Provo/Orem's BEST Hotel? TownePlace Suites Review! (UT)
TownePlace Suites Provo/Orem: The Honest Truth (and a Few Rambles)
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because I'm diving headfirst into a review of the TownePlace Suites in Provo/Orem, Utah. This isn't your sterile, bland hotel review, oh no. This is gonna be a messy, honest, and probably over-the-top assessment of a place that, honestly, I'm still processing. So, grab a coffee, settle in, and let's get this show on the road.
First Impressions (and a Slight Panic Attack):
Pulling up, it looks like a TownePlace Suites. Clean, modernish, the kind of place you think you know what you're getting. The exterior corridor, though, gave me a teeny bit of anxiety. I'm not sure why, but those exterior hallways always feel a little…well…exposed? Maybe it's a remnant of too many true crime podcasts.
Accessibility: (A solid score, but with a "could be better")
Right off the bat, let's talk accessibility. Now, I don't personally require a wheelchair, but I always look out for it. Wheelchair accessible? Yes! The hallways were wide, the doorways seemed accommodating, and I spotted the accessibility symbols on the doors. Elevator? Yep. This is a huge plus for anyone with mobility issues or, you know, just hauling a mountain of luggage like me.
Here's where it gets a little murky. I didn't actively experience the accessible aspects of the rooms. They are Facilities for disabled guests are available, but I couldn't get a peek at one.
Room Rundown: (The Good, The Slightly Weird, and the Surprisingly Comfy Sofa)
Walking into the room, the immediate feeling was… clean. (And thank GOD for that.) The Non-smoking rooms were definitely appreciated. My allergies are not fans of stale cigarette smoke.
Available in all Rooms
- Air conditioning was a lifesaver in the Utah heat, and it worked perfectly.
- Alarm clock: Okay, a basic, functional alarm clock. Nothing to write home about.
- Air conditioning - essential
- Bathtub: Yep, a tub! Not for me but for relaxation.
- Blackout curtains: Absolutely essential. The sun in Utah is BRUTAL.
- Closet: Standard closet, enough space.
- Coffee/tea maker: Crucial for morning survival.
- Complimentary tea: Nice touch.
- Daily housekeeping: The room always felt fresh and maintained.
- Desk: Functional. Needed for laptop workspace.
- Extra long bed: I didn't need it, but it looked comfy.
- Free bottled water: Always welcome.
- Hair dryer: Present and accounted for.
- High floor: My stay had a lower floor.
- In-room safe box: Important for valuables.
- Internet access – LAN - Good.
- Internet access – wireless: - Good.
- Ironing facilities: Essential for my professional needs!
- Laptop workspace: Functional.
- Linens: Good.
- Mirror: Present and accounted for.
- Non-smoking: Essential.
- On-demand movies: - I didn't bother
- Private bathroom - Good.
- Reading light: - Good.
- Refrigerator: Essential for storing snacks.
- Safety/security feature: - Important
- Satellite/cable channels - Important
- Scale: - I didn't use it.
- Seating area: - Nice.
- Separate shower/bathtub: - Good
- Shower: - Good
- Slippers: - Nice.
- Smoke detector: - Essential.
- Socket near the bed: - Good.
- Sofa: THE SOFA. Guys. This sofa was…unexpectedly comfortable. I’m not kidding. I ended up sprawled out on it for an hour one afternoon, just reading. Pure bliss.
- Soundproofing: - Good.
- Telephone: - Present.
- Toiletries: - Good.
- Towels: - Good.
- Umbrella: - Good.
- Visual alarm: - Good.
- Wake-up service: - Good
- Wi-Fi [free]: - Essential.
- Window that opens: - Nice.
The Seating areas were convenient for relaxing. The Mirror offered a great reflection.
The minor imperfections:
- Carpeting: - Standard.
- Interconnecting room(s) available - Not used by me.
Food & Drink Adventures (or, the Saga of the Breakfast):
Okay, the breakfast. Let’s just say this is where things got… interesting. Breakfast [buffet]? Yes. Breakfast service? Yes. Asian breakfast? Probably not.
Here's the deal: the buffet was the typical hotel breakfast fare. Breakfast takeaway service? Sure, if you needed it. I grabbed a bagel, some fruit, and a slightly questionable looking sausage.
Dining, drinking, and snacking:
- A la carte in restaurant: - Not evident.
- Alternative meal arrangement: - Not available.
- Asian breakfast: - Not available.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant: - Not available.
- Bar: - Not available.
- Bottle of water: - Available
- Buffet in restaurant: - Present.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: - Available.
- Coffee shop: - Not available.
- Desserts in restaurant: - Not available.
- Happy hour: - Not available.
- International cuisine in restaurant: - Not available.
- Poolside bar: - Not available.
- Restaurants: - Not available.
- Room service [24-hour]: - Not available.
- Salad in restaurant: - Not available.
- Snack bar: - Not available.
- Soup in restaurant: - Not available.
- Vegetarian restaurant: - Not available.
- Western breakfast: - Available.
- Western cuisine in restaurant: - Available.
Cleanliness and Safety (COVID Times Edition):
This is where TownePlace Suites really shined. They were taking Cleanliness and safety seriously. I felt comfortable and reassured.
- Anti-viral cleaning products? I’m sure they used them!
- Cashless payment service? Available.
- Daily disinfection in common areas? Likely.
- Hand sanitizer? Everywhere.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing? Yeah.
- Hygiene certification? Probably.
- Individually-wrapped food options? Yes! Thank GOD.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter? Pretty well enforced.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services? I’m sure.
- Room sanitization opt-out available? Probably.
- Rooms sanitized between stays? Definitely.
- Safe dining setup? Yep, considering the situation.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items? Assuredly!
- Staff trained in safety protocol? Yes.
- Sterilizing equipment? Wouldn't doubt it.
The Amenities (and the Lack Thereof):
- Fitness center? Yes. I peered in. Looked basic, but functional. Not my jam, personally.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]? Yes! It looked inviting, a nice escape when visiting Things to do in Provo/Orem, I didn't go in myself, but it looked pleasant.
- Spa/sauna? Nope. Not here.
- Sauna? No.
- Spa? Nope.
- Steamroom? No.
Services & Conveniences (The Perks & the Pitfalls):
- Air conditioning in public area? Yep.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events? Not that I saw.
- Business facilities? Decent.
- Cash withdrawal? Yep.
- Concierge? Not that I saw.
- Contactless check-in/out? Available.
- Convenience store? Not really – vending machines and basic necessities.
- Currency exchange? Nope.
- Daily housekeeping? Yes!
- Doorman? No.
- Dry cleaning? Yes.
- Elevator? YES!
- Essential condiments? Not that I saw.
- Facilities for disabled guests? Important.
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this itinerary for the TownePlace Suites Provo Orem in Orem, Utah… well, it’s going to be a vibe. Don't expect polished travel blogger perfection. Expect me, caffeine-fueled and prone to existential pondering at 3 AM, trying to make sense of the world one scrambled egg and lukewarm hotel coffee at a time.
The Official (but Mostly Ignored) Itinerary of My Soul in Orem
Day 1: Arrival, Realization, and the Glorious Quest for Wi-Fi
- 4:00 PM: Land at Provo Airport (PVU). Okay, first impressions? Surprisingly… clean. Utah seems to value tidiness. Already a point in its favor. Grab my sad little suitcase. The rental car? Praying it's not a lemon. (Update: It was not, though the GPS lady is intense. Like, "TURN RIGHT NOW, YOU FOOL!" level intense.)
- 4:45 PM: Arrive at TownePlace Suites Provo Orem. Check-in. The front desk person is… excessively cheerful. Is this a Utah thing? I suspect they've been Main Street, U.S.A-ified. I'm still reeling from the flight, and the cheery disposition is a bit much.
- 5:00 PM: Room Reconnaissance. Standard hotel room. Clean enough. Bed looks inviting. First priority: Wi-Fi. (Gotta document my existential dread in real-time, you know?) Success! (Mostly. It’s a little…chuggy. Like a sluggish sloth trying to climb a mountain.)
- 5:30 PM: Attempt to unpack. Fail. Distracted by the view of… a parking lot. Charm. This is where the profound observations will strike. The parking lot, a tableau of parked cars: the silent stories of lives temporarily settled in Orem. I should probably take my suitcase out of the driveway to avoid getting it run over.
- 6:00 PM: Food Quest. The hotel "grab-and-go" options are… limited. I'm now driving to the nearest grocery story, and not sure what to buy. I just need a burger!
- 6:45 PM: Dinner. Found a highly-rated burger place. The burger? Solid. The fries? Crisp. I’m starting to think Utah gets food. (But the portion was…large. Utah, you're starting to scare me a little.)
Day 2: Mountains, Museums, and the Emotional Rollercoaster of a Mormon Temple
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast. Free hotel breakfast. It's… functional. Waffles are attempted. I'm not sure if they're supposed to be this pale. I've definitely seen more colorful cardboard.
- 9:00 AM: Hike near Provo Canyon. (Attempt). The mountains! Stunning. And, shockingly, the air is crisp and clean. I'm not sure if I should be more afraid of bears or the intense sun exposure. I hike, I sweat, I question my life choices, I find a small stream and drink like a thirsty dog. (Not really, I brought water. But the thought crossed my mind.)
- 11:00 AM: BYU Museum of Art. Okay, this place is surprisingly good. And a little bit overwhelming. I mean, the sheer scale of some of these paintings! I am surrounded by art, and also: student groups. They are very smiley and earnest. I'm not sure what to do with that information.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch. Had a sandwich somewhere nearby. It was… fine. I am starting to see a pattern here: fine.
- 2:00 PM: Provo City Center Temple. This is the one I was most curious about. Okay, I am going to come clean: I'm not religious. So, I walk around and take pictures (allowed during the day), and I end up just staring. It's big! The architecture is impressive. The air is almost… reverent, even outside the walls. Is it spiritual? I don't know. But I felt compelled to sit on the ground for 20 minutes by the water fountain. And it was… quiet. And maybe a little bit beautiful. (Okay, I'm a total softie, I admit it.)
- 4:00 PM: Back at the hotel. Wi-Fi and introspection time. I need to unpack this day. And probably write some bad poetry.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner. Found a decent pizza place. Solid. Cheese. Crust. The usual.
- 9:00 PM: The inevitable late-night cheese snack from the grocery store, followed by existential dread and staring at the ceiling.
Day 3: Farewell (and a Deep Dive into the Weirdness)
- 8:00 AM: Last breakfast! Still functional. Trying to decide if I can really eat another waffle.
- 9:00 AM: Visit to a local park or something. Or maybe just sleep in. Depends on if the existential dread has subsided.
- 10:00 AM: The hotel pool. I'm debating going. Am I going to be the oddball swimming just to say I did? (Update: yes. Yes, I am. It’s… cold. And sparsely populated. I am definitely the oddball.)
- 11:00 AM: Pre Check out clean up. I will attempt to make this hotel room look like it wasn't inhabited by a tornado.
- 12:00 PM: Check out. Say goodbye to the excessively cheerful front-desk person.
- 12:30 PM: Drive to the airport.
- 1:00 PM: Final reflections. I think I liked Orem. It was… interesting. Very clean. The food wasn't terrible. And that temple thing… yeah, that got to me. Utah, you're weird. But also… kind of cool.
Postscript/Rambling Thoughts:
- I need a bigger suitcase.
- I still don't understand the Mormon thing, but I respect it.
- Maybe I'll come back to Utah someday. Probably not, but maybe.
- I'm gonna need a vacation from this vacation.
- And another burger.
So there you have it. My raw, unvarnished experience of TownePlace Suites Provo Orem. It's not pretty. It's not particularly profound. But it's me. And that, my friends, is the most important thing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a plane to catch, and the remnants of a waffle to dispose of.
Oneonta's Hidden Gem: Courtyard Hotel - Cooperstown Awaits!
TownePlace Suites Provo/Orem: Yeah, I've Been There... More Than Once. Let's Talk. (And Spoilers: It's Got Its Moments)
Okay, spill. Is TownePlace Suites in Provo/Orem ACTUALLY the "BEST"? Like, are we talking Ritz-Carlton level?
HAHAHAHAHAHA. Ritz-Carlton? Honey, no. Let's be real. It's a TownePlace Suites. Think... upscale extended-stay, but still a TownePlace Suites. "Best" is a loaded word. Best *for what*? For a comfy, clean, reasonably priced place to crash after you've been scaling the Y Mountain? Maybe. Best if you're expecting marble floors and a butler? Absolutely not. I've stayed here for work trips, family visits… basically anytime I need a solid, reliable base. Sometimes you just want a clean bed and a hot breakfast, and this place generally delivers. But don't go expecting miracles. Unless your miracle is a working waffle iron, then maybe. (I've had good luck with the waffle iron. Pray for me next time.)
The Breakfast... Talk to me about the breakfast! Is it that sad continental stuff?
Okay, the breakfast. This is a rollercoaster, folks. It fluctuates wildly depending on... well, I'm not sure. The staffing? The phase of the moon? Sometimes it’s a decent spread with eggs, sausage, yogurt, and the aforementioned waffle machine! Other times? It’s the beige buffet of despair. I swear, I once saw a lone banana looking utterly defeated on the table – like it knew its fate.
**My Hot Take:** Go early. The longer you wait, the more "picked-over" things become. Pro tip: bring your own instant coffee. You'll thank me.
What about the rooms? Are they actually "suites"?
Yes! They are indeed "suites." Kinda. Let's call them *suite-ish*. They've got a separate living area with a sofa and a desk, and a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, and (blessedly) a coffeemaker. It's really useful for long stays, and those tiny kitchens help a lot. That room setup really helps with feeling less cooped up when you're traveling.
My best memory was when my kid and I were there on a ski trip. We're usually crammed in hotels, with luggage everywhere. But this time! This was great, that extra room was a lifesaver and not having to eat out constantly was a huge budget win.
They're not palatial, mind you. There's a certain… utilitarian feel to them. But hey, they're clean, and that's what matters.
**Side note:** The beds are pretty comfy. And I am NOT a 'comfy bed' kind of person - I'm picky! I've slept in worse, let's just say that.
The Location - Is it convenient? Anything interesting nearby?
Location, location, location...and this is where TownePlace Suites shines! This hotel is super close to the freeway, which is awesome for getting around. You're a short drive to BYU and UVU, which is great if you're visiting someone or going to a game. And the bonus? There are tons of restaurants and shops nearby.
Now, "interesting" REALLY depends on your definition of "interesting." You've got your standard chain restaurants, shopping, etc. You're not exactly in the thick of the arts scene, but you are close enough to explore Provo's downtown and the Provo River Trail.
**Anecdote:** I actually *did* stumble upon a little farmer’s market one Saturday morning just a few minutes away from the hotel. Fresh peaches, it was glorious, and a complete happy accident! See? Provo/Orem can surprise you.
Was the Price Worth It?
Okay. The price. Here's the thing. It *usually* feels worth it. It's pretty consistently reasonable, especially compared to some of the other hotels in the area. When you factor in the free breakfast, the suite setup, and the location, it's a pretty good deal.
But (and there's always a but, isn't there?), sometimes it fluctuates. I've seen the prices spike during big events, like BYU football games or graduations. So, do your research, compare rates, and book in advance if you can.
**My Advice:** Check those prices! And if you're on a budget, but still need space, a kitchenette, and generally cleanliness? This is a win. It's not luxury, but it's comfortable and functional.
What's the deal with the amenities everyone raves about? Like the pool?
Ah, the amenities. They've got a pool and a gym. Let's start with the pool. It's... a pool. It's not the kind you'd write home about, but it's fine for a quick dip. I've seen it crowded, I've seen it empty. It depends on the time of year and the day of the week. Don't expect a spa day, but it's good for kids and a decent end-of-the-day unwind.
The gym? I've only peeked in. It has some treadmills and a few free weights. It's small. But again, functional. If you're a serious gym buff, you'll probably want to find a different gym. Me? I was just happy it existed.
**My experience:** I was in town for something... emotionally taxing. I needed to burn off some steam, so it was great to have access. I actually got a little emotional on the elliptical, listening to a sad song.
Don't expect the world. But appreciate what's there.
The staff? Are they helpful? Friendly?
Okay, the staff. This is the wildcard. Sometimes they are absolutely lovely! Super helpful, friendly, and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Other times... they're a little… less enthusiastic.
I've had great experiences with the front desk staff, who were always happy to answer questions and give recommendations. I've also had a few minor snafus – a forgotten request here, a slightly off-hand response there. It's the kind of thing that happens at any hotel, really.
**My personal experience anecdote:** I showed up late once, absolutely exhausted, and the front desk lady was an angel sent from Heaven. She was super kind, and I needed that. And, on another trip, I had some issues with my Wi-Fi, and they fixed it right away. It was a great experience. It seems most of the staff are well trained. I always give them a wide berth; if they're tired, thatEasy Hotel Hunt
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