01. Introduction: Road trip hotels between San Diego and Washington DC
02. Comfort Inn & Suites, Deming, NM
03. Holiday Inn Express, South Amarillo, TX
04. Holiday Inn Express, Maumelle, AR
05. Hilton Knoxville Airport, TN
06. Comfort Suites, Salem, VA
07. Marriott Hotel, Washington Dulles Airport
08. Quick summary: Washington DC to San Diego (via Boston) on jetBlue
I wasn’t sure exactly where I would be staying in Amarillo as I rolled into town on route 60 from New Mexico, but the Holiday Inn Express in South Amarillo looked to be a really decent option (as far as I could tell from the road). I took the exit so that I could scope it out, and it didn’t take long to convince me that this would be a fine place to stay for the night. It looked like a brand new build, and it was in a decent area with easy access to the freeway, so I parked the car and booked a room.
This was my first experience with a Holiday Inn Express, and I’ve got to say that I was quite impressed. The words “Holiday Inn” never meant much to me, and the only memories I have of this chain are the quick overnight stays with my family that we made during our annual spring drive to Florida from Michigan while I was growing up. The Holiday Inn’s of that era (1980’s) had a much cheaper feel than this brand new Holiday Inn Express did. This brand has certainly matured over the years!
I splurged on a suite, which was only $20 more than a regular room. That ended up being a bargain, because the suite was actually really nice and I found it to be quite stylish and comfortable. It was large and bright, with a full kitchenette and a “lounge” area with a couch and coffee table.
I had an easterly facing room, with views of the airport way off in the distance. The large awning blocking the view of the ground was a bit distracting, but hey – that was pretty much the only thing I could complain about this room considering the price I paid ($114).
Because this room had the nice kitchenette, I decided that I would skip the hotel restaurant and try to find a grocery store for a healthy dinner and to stock up on things for breakfast. The nearest one ended up being 10 miles away (which seemed like a million considering I had already spent the entire day driving), but it was a good decision to seek out a healthy food option.
This Holiday Inn Express in South Amarillo impressed me, and I’d stay here again if I were looking for a place to stay in this area.
Paul Lansing
It beats the Pants off the LaQuinta we stayed at in Amarillo on our drive west to Phoenix from Boston. We stayed with LaQuintas on that trip, because pets stay for free and we were traveling with two cats. LaQuintas are pretty good as a rule, but the one in Amarillo was hands down the worst we ever stayed in.lol!
SANspotter
Haha, budget hotels in and around Amarillo were a bit sketchy. I drove around for nearly 45 minutes trying to decide on a place to stay that evening. This Holiday Inn looked the newest so that’s what I went with. Never been to a LaQuinta hotel though – and to be honest it’s not something I have an urge to do. lol