I was physically exhausted when it came time to choose a place to stay for the night, and the only reason why I chose the Comfort Suites in Salem over any of the others in the immediate area was because there was a grocery store right next door.
Since I’m not a big fan of fast food, being able to stock up on healthy(ish) things to eat in the privacy of my hotel room is always a plus.
The full review of my 1 night stay at the Comfort Suites Hotel in Salem, VA
The woman who checked me in was pleasant and very kind – I was browsing the snack shop adjacent to the check in desk, picked out a few items, and she told me I was free to take them for no charge even though there was a price tag on everything. Not a bad way to get things started!
The room (it was more of a suite really)
The room itself was pretty nice, and to be honest, I was so exhausted that I didn’t even pay attention to the fact that I this was a “suite” hotel. So yeah – walking into the room was a nice surprise, considering that I was expecting something small and cramped.
The bathroom
A few thoughts about the Comfort Suites brand
Low-end chain hotels here in the US are interesting. Basically, the business consists of only a few major corporations who each own a dizzying amount of brands disguised to look like completely different companies.
While it appears that there a ton of different hotel brands to choose from, the reality is that there are only a few major players in this game. And to make things even more confusing, I discovered that there are actually a lot of variations of single brands that are really difficult to keep track of.
Comfort Hotels is one such example, with an eclectic mix of “Inn” and “Suite” properties, sometimes mixed together in one location. This particular property in Salem, VA just off interstate 81 features only suites – at least that’s what the name implies.
In contrast, the Comfort Inn in Deming, NM (the place I stayed at a few nights prior) was a mix of standard rooms and suites. The Comfort Suites at the Anchorage Airport was suites only (just like this one here in Salem).
It’s confusing, and admittedly a waste of my time to really think about. After all, I’m not a hotel connoisseur like some other travelers I know (as evident by my willingness to stay in cheap properties like this).
The verdict
Being able to walk to the large Food Lion grocery store that was located right next to this hotel was the nicest thing about staying here (IMHO). Combine that with the fact that it was clean and quiet with a super-friendly staff, and I was rather satisfied with this choice. Go me!
