Trinidad's BEST Hotel Deal? La Quinta Inn & Suites Awaits!
Trinidad's BEST Hotel Deal? La Quinta Inn & Suites Awaits! … Maybe. (A Truthful Review)
Okay, so I just got back from Trinidad, and between the rum punches and the steel drums, I knew I needed to write a review. About, you guessed it, the La Quinta Inn & Suites. The "best deal" they promised. Let me tell you, it's a rollercoaster, people. A very Trinidadian rollercoaster, complete with unexpected bumps and a whole lot of sunshine.
Let's Get Accessible, Shall We? (Because, Honestly, It Matters)
Okay, so you know how some hotels claim to be accessible? This one? Well, I'd say it’s trying. Wheelchair accessible… yes, sort of. There's an elevator, which is a godsend because, hello Trinidad heat! Facilities for disabled guests are listed, but the execution felt… not always perfect. The ramp up to the front desk [24-hour] was a bit steep. My friend Sarah, who uses a wheelchair, managed, but she definitely gave it the side-eye. Speaking of the front desk, the staff were generally friendly, but sometimes a bit overwhelmed. And Air conditioning in public area? Thank goodness, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it pass reception. I really have to give credit to the Elevator for being there, and working.
Food, Glorious Food (and the Occasional Stomach Rumble)
Alright, let's talk about the thing that really matters: food! Dining, drinking, and snacking are all available.
Breakfast [buffet]: This was my daily ritual. It's… what you'd expect. The Western breakfast was the safe bet: eggs, bacon (when it was available), and toast. The Asian breakfast… well, let's just say my tastebuds were on a different adventure. There was, thankfully, Coffee/tea in restaurant. The Asian cuisine in restaurant was a little adventure.
Restaurants: There were several options, which was nice; I did go for lunch once. A la carte in restaurant was a great variety; but I kept going back to the buffet. The Poolside bar was a major win, the cocktails weren't amazing, but they were cold and fruity, perfect for soaking up the sun.
Room service [24-hour]: This was my lifeline on a few occasions. Needed a late-night snack after a few too many rum punches? Sorted. Bottle of water? Absolutely essential, given the heat.
Snack bar: Located strategically near the pool and was my go-to for a mid-afternoon bite.
Salad in restaurant: Ok, so a salad… not the best salad I've ever had, but hey.
Things to Do (Besides Sweat)
Okay, let's be real, you're in Trinidad, you're there for a good time, not just a long time. You need to chill, ways to relax.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: The pool was decent, well-maintained, and a lifesaver in the heat. The Pool with view was a nice bonus.
- Fitness center: I took a look, but honestly, after a long day of exploring, the idea of a workout was pure torture!
Cleanliness and Safety: The "COVID-Conscious" Factor (Or, How Much Are They Really Sanitizing?)
They listed a lot of things on the website; these things were actually present.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: I mean, how would I know? I didn't see them mixing the stuff.
- Breakfast takeaway service: This was useful, especially for early morning excursions.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Okay, I did see staff wiping things down frequently.
- Hand sanitizer: Available, phew.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: They said they had them.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: They seemed to be.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Good option, if you are the kind of person to consider that option.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Seemed to be the case.
Rooms: My Personal Oasis (Or, Where I Slept Off the Rum)
Okay, the rooms. This is where La Quinta kinda… shines.
- Wi-Fi [free] Yes! Excellent! That's a must-have.
- Air conditioning: Absolutely essential.
- Extra long bed: This was a lifesaver for this long-legged person!
- Blackout curtains: Sleeping-in heaven.
- Desk/laptop workspace: Good if you have to do some work on your 'vacation'.
- Refrigerator: Essential for keeping the Carib beer cold!
- Alarm clock: Useful.
- Bathroom phone: Oh boy.
- Bathtub: Yes!
The Other Stuff (Services and Conveniences, Getting Around, etc.)
- Concierge: Available, super helpful with booking tours.
- Luggage storage: For when you need to check out early!
- Car park [free of charge]: A definite plus!
- Taxi service: Handy, though the traffic in Port of Spain can be a nightmare.
The Verdict: Is La Quinta the "Best Deal"?
Look, is it a five-star luxury resort? No. Is it perfect? Heck, no. Are there moments of slight chaos? Absolutely. But for the price, the location (pretty central), the comfort (that bed! That AC!), and the generally friendly vibe, La Quinta Inn & Suites is a solid choice in Trinidad. It’s a good base for exploring, a comfy place to crash, and the pool is a definite win. Would I go back? Yeah, I probably would. And maybe this time, I'll actually make it to the fitness center… or not. Either way, I'll be stocking up on those rum punches!
Metadata/SEO (Because, You Know, Gotta Get That Ranking):
- Keywords: La Quinta Inn & Suites, Trinidad hotels, Port of Spain hotels, Trinidad accommodation, best hotel deal, accessible hotel, pool, restaurant, wifi, review, Trinidad and Tobago, family-friendly hotel.
- Title: La Quinta Inn & Suites Trinidad Review: Is It REALLY the Best Deal? (Honest Truth)
- Description: A candid review of La Quinta Inn & Suites in Trinidad, covering accessibility, food, amenities, and the overall experience. Find out if this hotel lives up to the hype!
- Tags: hotel review, Trinidad, Port of Spain, La Quinta, best deal, accessibility, pool, restaurant, travel, vacation.
Alright, buckle up, buttercups! This isn't your grandma's meticulously organized travel itinerary. This is my La Quinta Inn & Suites Trinidad, Colorado, saga, and you're along for the ride. Prepare for tangents, existential crises, and maybe a crying jag or two.
Day 1: Arrival and the Existential Dread of the Plains (Plus, Pizza!)
- 1:00 PM: Land in Alamosa. Ugh. The drive to Trinidad? A long haul. The vastness of the plains is…well, it's a lot. It’s the kind of emptiness that makes you question your life choices. Like, why Colorado? Why Trinidad? More importantly, why didn't I bring more snacks?
- 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM: The drive. Okay, the scenery eventually shifted from "endless wheat fields" to "slightly less endless wheat fields with the Rockies in the distant background." Progress! But the highway is a bore. I start to wonder if my insurance is worth the money.
- 4:00 PM: Arrive at the La Quinta. Sweet relief! The lobby smells like… well, a La Quinta lobby. Familiar. I'm greeted by a really friendly front desk clerk who's clearly seen some stuff. I think she's secretly judging me.
- 4:15 PM: Okay, the room is… satisfactory. Clean-ish. The décor screams "generic hotel chain from the mid-90s," but hey, the bed looks inviting, and the AC is blasting. Score.
- 5:00 PM: Food. I'm starving. After consulting Yelp (which is, let's be honest, mostly just a collection of opinions and not the sacred truth), I decide to try Bella Pizza. Now, I'm a pizza snob so I have low expectations for this place. It's a gamble.
- 5:30 PMS: Pizza gamble. It's…surprisingly decent. The crust is surprisingly not cardboard, the sauce not too acidic, my mood is rising. I eat an entire small pizza by myself. Shame, and fullness.
- 7:00 PM: The room. I eat pizza, read a trashy novel (comfort reading is a must after staring at wheat fields all day), and wrestle with the TV remote. The cable package is archaic. Give me Netflix! I want to watch a documentary about…well, anything that isn't about wheat fields.
- 8:00 PM: Exhaustion hits, deep. I’m turning in.
Day 2: History and the Soul-Crushing Weight of Small Towns
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast! La Quinta breakfast, bless its heart. Waffles (made mostly of air and questionable ingredients), instant oatmeal (that sticks to the roof of your mouth), and weak coffee. I manage to choke down a waffle and feel slightly less empty.
- 9:00 AM: Trinidad History Museum. This is where things get interesting. Trinidad has a fascinating, and, at times, heartbreaking history. The museum is a little dusty, a little cluttered, but full of heart.
- Anecdote Time: There's a display about the coal mining industry. I learn about the Ludlow Massacre. I cry. It’s messy and honest. The weight of history is real. It's heavy. Then I go outside, the sun is shining.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch. I decide to try a local diner recommended by the friendly hotel clerk from yesterday. Okay, the food is… well, it's diner food. Hearty, greasy, and exactly what my soul needs right now.
- 1:30 PM: Santa Fe Trail. Okay, this part is a bit anticlimactic. It's a trail. A historic trail. You kinda imagine rugged pioneers, wagons, daring adventures. Instead, you get… a sign. And an empty field. Still, good to imagine.
- 3:00 PM: The Hotel. I try to work out. The gym is… well, it exists. I run for 30 minutes.
- 5:00 PM: Shower and rest.
- 6:00 PM: Repeat of pizza.
Day 3: Mountains, Melancholy, and the Farewell Feast (Maybe?)
- 9:00 AM: Okay, I sleep in this morning, but I hit up the La Quinta breakfast again.
- 10:00 AM: The Mountain. I wake up. The mountains are visible. I’m a bit scared, but I decide to go on a hike. It’s beautiful.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch.
- 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: The Return. I leave Trinidad.
- 5:00 PM: Eat.
Wrapping it Up (Maybe Not)
This trip? It wasn’t perfect. The hotel had its quirks. The food was… hit or miss. The drive was long. The plains made me contemplate my life choices. But the history, the mountains, and the unexpectedly decent pizza? They redeemed it. Would I go back? Maybe. Probably. But next time, I'm bringing more snacks. And maybe therapy.
Columbia's BEST Kept Secret: Quality Inn & Suites Review!
La Quinta in Trinidad: Is It Really as Good as They Say? (Spoiler: Maybe... Probably...)
Okay, spill the beans. Is this La Quinta actually a *deal*? 'Cause, let's be real, "deals" can be a crapshoot.
Alright, alright, settle down, you bargain hunters! Honestly? It *depends*. See, my last trip? I booked last minute, which always bites you in the rear, yeah? And it wasn't *mind-blowingly* cheaper than other places. But! The free breakfast? HUGE. My stomach is a bottomless pit in the morning, and their waffle maker? A godsend. I probably ate my weight in syrup. Also, the pool? Small-ish, but perfectly fine for a post-road trip dip. I'm a simple person, and this ticks a lot of boxes. So, deal? Potentially. Definitely compare prices and book in advance, you cheapskate. But the waffle maker... that's hard to put a price on, REALLY HARD.
What's the breakfast situation ACTUALLY like? Is it just stale pastries and sadness?
Okay, so, the breakfast. This is where La Quinta, and let's be honest, ALL budget hotels, can stumble. I've seen some breakfast buffets that look like they've survived a zombie apocalypse. However! La Quinta in Trinidad? Surprisingly solid. Yeah, the pastries might be a *little* on the dry side sometimes, but the waffles? Fresh. The eggs? Acceptable. The coffee? It'll wake you up, eventually. (I'm a coffee snob, so it's a low bar, okay?) They also have the usual suspects—cereal, fruit (sometimes a little… past its prime, I’ll admit) —basically enough to kickstart your day without breaking the bank. One time, my friend, bless him, accidentally grabbed a spoon of what he THOUGHT was yogurt. It was cottage cheese. The look on his face? Priceless. And completely unrelated to the quality of the breakfast, I swear!
Okay, so the waffles are good. But what about the rooms? Are they clean? (Because, ew, a dirty hotel room...)
Cleanliness. THE most important thing. Right? I'm a bit of a clean freak, actually. (Don't judge!) And, look, the rooms aren't the Ritz-Carlton, but they *are* usually clean. I mean, I've never found any... unexpected guests, if you catch my drift. The beds are comfy enough. The sheets, usually fresh (though I always check). The bathrooms? Okay. The water pressure's always adequate. Sometimes there might be a stray hair in the sink, but hey, life happens. One time, I swear I saw the cleaning lady *really* scrubbing the shower, because the hotel's about to go bankrupt because of me I kept dropping my soap. Really, I am very clumsy! Overall, the rooms are perfectly acceptable. You won't be horrified, I promise. Mostly.
What about the location? Is it close to anything fun? (Assuming Trinidad *has* fun...)
Alright, location... Trinidad. It's a town with character. And La Quinta's location is, well, *okay*. It's not *right* in the middle of all the action (if Trinidad *had* action), but it's not a million miles away either. You'll probably need a car to get around. It's pretty easy access to the highway, so that's a bonus. So you can easily find restaurants, and well, "stuff". I mean, hey, it's not Times Square, okay?
I'm a pool person. What's the pool situation? (Because, let's be honest, a good pool can make or break a trip).
The pool! Ah, the pool. Okay, it's not Olympic size. It's... a pool. But it's clean-ish. It's refreshing. I've seen kids splashing around, and adults quietly sipping drinks, so that's a good sign of some kind of social harmony. There are usually some lounge chairs, but grab one early, because they tend to get snapped up. The pool is not the star of the show here, but it's a perfectly acceptable place to cool off after a long day of... whatever you do in Trinidad.
I swear, one time, there was this tiny, frantic chihuahua running around the pool, its owner screaming for it. That remains a vivid memory because the dog almost jumped in the pool, which would have been way funnier. Not a pool *feature*, but definitely a pool *experience*.
What about parking? Is it a free-for-all bloodbath of cars? Or do you just *pray* you get a spot?
Parking? Generally, you're good. It's free, which is always nice. I can't remember a time I didn't find a spot. Now, whether that's a *good* spot... well, sometimes you'll have to walk a bit. But hey, exercise, right? The only drama I ever encountered was someone who had parked *sideways* across two spaces. I just stared at it for a moment, baffled, and then shrugged. Trinidad, what can you expect? Parking? Mostly painless.
Would you stay there *again*? The ultimate question!
Okay, the million-dollar question! Would I stay at La Quinta in Trinidad again? Honestly... probably. It's reliable. It's usually clean. The breakfast is decent (waffles!). The price is (usually) right. I mean, it's not a luxury experience, but it's a solid, well-worn choice. I'm not going to lie, I like the weird comfortable predictability of it. Plus, that waffle maker... I'm a creature of habit, what can I say? So, yeah. Consider me a repeat offender, at least until I find a place *with even better waffles!* (But I doubt that'll happen.)
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