: Back to the La Quinta to pack. Packing, again, involved throwing things in a general direction of my luggage.
- 4:00 PM: Waited way too long for the elevator. Seriously, this hotel had the most unreliable elevators in the world.
- 4:30 PM: Uber to BWI.
- 6:00 PM: Homeward bound.
- 7:00 PM: In the air!
- 8:00 PM: Back on solid ground.
- 9:00 PM: Home- unpack the bags.
The Verdict:
Baltimore: Surprisingly awesome. The La Quinta? Well, it was a place to sleep. The crab cakes? Life-changing. Would I go back? Absolutely. But next time, I’m bringing my own breakfast. And a hazmat suit for the seagulls. And a lifetime supply of crab cakes. Maybe I'll even find a better hotel. Maybe I'll bring a friend to appreciate the beauty of Baltimore. Wish me luck!
Lagos Avocado Oasis: Your Dreamy GreenHouse Getaway
So, what IS this whole "FAQ" thing about anyway?
Okay, basic level: Frequently Asked Questions. Duh. But let's peel back the layers, shall we? It's like, people ask stuff. A LOT of stuff. And some of us, bless our hearts, decide to try and answer them all in one fell swoop. It's the digital equivalent of shouting into the void… and hoping someone actually *hears* you. Sometimes it works. Mostly, it just feels like I'm talking to myself.
Why are you doing this? Is there a *point*?
Ugh. A point? Honestly? I was bored. And also, the sheer number of times I've had to explain the same thing… well, it's enough to drive a person to drink. (And yes, I'm considering it. Maybe a nice, strong coffee first. Or maybe just dive straight into the gin. TBD.) But, the *real* reason? I secretly *love* answering questions. It's like a weird, cerebral challenge. Plus, maybe, *just maybe*, someone will *actually* read this and not ask me the same blasted thing for the ten-thousandth time. A girl can dream, right?
Okay, okay, you've got my attention (maybe...). What are we *really* talking about here? Spill the beans!
Alright, alright, don't get your knickers in a twist. We're tackling… well, *everything*. I'm talking the big stuff – the "meaning of life," perhaps (kidding… mostly). And also the small stuff, like "Why is your hair always a mess?" (Don't even *start*.) Actually, this whole thing is about... well, me. And the things I find myself having conversations about. So, expect some rambling, some opinions, some… well, a whole lot of me. Consider yourself warned. And if you're looking for a perfectly polished, professional presentation, you’ve come to the wrong place. Seriously. Run away. It's not going to happen. This is going to get *weird*.
Have you *always* been this… opinionated?
Ugh. Yes. Pretty much. Even as a kid, I couldn't just *accept* things. I had to poke and prod and ask "why?" until my parents’ eyes glazed over. My teachers? They loved me. (Probably not.) It's just… the world is a confusing place, you know? And I, for one, refuse to take it at face value. So, yeah, I’m opinionated. And I make *absolutely* no apologies for it. It’s… necessary. For my sanity, at least.
Okay, I’m intrigued. What kind of stuff are we *actually* going to cover here? Specifics, please!
Alright, alright, I get it. You want *details*. Fine. We'll touch on everything that pops into my ever-churning brain. We're talking:
- **The mundane:** That time I tried to bake a cake… and it exploded. (True story.)
- **The existential:** Why we're *all* here (still working on that one, folks).
- **The slightly ridiculous:** The obsession with, like, the perfect pen. (Don't judge me!)
- **The possibly illegal:** (Kidding! Mostly.)
- **The deeply personal:** My love-hate relationship with... well, everything.
- And of course, anything else that strikes my fancy that day which is *frequently*.
What if I disagree with something you say? ARE YOU PREPARED FOR CONFRONTATION?!
Bring it on. Seriously. I’m not gonna lie, I thrive on a good debate. (Maybe that's the gin talking. Again. TBD.) Honestly? Disagreement is healthy. It shows you're *thinking*. But… be warned: I'm stubborn. And can argue with a brick wall. So, if you're looking to change my mind, you're gonna have to bring your A-game. And maybe some snacks. Because this could take a while. But seriously, *please* disagree! It's more fun that way. Otherwise, I'm just talking to… well, myself, again.
What's the *weirdest* question you've ever been asked?
Oh, *good* question. Let me think... Okay, this one time, some guy on the internet asked me, and I quote, "If you were a sandwich, what kind of bread would you be?" I stared at the screen for, like, a solid five minutes. I still don't know the answer. Maybe a sourdough, because I tend to be a little… *sour*. Or maybe rye, 'cause I can be a bit… *dark*. And sometimes, definitely sometimes, I'm just *stale*… It's a deep, existential crisis now. Thanks, internet. Though, the weirdest part wasn't the question itself, but that I *actually* considered the options. I mean, is that a sign of intelligence or madness? I'm leaning towards the latter. Send help. And bread recipes.
Okay, let's get practical. How *often* will you update this glorious, self-indulgent masterpiece?
Ah, the million-dollar question! Honestly? When the spirit moves me. And when I have some free minutes – which are rare. Let's be real, life’s a chaotic circus. I’ll try to post regularly... *ish*. But no promises. Sometimes I get caught up in, like, a black hole of Netflix or the latest ridiculous meme. So, expect some fits and starts. Maybe. Probably. Don't hold your breath. But do check back. You know… just in case.
What's your *favorite* thing to do?
Ugh. That's a tough one. Okay, besides, like, breathing and eating copious amounts of chocolate... I genuinely love good conversations. Preferably over coffee, or wine, or, you know,Rooms And Vibes
Post a Comment for "Baltimore's BEST Inner Harbor Hotel? (La Quinta Inn & Suites Review!)"