St. Cloud's BEST Kept Secret: Days Inn & Unbeatable Deals!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to dive headfirst into the… well, the heart of St. Cloud's BEST Kept Secret: Days Inn and Unbeatable Deals! Trust me, I've been around the block (and the dusty motel parking lot) a few times, and this isn’t your typical cookie-cutter hotel review. We're talking REAL experience, warts and all. And yes, I'm going to get lost in the weeds a little. Deal with it.
Let's just say I was skeptical. "Unbeatable deals"? "Best Kept Secret"? My cynical heart practically snapped in half. But hey, a deal's a deal, and a road trip called. So, I rolled in, ready to unleash my inner Grumpy Gus.
First Impressions & Accessibility: The Good Samaritan Syndrome (and Some Hiccups)
From the get-go, things were… well, they were there, which is always a good start. Accessibility is key, especially for a road-weary traveler. Now, I don't personally need a wheelchair, but I saw the ramps and the elevator, and that's a HUGE plus. Facilities for disabled guests are clearly a priority – not just a begrudging afterthought. Bravo, Days Inn. Makes my heart sing.
Getting around: Okay, so, Car park [free of charge] is a huge money-saver. I hate paying for parking. HATE IT. And it's on-site, which is always convenient. (Side note: I saw some people using the Car power charging station, which is a super modern touch.). The Airport transfer, not something I needed this trip but good to know.
Now, for the "secret" part…
Internet Access & Tech Woes (My Kryptonite):
Okay, here's where the "best kept secret" gets a little blurry. The promise of Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! is a big draw. And mostly works… Sometimes. Occasionally, it’s like trying to communicate with a grumpy squirrel over a tin can phone. I spent a good hour chasing a phantom signal with a very important deadline looming. Internet [LAN] was also on offer, which I didn't try given my tech woes but good for the business travellers.
The good news? When it did work, it was decent. And I did appreciate having Internet services available. Eventually, things improved but made my blood boil.
Cleanliness, Safety & The Anti-Viral Brigade (A Sigh of Relief):
This is where Days Inn really shines, and it’s not just marketing fluff. Cleanliness and safety are clearly taken seriously (and, let’s be real, that's what we all really want these days). Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, and Rooms sanitized between stays? Yes, please! I did like the presence of Hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE. I saw visible evidence of Professional-grade sanitizing services. Felt safe enough to let my guard down, which is a big thing.
I also appreciated extras like a First aid kit.
Dining, Drinking & Snacking: From Buffet Bliss to Room Service Ramblings:
The Breakfast in room, made me grin. The Breakfast [buffet]? A slightly overwhelming wonderland of… well, let’s just say it’s a carb-lover's paradise. I was a bit full but happy. The Coffee/tea in restaurant, was crucial. But! The Room service [24-hour] was a godsend. (Midnight burger craving? Yes, please!). I had a late night Bottle of water was also in my room. Very helpful after a long drive. The Snack bar saved me when I had an afternoon slump. Coffee shop? Yes!
Services and Conveniences: The Secret to the Secret?
The things that make a stay really comfortable. The Cash withdrawal option saved me a trip for an ATM. The Elevator made life easier. Daily housekeeping. A Concierge. Currency exchange. I did enjoy the Laundry service. Ironing service, too. Dry cleaning, I'd love to have used but didn't have time. Luggage storage. So much better. These touches make a difference.
For the Kids (and the Big Kids at Heart):
Listen, I don’t have kids. But I saw a sign mentioning Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, and Kids facilities. They must be trying.
The Room Itself (My Sanctuary?):
Okay, the room. It was… adequate. Decent at best. The Blackout curtains were a life-saver. Air conditioning cranked on – yes. Free bottled water. The bed was comfy enough; the Extra long bed was probably unnecessary. The Bathrobes were a nice touch but the Shower wasn't anything to write home about. The Coffee/tea maker came in very handy.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax: The Spa, The Pool, and the Mystery
Here's where this "best kept secret" really surprised me. I mean, a Days Inn? Turns out there's a whole world of things to chill out with, the Swimming pool [outdoor], the Spa/sauna, even a full-blown Spa! I didn't get to try everything (time, people, time!) but the promise is there.
The Big Dilemma: Unbeatable Deals?
This is the crux of it, isn’t it? Are the deals truly unbeatable? And I’m going to answer it.
The Offer: Unlock Your Adventure with St. Cloud's BEST Kept Secret: Days Inn!
Here’s the straight talk:
Why You Should Book Now:
- Unbeatable Value: We're talking seriously competitive pricing.
- Cleanliness Guarantee: We don't just say we're clean; we prove it.
- Convenience Central: From 24-hour room service to on-site amenities, we've got you covered.
- Unexpected Perks: A spa, a pool, and friendly staff? Days Inn may shock you!
- Stress-Free Travel From the moment you arrive.
Book today!
The Verdict: Not Perfect, But Damn Good
Days Inn in St. Cloud isn’t a luxury resort. It's a solid, reliable, and surprisingly enjoyable place to rest your weary head. It's not perfect. The Wi-Fi can be temperamental. Some aspects of the experience were just okay. But the combination of cleanliness, accessibility, surprisingly good dining, and, yes, those "unbeatable deals" make it a winner.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Especially if I'm looking for an affordable, convenient, and surprisingly well-equipped base for exploring St. Cloud. It’s not the Ritz, but it’s got heart, and that, my friends, is the real best-kept secret of the Days Inn.
Escape to Carrollton: Microtel Inn & Suites Awaits!
Okay, buckle up buttercup, 'cause we're about to dive headfirst into my experience at the Days Inn in St. Cloud, Minnesota. And let me tell you, it's gonna be less "beautifully curated travel blog" and more "slightly chaotic diary of a human trying to survive."
Day 1: Arrival and Existential Dread in a Beige Room
- 1:00 PM: Arrived. After a grueling five-hour drive (thanks, Wisconsin construction!) full of bad radio and a growing sense of existential dread, pulling into the Days Inn parking lot felt… underwhelming. It's beige. Everything is beige. The building, the sign, the very air seems to be tinged with… beige.
- 1:15 PM: Check-in was… efficient. The lady at the front desk was a whirlwind of practiced politeness. "Welcome to St. Cloud!" she chirped. I mumbled something that resembled a greeting and grabbed my keycard. My hopes of escaping the general feeling of being, well, beige rested on the room.
- 1:30 PM: The room. Oh, the room. It wasn’t bad, per se. Just… beige. And the air conditioning sounds like a dying walrus. I mean, it did its job, eventually, but it was a dramatic performance. The bedspread? The same beige, albeit with a slightly more floral beige pattern. I swear, I saw a faint outline of a previous guest's head on the pillow. (No judgment, we’ve all been there, right?)
- 2:00 PM: Impulse decision: Pizza. There's a Pizza Hut across the street. I have to make a choice, right? In the face of beige ennui, a greasy slice has to be good, right? Right? (Don't tell me Pizza Hut is also beige.)
- 2:30 PM: Ate pizza. It was pizza. Fuel.
- 3:00 PM: Attempted to watch TV. The remote control required a PhD in buttonology. Finally, after much swearing (to myself, mostly) I managed to find a channel. It was a rerun of "Judge Judy." Perfect. Because nothing screams "vacation" like watching strangers yell at each other.
- 6:00 PM: The evening descends. The beige of the room somehow deepens. I decide to explore St. Cloud.
- 6:30 PM: Okay, so, finding a reasonable restaurant, on foot, in the evening, from a hotel on the outskirts of town in the middle of summer? My inner explorer gives up. Quick trip back to the Pizza Hut.
Day 2: The Quest for Something… More (Possibly a Good Breakfast)
- 7:00 AM: Okay, breakfast. That's the key to any successful vacation. The included continental breakfast at the Days Inn promised to be… well, let’s just say my expectations were low.
- 7:15 AM: The breakfast room. Oh dear. The "continental breakfast" consisted of: stale-looking doughnuts (beige, naturally), some questionable-looking pastries, a waffle maker with a suspicious stain on it, and pre-packaged cereal boxes. The coffee looked like it'd been brewed by a sentient swamp. I opted for a banana and a weak-looking cup of coffee. Defeat is a bitter taste.
- 7:45 AM: St. Cloud, part two: The Quarry Park and Nature Preserve. It sounded… nature-y. I needed nature. I needed green. I needed SOMETHING other than beige.
- 8:00 AM: The Quarry Park. Okay, this was legitimately beautiful. The water reflections, the green, the cliffs. I mean, I spent the better part of an hour just wandering around with my mouth hanging open. It's genuinely stunning, and definitely the highlight of the trip so far. I may have even shed a tear (of joy! Mostly).
- 11:00 AM: Lunch. Decided to go for a local diner. Found a place named "The Granite City Diner". The food was great, the service was on par.
- 2:00 PM: Back at the Days Inn. Back to beige. More "Judge Judy." The walrus continues its death rattle.
- 4:00 PM: Decided to take a dip in the pool. I'd imagined a relaxing swim. I imagined wrong. It was freezing cold. I didn't stay in the pool for long, and went to the snack machines.
- 5:00 PM: Another pizza, this time from a place a little further away, still beige, but with more herbs.
- 7:00 PM: Found a local bar. I found my people.
- 11:00 PM: back at the hotel room, writing this.
Day 3: Departure and Reflections (Mostly on the Beige-ness of It All)
- 8:00 AM: Attempted the breakfast buffet again. Failed.
- 9:00 AM: Checkout. I was in and out.
- 9:30 AM: Hit the road. The drive out of St. Cloud was uneventful, but strangely, I felt… nostalgic. Perhaps it was because I was escaping the beige purgatory. Perhaps it was the Quarry Park. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the shared experience of the beige, the weird walrus air conditioner, and the perfectly average pizza.
- 1:00 PM: Back home.
Final Thoughts:
The Days Inn in St. Cloud? It was… an experience. The beige, the slightly worn-down edges, the lukewarm breakfast, the questionable pool – it all added up to something oddly… endearing. It wasn't luxurious. It wasn't perfect. But it was a perfectly human experience. And sometimes, that's all you need. Would I go back? Maybe. Probably. Eventually, I'll probably crave some beige again. And maybe, just maybe, that walrus air conditioner will be waiting me. And you know, I'd actually miss it.
Escape to Paradise: Pukha Nanfa Hotel, Your Nan, Thailand Oasis Awaits!
Alright, so, what *is* the meaning of life, anyway? Please, no philosophical mumbo-jumbo!
Ugh, here we go. The big one. Look, if I had a nickel for every time someone asked me that… well, I'd have enough nickels to, what, buy a really lukewarm cup of coffee? Honestly, I think the meaning of life is… well, it's whatever you *make* it. Yeah, that's a cop-out, I know. But think about it. Are you happy? Are you hurting others? Are you wearing socks that match your pants? (Okay, maybe not that last one.) For me? It’s probably the joy of finding that perfect meme, you know? That cathartic *'YES!'* when the algorithm *finally* gets you. Or maybe it's the little things, like watching the sunset and thinking, "Wow, that's pretty neat." It’s not one big thing; it's a collection of tiny moments, the good, the bad, and the utterly embarrassing! And I'm pretty sure no one actually *knows* the answer. We're all just winging it, hoping nobody notices we’re faking it until we make it. Which, let's be honest, is a lot of the time.
Why is it so hard to get out of bed in the morning? Is there a conspiracy?
Oh, the morning battle. My arch-nemesis. I swear, my bed is laced with some kind of super-adhesive that only releases at 3:00 PM. Conspiracy? Maybe! I'm more inclined to think it's just the universal human struggle against, like, wanting to be comfortable. And, let's face it, comfy wins *most* of the time. I’ve tried the alarm clock across the room trick. Failed. I've tried those fancy light-simulating alarms. Laughed at them (while snug in my blankets). The only thing that seems to work is, like, the threat of missing breakfast tacos. And even *that* is a gamble. Honestly, I think it's less a conspiracy and more a fundamental design flaw in the human operating system: a serious aversion to the great outdoors and a deep, abiding love for sleeping in.
How do you deal with awkward silences?
Awkward silences. Ugh. They're like those surprise pop quizzes in life, you know? My go-to moves are a delightful cocktail of panic and pretending everything's fine. Sometimes I'll just blurt out something random, like, "Did you know squirrels can remember where they buried their nuts?" (True fact, by the way). Other times, I just stare intently at something nearby, like a particularly interesting stain on the wall, hoping *someone* will break the silence. And, okay, fine, sometimes I just laugh nervously. It's not a pretty strategy, but hey, it's mine. The *worst* is when you *think* you've filled the void with some clever comment, and then *no one* responds. Then you are in double-awkward land. It's a minefield, folks, a social minefield.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Okay, this one is tough. Because, like, are those cheesy motivational posters with platitudes even *real* advice? (Spoiler alert: usually no.) But, if I had to pick one that actually resonated, it was probably from my Grandma. She had this way of cutting through the noise, you know? She always said, and I'm paraphrasing here a *little*, "Don't let the jerks get to you. And eat the cake." That's it. Simple, yet profound. And it covers like, 90% of life. You will encounter jerks, and you will encounter cake. Enjoy the cake, don't let the jerks win. It’s a philosophy I try (and occasionally fail) to live by. I mean, cake is delicious, even if the jerks get to you on occasion. And it's more than just about the cake. It also encompasses not sweating the small stuff. Seriously, the small stuff will take up a lot of room in your brain if you don't watch out.
What's your biggest regret? (Be honest!)
Oh, boy. Regrets. Where do I even *begin*? Okay, I'll tell you one. When I was, like, 10 years old, I'm going to date myself, but I had this awesome pair of light-up sneakers. They were, like, the *coolest* thing ever. I mean, they lit up with every step! But, one day at the park, some jerk kids started making fun of me. Saying they were "lame." I got embarrassed, and I hid them. I stopped wearing them. And I regret it. I regret letting those *idiots* dictate my fashion choices. I mean, those shoes were *fun*. They made me happy. And who cares what some jerky kids thought? So yeah, that's my biggest regret: letting someone else steal my joy, my cool shoes, and basically, a little piece of my inner child. I'm pretty sure I'm buying a pair of light-up sneakers again, as soon as I figure out where to acquire them. Maybe in neon purple. Or maybe with flames. I don't know yet, I just know I will make that happen.
What's something you're surprisingly good at?
I can fold a fitted sheet. Yes, you heard that right. I can fold a fitted sheet. I know it sounds like a boring, mundane thing, but it's my *superpower*. It's not a skill you get to use every day, but once I master it, I'm pretty proud of that accomplishment. Everyone always finds it absolutely *impossible*, and I just, well, I *nail* it. It takes a few minutes, a lot of mental focus (and sometimes a small amount of cursing), but I emerge victorious. It's a small victory, granted, but in a world overflowing with chaos, sometimes you need those small wins. And it's always a conversation starter! If I'm being honest. The best thing is the look on people's faces when they see that it can be done. It's like they think I'm some magician. *poof* a folded sheet is there.
What makes you genuinely happy?
Oh, man. Happiness. Okay, for me, it's a mix of things. Obviously, good friends, a good meal. But, really, it's the little moments. Like the feeling you get when you find the perfect parking spot. Yes, I said it. Finding a good parking spot makes me smile. Or the warmth of fuzzy socks on a cold day. Or when a cat chooses to sit on your lap. Just the purrfect, I mean, *perfect* little things, you know? Also, sometimes, just sitting on the couch and watching a really bad reality show and laughing your head off. Pure bliss. It's not a constant state, of course. There are days when nothing seemsHotel For Travelers
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