Escape to Lake Michigan: Your Perfect Quality Inn Getaway!
Escape to Lake Michigan: My "Perfect Quality Inn Getaway" – Or Was It? (A Review That's Probably Too Honest)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because I just got back from a Quality Inn experience that promised, and mostly delivered, a Lake Michigan escape. "Perfect" might be stretching it – let's be real, nothing's truly perfect, right? – but it was… an experience. And that's what matters, isn't it? I'm still sorting through my thoughts and, more importantly, my dirty laundry, so here we go.
(SEO & Metadata Slap-On: Look, keywords, keywords, keywords! Also, I'm not a robot. Just pretending to be one a little bit.)
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Accessibility: (The Initial Hurdle)
Right, let's get this out of the way. I booked this trip specifically BECAUSE their website claimed to be "accessible." Now, my experience with "accessible" hotels is… well, it's varied. Sometimes you get ramps, sometimes a slightly wider door, and sometimes, you get a gentle reminder of how much the world isn't designed for you.
On the plus side, they had a ramp to the main entrance! Score! And a decent elevator, which is always a win. Wheelchair accessibility in the rooms? Mostly. The bathroom was adequate, but a little tight. My chair just squeezed under the sink. It was a tight spot, and I nearly knocked over a bottle of travel-sized shampoo. Close call! I also appreciated the grab bars by the toilet and shower – a definite lifesaver. HOWEVER… the pool area? More on that later.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax (aka, My Attempt at Zen)
Okay, the advertised "Escape" part of the deal was definitely attractive. The website touted a Pool with View (promising!), a Fitness Center, and a Spa/Sauna. I was ready to achieve peak zen.
The Pool: Ah, the pool. It was… there. The view of the lake was pretty, but the "wheelchair access" was a joke. More like a "wheelchair-adjacent" situation. There was a ramp to a small deck area near the pool, but not actually into the pool. So, yeah, my dream of lounging in the water, staring wistfully at the waves? Denied. Major bummer. I ended up just glaring at the inaccessible pool from the safety of a deck chair, feeling like a grumpy, land-bound mermaid.
The Fitness Center: Look, I'm not a gym rat. But hey, a little treadmill action and pretending to be "active" is always a good thing while on vacation, right? The fitness center was small, but it had the essentials. Treadmill, elliptical, some weights. Nothing fancy, but functional. And, crucially, accessible!
The Spa/Sauna: “Spa/Sauna”… plural. I got excited. I envisioned myself melting away stress in a steamy haven of tranquility! What I found was… a small sauna, located adjacent to the fitness center. No luxury spa treatments here, sadly. It was fine, but definitely not what I'd imagined. No Body Scrubs, no Body Wraps, just a simple sauna experience, that left me with a slightly rosy face. Still, sweating it out was nice.
Cleanliness and Safety (aka, the COVID-19 Dance)
In these strange times, cleanliness and safety are everything. And the Quality Inn seemed to be taking it seriously – mostly.
The Good: I appreciated the Hand Sanitizer stations everywhere. The staff all wore masks, and they had signs about Physical Distancing of at least 1 meter. My room seemed clean, and they offered the option to Opt-Out of Room Sanitization which I, quite frankly, loved. The option was offered, so I let them do it, especially the Room Sanitization between stays. I saw them spraying down things with Professional-grade sanitizing services in the hallways and the Hand sanitizer at every turn. These are good.
The Less Good: I didn't see any visible evidence of Anti-viral cleaning products. I didn't exactly peer into the cleaning bottles, like some kind of sanitation vigilante, but the scent of the cleaning products was… vaguely generic. They had Daily disinfection in common areas which was good.
The Odd: The website proudly proclaims Individually-wrapped food options. This is great, right? But if the breakfast offerings were anything to go by, it meant a sea of plastic. I'm all for safety, but the amount of waste felt a little excessive.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (aka, My Constant Quest for Food)
Food is crucial, my friends, crucial! The Quality Inn offered a range of options – or at least claimed to.
Restaurant: They had one, and it was a hybrid situation. The Breakfast [buffet] had a selection of the basics (eggs, sausage, pastries, the usual suspects). It wasn’t amazing, but it filled the hole in my stomach. Things were decently spaced out, the staff managed the service with a fair amount of grace considering the buffet was, well, a buffet- and COVID.
- A la carte in restaurant: While they were running the buffet, there was also menu service, if you wanted to order.
- Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant: Sadly, they did not.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yes.
Room Service[24-hour]: YES, I love room service. I was hoping for a late-night pizza, after a long day of relaxation, but apparently, that wasn't on the menu. Room service [24-hour], however, was a big fat lie. I tried to call at 10:30 PM, and got nothing.
Poolside bar: There's a pool, but there was no Poolside Bar. My dreams of cocktails and sunbathing were, once again, dashed.
Snack Bar: They did have a small Snack Bar, selling the usual vending machine fare – chips, candy bars, and the like. I have a soft spot for such offerings, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Alternative meal arrangement: They were happy to sort something out, if you asked.
Services and Conveniences (aka, The Little Things That Matter)
This is where the Quality Inn mostly shines.
- I loved the Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! and I will always give props, for Air conditioning in public area.
- Air conditioning: The room air was good,
- Cash withdrawal, and Concierge: Not to be found.
- They had a Convenience store: That was good!
- The elevator was great,
- The Facilities for disabled guests (a good thing, as we already discussed!)
- Luggage storage: was good, given my suitcase!
- They had Safety deposit boxes.
- Smoking area: They have a smoking area, so that is nice.
- Terrace: A small terrace.
- Wi-Fi for special events:
- There was also a Doorman,
- They offer Daily housekeeping and Ironing service.
For the Kids:
I didn't bring any rugrats with me. This isn't my thing. They were Family/child friendly,
Available in all rooms
- Additional toilet: Well, that would be nice, but no.
- Alarm clock: Yes.
- Bathrobes: No.
- Bathroom phone: No.
- Bathtub, No.
- Blackout curtains: yes.
- Carpeting,
- Closet: Yes.
- Coffee/tea maker: Yes.
- Complimentary tea, Yes.
- Daily housekeeping: Yes.
- Desk: Yes.
- Extra long bed: Yes.
- Free bottled water: Yes.
- Hair dryer: Yes.
- High floor: Yes.
- In-room safe box: Yes.
- Interconnecting room(s) available: I believe so.
- Internet access – LAN: Yes.
- Internet access – wireless: yes.
- Ironing facilities: Yes.
- Laptop workspace: Yes.
- Linens: Yes.
- Mini bar: No.
- Mirror: Yes
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's meticulously planned travel itinerary. This is more like… well, this is me trying to wrangle a trip to Michigan City from the… yeah, from the Quality Inn Michigan City South. Let's just hope I don’t end up as a cautionary tale on TripAdvisor.
Day 1: Arrival AKA "Holy Crap, Did I Pack Enough Snacks?"
1:00 PM - Arrival at the Quality Inn (Hopefully!). I swear, every time I book a motel, I hold my breath until I'm actually in the room. The pictures online are… interpretive. Anyway, the drive up should be standard, highway monotony. I’m already stressed about the traffic. I hate traffic. I've got my audiobook queued up (a trashy romance novel, don't judge) and a cooler packed with emergency provisions. Mostly cheese and crackers. And a desperate yearning for a decent cup of coffee. Oh, the coffee at the motel is always a gamble. Pray for me.
1:30 PM - Check-in & Room Reconnaissance. Okay, the front desk lady – bless her heart – seemed genuinely happy to see us. Which is a good start. Now for the room. Pray it doesn't smell like stale cigarettes and broken dreams. I unpack everything. And I mean, everything. The whole damn arsenal. Just in case. The bathroom's the make or break. Clean towels? A working shower? Maybe, just maybe, I can handle this.
2:30 PM - Immediate Gratification: The Pool (Maybe?) Okay, so the brochure promised a pool. The brochure lies. Mostly. Let’s see, it all depends. Is the water the color of questionable swamp? Is it over-chlorinated? Maybe I’ll just go back to the room. Or maybe I should. Oh, what the hell? I packed a swimsuit, anyway. Time to embrace some questionable choices.
4:00 PM - A Food Pilgrimage (Or, Panic-Induced Hunger). I'm starving. Always. This whole Michigan City thing is making my stomach rumble! Gotta find some food. Seriously, I didn't plan this well. Where to eat? Google Maps is my frenemy. A burger joint? Pizza? Anything that doesn’t involve a drive-thru and my dignity intact. I’ll probably end up settling for something predictably mediocre. But at least it's a meal.
7:00 PM - Evening Stroll (And Praying I Don't See a Clown). Okay, so there's probably a "downtown." Time to stretch my legs after hours in the car. I have mixed feelings about this. I might be chased by a bear. Or stumble into a bizarre local festivity. Fingers crossed for the former, and, well, not the latter. I'm going to need some solid people-watching material, let's just say.
9:00 PM - Back at the Room: The Television Tango. Here's where I'll finally succumb to the allure of mindless television. Maybe, just maybe, there's a decent movie on. Or I'll get sucked into a reality show about people building tiny houses. Or maybe I'll just… sleep. Because tomorrow, who knows what adventures await?
Day 2: Dunes, Delays, and Doubt (Oh, My!)
8:00 AM - Attempting Breakfast: The free breakfast is… well, I’m trying to be optimistic. Oatmeal? Dry cereal? A rogue, suspiciously yellow-looking scrambled egg. Oh, the indignity! But I’m gonna soldier through it. Must fuel the machine.
9:30 AM - Indiana Dunes State Park: Epic Fail (Maybe). It's the whole reason for being here. The freaking Dunes. I'm so hoping I will survive the hike. Maybe I should have trained. The website said it has trails, I should. Oh the trails! Wait, is that sand? So much sand. Is this going to kill me? I should brought water. And sunscreen. And a hat. Damn it.
12:00 PM - Lunch: What Even Is This Place? After the dunes, I am going to need food. Real food. Not the kind that comes in a vending machine. Somewhere. Any place. I have no idea where. Google Maps is my only hope. I will pray for something edible. And a clean bathroom.
2:00 PM - Abandon the Plan: A Detour Into the Abyss (AKA A Random Antique Shop) Right! Abandoning all my pretense about "planning". I am going to stop at every single roadside antique shop. I will dive in. I shall conquer all the things! I might spend a fortune on a slightly chipped, but totally charming, vintage teacup. Or a hideous, yet strangely compelling, ceramic cat. Whatever. It's my life. And I'm going to live it.
5:00 PM - Back to Reality (Maybe?). Back to the Quality Inn (South). I feel, if I am being honest, drained. I just need to sit. Do nothing. Then the sun will set. And I’ll feel better. Or more miserable. It's a coin flip.
7:00 PM - Dinner: Take-Out, the Ultimate Lifesaver. I am going to get take-out. It sounds like a great plan. Because sometimes, after a day of… well, everything, you just need a burger and some fries in your room. No pressure. No expectations. Just me, the TV, and a whole lot of grease.
8:30 PM - TV marathon. (Hopefully no commercials…) And then, sleep. Because I'm going to need it.
Day 3: The Unplanned Departure (AKA Escape!)
8:00 AM - The Great Breakfast Debacle, Part Two. Can't. Face. It. Again. Find a decent coffee shop? Or just run?
**8:30 AM - Pack Up and Depart. ** Goodbye, Quality Inn. I'm not sure I’ll miss you, but hey, we made it through.
9:00 AM - The Big Farewell to Michigan City (Or, The Road to Freedom!). One last glance. One last breath of slightly polluted air. Time to hit the road. And start planning my next adventure. (Or at least, start thinking about it. Eventually.)
Escape to Lake Michigan: Your (Maybe) Perfect Quality Inn Getaway! (FAQ Edition - Buckle Up!)
So, is this *really* a "Perfect" getaway? I mean, is it diamonds and caviar perfect, or... Taco Tuesday perfect?
What's the deal with the Lake Michigan access? Is it like, right there? Can I splash around in my pajamas?
Tell me about the rooms. Are we talking Motel 6 chic, or something a little more...spacious? And are the beds comfy? This is CRUCIAL.
Breakfast: The most important meal of the day. What's the breakfast situation like? Is it worth getting out of bed for?
What about the amenities? Pool? Gym? Am I gonna be bored out of my skull?
Are there any hidden fees I should be aware of? I *hate* hidden fees. They give me the hives.
Okay, the Lake Michigan part: Is it actually *nice*? Like, can I swim? Build sandcastles? Spot a majestic bald eagle?
