My husband and I rarely get any “alone” time. We are almost always with our teenage children. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children with ever fiber of my being, but I also love spending quality time with just my husband. After all, our family started out with just the two of us and in a few years when our kids are off on their own it’s just going to be the two of us again. We also do everything with our children in mind. It’s nice to have some time for ourselves even if it’s just dinner and a movie.
Our situation is a bit more complex. My husband and I have to sleep in the living room due to lack of space in our condo. We sleep on a sofa bed. Not only is it the most uncomfortable thing ever, we also have no privacy. It’s kind of hard to cuddle with your significant other when the bar in the bed is poking you in the back. Sigh…
A few months ago we spend the night at a hotel. Our kids are teenagers and we figured they could handle things on their own, especially caring or our “mini zoo”. Everything worked out great. The kids worked together to get things done and they even remained civil to one another (ha ha). Not only did that give us peace of mind but it was nice to know our pets were well taken care of. My husband and I were really able to enjoy ourselves without having to worry about anything. It was a wonderful experience.
Recently my husband and I decided to go away for the weekend. We chose to stay at one of Choice Hotels brand of hotels. Our first choice was all booked up but we found a great alternative.
Choice Hotels encompasses the following hotels.
- Comfort Inn
- Comfort Suites
- Quality
- Sleep Inn
- Clarian
- Cambria Suites
- Main Stay Suites
- Suburban
- Econolodge
- Rodeway Inn
- Acend
Growing up my family and I traveled a lot. We stayed at a lot of Econolodge and Comfort Inn hotels. I am very familiar with those hotel chains. They are all a part of the Choice Hotels brand.
My husband and I opted to spend the weekend in near by New Jersey. It was far enough to be “different” but close enough in case we had to go home in case of an emergency.
We opted to stay at a Comfort Suites in Mahwah, New Jersey. The hotel is conveniently located on Route 17 and close to many great restaurants and plenty of shopping. It’s even close to New York City and both Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuaridia Airport are approximately 15 miles away (please take traffic into consideration).
I liked the location but I was a bit “iffy” on the noises from Route 17. Route 17 is a very busy roadway and the Comfort Suites hotel is right on Route 17.
We found the hotel with no problem at all.
The two gentlemen who greeted us at the front desk were very cordial and immediately made us feel welcome. We were checked in promptly and headed up to our room.
I should make note that this hotel is smoke free. We are grateful for that. There is nothing worse for a non-smoker then to be put in a room after a smoker was in it.
After a brief elevator ride to the 3rd floor we found our room. We were pleasantly surprised when we opened the door. The room was HUGE! Not only did it feature a king size bed but there was also a pull out sofa bed, fridge, microwave, coffee maker and a large flat screen television. Even the bathroom was huge.
The bed was so inviting that we wanted to dive right into it.
Check out our lovely room.
The Comfort Suites in Mahwah, New Jersey offers guests FREE wireless high speed internet access, which was great. Most hotels charge extra for that.
In addition the hotel offers guests FREE coffee, FREE weekday newspaper, FREE local calls, FREE use of the exercise room and a FREE breakfast.
You can also find some snacks and drinks for sale in the hotel lobby and vending machines.
The hotel is not very big. Or at least it doesn’t seem that way. There were plenty of cars in the parking lot but we barely saw anyone while we were there except for some hotel employees.
The room and the hotel were very quick, even being right on a major roadway. We were very surprised by that.
I used the coffee maker that is in the room. I don’t recall what brand of coffee we had but it was very good. I figured it wouldn’t taste all that great but I found the coffee to be very good.
The bed was SO COMFORTABLE. My husband and I didn’t want to get out of it. We slept like babies on the bed.
The bed featured several pillows. Some were soft and some were firm. Guests can pick and choose which pillows they prefer to sleep with.
My husband said it was one of the best night’s sleep he’s had in a very long time.
Each room comes with plenty of accessories to make guests feel right at home like copy and fax services, hair dryers, ironing boards and plenty of AC and USB outlets to charge up your devices. There is even a coin operated laundry and valet service on site. There is plenty of parking too.
There is no shortage of places to eat close to the hotel. We ate at the Olive Garden which was only minutes down the road. Smash Burger is also down the road and that is another great food option. There are also plenty of coffee places to be found near by. The State Line Diner is across the way and they have great food too.
The hotel is located near A LOT of retail stores. If you like to shop Route 17 is the place to be.
Guests can enjoy a FREE morning breakfast at the Comfort Suites in Mahway, New Jersey too. There is plenty to chose from including make your own waffles (which are really good!), eggs, meat, cereal, pasteries, coffee and more. My apologies for not remembering to take a photo. Actually, my apologies for the poor photo quality of the images in this post. I had left my good camera at home and had to use my cellphone to take pictures.
If you happen to be checking out early you can enjoy a Your Suite Success™ Grab & Go bag which is available for the two hours prior to breakfast.
When we were ready to check out of our wonderful stay at the hotel I had noticed a pre-authorization charge on my account. I figured it was nothing to be concerned about but I figured I’d ask about it anyway. The gentleman at the front desk was very nice and explained to my that it was exactly what i thought it was – pre-authorization. He assured me the charge wouldn’t actually go through. He set my mind at ease and I appreciate that.
My husband and I had such a pleasant experience at this Comfort Suites hotel that we are planning on going back again.
If you are planning on a vacation or just looking to get away for a night or two, check out the hotels available in your destination at www.ChoiceHotels.com. You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter (@ChoiceHotels).
Have you ever stayed at any of the Choice Hotel brands of hotels and suites? What did you think about them? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Kimberly
*I received a gift card to pay for my hotels expenses. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Dee @ Cocktails with Mom says
I’ve stayed at a few Choice Hotels and I’ve always had a pleasant experience.
Jenn @TheRebelChick says
We have stayed at a few Comfort Inns in the past and like them! I especially love the waffles in the free breakfast! LOL!
Mary says
We are BIG fans of Choice hotels. We road trip it a lot and I can tell you my husband is always looking for the next Choice hotel up the road.
Kelly Hutchinson says
I love that the Comfort Inns are elegant yet affordable. They are always a welcome place to lay your head!
Carlee C says
Cleanliness and convenience is at the top of my list when it comes to hotels. This place looks really nice and I like l the modern updates and the technology is a must.
Maralea says
We love staying at Comfort Inns when we are traveling. The workout room has always been a big plus with us.