On a spring break road trip, the Country Inn & Suites, part of the Radisson hotel group, was a perfect stop for a night of rest despite one snafu. The “fabulous” rating at Hotels.com caught my attention. The one snafu did not diminish my recommendation of a family-friendly stay. This Country Inn & Suites in Wytheville, Virginia is clean, comfortable and has all one needs for an affordable night with some extra stand out touches. But, there was the snafu.
When I asked the receptionist how his day was going at check-in, he said, “Good, but it would be better if the elevator was working.” Sure enough, the elevator was out of order.
Kudos to him, though. His warm smile, apology for the inconvenience, and comment,”I just put out fresh baked cookies to welcome you,” helped. It made it seem like walking up five flights of stairs to our room was not a big deal. We left most luggage in the car for the trip upstairs.
I saw one family in the parking lot reorganizing their belongings to pare down for the hike. On my second walk up the stairs, I offered to help one man who had his hands full, but he was fine.
Our two queen bed room was perfect. Comfortable, spacious and clean. The large flat screen TV, refrigerator, microwave, and outlets galore provided what we needed. The room temperature was splendid. The only thing that didn’t work was the elevator.
Even the pool was open until midnight, a rare occurrence. In many hotels, I’ve found 11 pm seems to be the more common closing time. Along with the pool, there is a spacious hot tub.
In the morning, the pool was a busy place of families with kids.
I did take time to use the exercise room equipped with a stationary bicycle, elliptical machine, and treadmill. Before leaving the hotel, I used the small business center to print off a document I needed.
Another Country Inn & Suites plus is the sitting area of the lobby. It was a welcoming, visually pleasing spot to hang out. Appointed with decorative pieces, artwork and books, the feel is like a den or a family room.
The receptionist turned on the gas fireplace which was a lovely touch. I noticed that the books can be checked out by guests. I was impressed by the scope of the selection. There are children’s books, as well as, adult popular to literary fiction.
One might think that the non-working elevator would cause a buzz. No one talked about the elevator at breakfast. Instead, people swapped travel stories. Many families were on spring break trips passing through either heading south or on their way north.
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Even though I showed up right before breakfast ended, food was replenished to make sure anyone who wanted eggs, sausage, waffles and fresh fruit could have some. Coffee is available 24/7, as are the cookies. The cookies are delicious and worth the trip down and up the stairs.
Like with the rest of the hotel, the color scheme in the breakfast area is visually pleasing with artwork featured into the design.
Before we left, the elevator repair people were hard at work.
Conveniently located off I-77 and I-81, Wytheville is close to Big Walker National Mountain National Forest Scenic Byway.
Guest rooms include king bed standard to king suites. Currently rooms start at $111 through the hotel’s website, or try Hotels.com.
*If you had showed up at the Country Inn & Suites and were unable to navigate the stairs, your money would have been refunded.
Post and photos courtesy of Jamie Rhein
