The conference I'd signed up for was at the Marriott River Center. As usual there were rooms available at the conference rate for those attending the conference. However, I decided to instead book the Hampton Inn, which was .2 miles (2+ blocks) away. I realized that I could save $50/night on the rate, plus $20/night on the wi-fi internet connection plus $12/day for breakfast! So I saved over $240 for the 3 day stay and had a nice little walk to/from the conference!
The hotel is an older Hampton Inn, so the sleekness of the newer H.I.'s is not visible here. That being said, the staff at the check-in desk is as friendly and helpful as can be, the rooms are well equipped and the breakfast was excellent. The coffee in the room was blah, but the ever-present coffee in the lobby was wonderful and always fresh!
In retrospect, I did make the right decision to stay at the Hampton Inn and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.
PS - This hotel also featured free parking, which is great for those coming in with a car.
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