Rodeway Inn Barboursville, WV: Your Home Away From Home (Amazing Deals Inside!)
Rodeway Inn Barboursville, WV: Your Home Away From Home (Amazing Deals Inside!)
Rodeway Inn Barboursville, WV: My Chaotic, Occasionally Grumpy, But Ultimately Affordable Adventure. (Oh, and those "Amazing Deals Inside" are… well, you'll see.)
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the swirling vortex that is the Rodeway Inn Barboursville. "Your Home Away From Home," they chirp. More like, "Your Home… ish… Away From Home. With a slightly questionable, yet endearing, personality."
The Pre-Trip Anxiety & Accessibility: A Mixed Bag, Naturally.
Before I even got there, I was already on edge. Travel, bleh. I NEED accessibility, I demand it. So, I pored over reviews. The good news? They claim to have facilities for disabled guests. Check! Elevator? Check! (Phew.) The bad news? Specific details were scarce. It’s just the idea of accessibility that's present. This set the tone, I figured.
Getting Around & Parking: Blessedly Simple.
One thing, thank god, that's a breeze: Car Park [free of charge]? Check! And it's Car park [on-site] as well, so no wandering the wilderness with your luggage. Taxi service is listed, but frankly, in Barboursville? You're probably better off hoofing it, or begging a ride. The airport transfer is there, which is nice if you're flying into Huntington Tri-State Airport (HTS), a charming little airport.
Check-in & The Lobby: A Blink-and-You'll-Miss-It Affair.
Check-in/out [express], they claim. And they're not wrong. It's fast. Bluntly fast. Like, "Here's your key, don't break anything, go away" fast. The front desk [24-hour] is a comforting detail, knowing someone's probably there if you need them. The lobby? Functional. Not glamorous. Think "comfortable waiting area" more than "grand hotel masterpiece."
My Room: The Good, the Bad, and the "Huh?"
Now, the rooms. Here's where things get interesting.
- Available in All Rooms (the basics): Air conditioning? Check. Alarm clock? Check. Coffee/tea maker? Praise be, check! Daily housekeeping? Blessedly, check. A desk? Check, though it felt like it was older than me. Free bottled water (sort of)! Check. Internet access – wireless (Wi-Fi [free])? Double-check!
- The Quirks: My room had a window that opens, which was nice for some fresh air, and the blackout curtains were a lifesaver. Good for hiding from the world, after a long day! It also had a mirror, which is always appreciated. The non-smoking room was a godsend, but I swear, I could smell a ghost of a cigarette from a previous guest. And the hair dryer? It felt like it was from the Stone Age, and I barely managed to dry my hair before it conked out. "Oh, well," I sighed. "At least it kind of worked."
- The "Huh?" Moments: The satellite/cable channels were a bit… spotty. And by spotty, I mean, I spent a good hour trying to watch my favorite show but mostly got static. And the in-room safe box wasn’t even a safe. It was a drawer. I almost put my passport in the drawers!!
- The bathroom: Now, the bathroom, well, it was clean, which is a good start. Shower was decent, honestly. And the toiletries, like the shampoo and soap, were cheap, but they did their job!
Cleanliness and Safety: A Sense of… Attempt.
Cleanliness and safety: Okay, look, they try. They seem to take Anti-viral cleaning products seriously, whatever that means. Rooms sanitized between stays, the website boasted. I didn't see them cleaning, I didn't get a notification saying when the room was cleaned. Staff trained in safety protocol. Let's hope so. Smoke alarms were present, which is always reassuring. I didn’t see CCTV in common areas, but I didn’t really go looking, either.
Dining: A Culinary Adventure… Of Convenience?
Dining, drinking, and snacking: Okay, here’s the big one, right? The Rodeway Inn Barboursville offers… things. There's a breakfast [buffet]. That's the main draw, apparently. It was… well, it was breakfast. Think basic continental, with some lukewarm scrambled eggs that might or might not have originated at a chicken farm. Breakfast service itself was okay. The coffee/tea in the restaurant was… caffeinating. They have Restaurants, but I only saw one. It was kinda in the lobby, almost.
Things to Do/Ways to Relax: Hold Your Horses.
Things to do: Okay, so, the "Things to Do" is not a huge selling point. Gym/fitness? Nope. Swimming pool [outdoor]? Nope. Spa? HA! No spa. No sauna. No pool. No fun. It's Barboursville. Relaxing means, "Watch some TV, and maybe try and find something edible."
Internet Access: We're Connected, But Are We, Really?
Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet services, Wi-Fi in public areas, Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! They make a big deal about this. And, yes, you can connect. It's not blazing fast, but it's there. I have to be honest. I spent a good chunk of time trying to connect to the internet. I succeeded, eventually.
Services and Conveniences: A Mixed Bag of Availability
Concierge, nope. Doorman, absolutely not. Daily housekeeping, as expected, was pretty fast. Laundry service? Might as well just do it yourself, the machine was probably older than me. Luggage storage? Sure, if you want to leave your stuff in the lobby.
For the kids: The silence is deafening.
For the kids: Babysitting service? No. Family/child friendly? I guess, in the sense that it's a place to park your kids. Kids facilities? Not that I saw. Kids meal? Highly doubtful.
The "Amazing Deals Inside"?: Let’s Be Realistic
So, what about those "Amazing Deals Inside"? Well, let's just say my definition of "amazing" might differ from the Rodeway Inn's. They were… price-conscious, let’s call it that. It's a budget hotel. And you get what you pay for.
My Verdict: The Grumpy Traveler’s Bottom Line
Look, the Rodeway Inn Barboursville isn't the Ritz. It's not the Four Seasons. It's a basic, somewhat dated, budget-friendly place to crash for a night or two. It's got its quirks. It might pass for accessible, and barely, I admit. It's clean enough. The staff is… present. Non-smoking rooms? Good. Car park [free of charge]? Great. If you're looking for luxury, run. If you're looking for cheap and cheerful (and can handle a bit of chaos), then, yeah, it'll do. Would I stay there again? Probably. But I'd definitely bring my own snacks and earplugs. And lower my expectations. Way down. This review will never be finished and I'll edit it until I die.
Escape to Paradise: Your Luxurious Calima Lake Cabana Awaits!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to embark on a journey… a journey to the shimmering jewel that is… the Rodeway Inn in Barboursville, West Virginia. Hold your breath, I'm gonna try to remember this whole thing. It's not gonna be pretty.
The Rodeway Ramble: A Barboursville Bonanza (or, How I Survived This Motel)
Day 1: Arrival & Initial Existential Dread (AKA, the Parking Lot Blues)
- 14:00 - Arrival: Okay, here we are. The Rodeway Inn. The name itself… Rodeway. Sounds like a place where you'd find yourself running away from something. Anxiety bloomed immediately. The parking lot… well, let’s just say it’s seen better days. I swear, one of the cars looked like it was weeping rust buckets. Anyway, I hauled my sad little suitcase out of my car and just stared. "This is it," I thought. "This is where you’re meant to be." (Dramatic pause.) The building itself was a symphony in beige, with a smattering of "Vacancy" signs that looked like they'd been there since the Carter administration.
- 14:30 - Check-In Chaos: The front desk clerk was… well, bless her heart. She looked like she'd seen some things. And she definitely hadn’t seen a smile in, oh, I don't know, two weeks? After a brief battle with the credit card machine (which sounded like a dying robot), I finally got the key.
- 15:00 - Room Revelation: The room… oh, the room. Let's say it had "charm." That charm that's usually code for "decrepit." The carpet was… well, let's just say you didn't want to think too hard about what might have been ground into it. The air conditioner coughed like a chain smoker, and the TV was a relic from the stone age. The best thing about it? The bed, it was actually quite comfy. I immediately collapsed on it.
- 15:30 - The Bathroom Enigma: The bathroom was… an experience. The showerhead looked like it should have been in a museum. I spent a good five minutes trying to figure out the water pressure situation. Eventually I got tepid water. It barely kept me clean but I was thankful for it.
Day 2: Fueling & Fumbling (And, the Breakfast Debacle)
- 07:00 - Breakfast… a Comedy of Errors: The included breakfast. This was the low point. The "continental breakfast," if you could call it that. The coffee was… well, it had the color of coffee, but the taste was more akin to dishwater that had been left out for a month. The "cereal" was stale, the "fruit" was… questionable. I opted for a stale bagel and a plastic-y orange. I also grabbed a banana. It got put in my bag and forgotten about.
- 08:00 - Coffee Conundrum (and existential crisis): The coffee was so bad, I actually went out and got a Starbucks coffee. It's always a good mood booster.
Day 3: A Day of Misadventures
- 10:00 - Wandering Barboursville: I needed to get out of my room. I went to the city (or, really, town) to do some sights. I started to see the beauty of the place, the small town charm. The park in the middle. The people were nice.
- 13:00 - Lunch Intermission I was hungry. I went to a local diner. I saw a friendly face, the waitress was great.
Day 4: Farewell & Reflection (And, a Final Plea for Decent Coffee)
- 08:00 - Breakfast Despair (Round Two): Same breakfast, same sadness. The bagel seemed even stalier this morning. I stared longingly at the plastic orange.
- 09:00 - Packing & Departure: I packed my stuff. I went over everything to be sure I didn't leave anything behind.
- 10:00 - Existential Post-Rodeway Blues: Okay, I'm out. The Rodeway Inn is in my rearview mirror. Am I transformed? Probably not. Did I have a wonderful time? Let's just say I survived. But hey, at least I have a story. And maybe, just maybe, I can finally get a decent cup of coffee.
Rodeway Inn Barboursville: Frequently Asked... Err, Mostly Rants and Ramblings About It, Honestly. (Amazing Deals? Maybe. Amazing Experience? We'll See.)
Okay, So... What *Is* the Vibe at Rodeway Inn Barboursville? Is it, like, a "home away from home" or more of a "where am I and how did I get here?" kind of thing?
Alright, let's be real. "Home away from home" is a *strong* claim, right? Look, it's Barboursville. Think...small-town charm, but maybe with a little bit less of the actual charm and a whole lot more of the "conveniently located off the highway" factor. Actually, now that I think about it, I *did* end up there once, and it was...memorable. I was driving cross-country, and my GPS, bless its circuits, decided this was the perfect stopping point. Fine. Bargain hunter, through and through, I booked it. Walked to my room... and the carpet... oh GOD, the carpet. Felt like it had absorbed every spilled soda, dropped pizza crust, and existential dread from the last decade. But hey, the AC worked! (Mostly.)
About those "Amazing Deals"... Are they REALLY amazing? Or is it one of those "cheap for a reason" situations?
Okay, so the deals... yeah, they *can* be pretty good. Especially if you're flexible on your standards of cleanliness. (See: Carpet of Doom, above.) I once got a room for, like, pennies on the dollar. And for that price? You know what? I wasn't expecting the Ritz-Carlton. I was expecting a place to sleep that wouldn't try to eat me. And the Rodeway Inn...delivered. (Mostly. I did have a brief, unsettling encounter with a bug. Let's just leave it at that.) So, "amazing" depends on your expectations. Think of it as a culinary buffet of accommodations: you get what you pay for. Sometimes more, sometimes less...but generally enough to get you through the night.
Breakfast... How's the breakfast? Does it involve questionable eggs and a conveyor belt of processed carbs? Please tell me it doesn't involve questionable eggs.
Alright, the breakfast... *deep breath*. Okay. Look, breakfast at Rodeway Inns, in my experience, is a box of contradictions. "Free" is often in the fine print - which, yeah, is nice. It does have the most basic of basics, though. Think pre-packaged muffins that have the structural integrity of a damp sponge, and coffee that has the taste of…let's just say, brownish water. (Though really, what do you expect?) Oh, and the eggs. The eggs are...well, let's just say, they might have seen a chicken at some point in their distant past. I saw some sort of machine trying it's hardest to churn out waffles once. I didn't dare. My advice? Bring your own breakfast bars. You'll thank me later (or not, because I'm just some guy on the internet, but still.)
So, hypothetically, I check in and things aren't... ideal. What's the protocol for dealing with, uh, "unexpected surprises"?
Look. Let's admit it, 'unexpected surprises' are *part* of the Rodeway Inn experience, aren't they? (We're talking rusty faucets, flickering lights, and the occasional mystery stain.) If you encounter something... less than optimal, my advice? Be nice, but firm. Talk to the front desk. Realistically, they're probably dealing with it all the time. (Poor souls.) The staff, from my experience, actually tries. They're doing their best. Just remember: you catch more flies with honey. And, you know, maybe bring some Lysol wipes.
What's the Wi-Fi like? Is it reliable enough for, say, desperately trying to stream the entire Star Wars saga to distract yourself?
Wi-Fi. Ah, yes. The essential modern amenity (or curse, depending on your mood). Honestly? It's hit or miss. Some days, it works like a dream. Other days, it's slower than a sloth on sedatives. I've had to tether to my phone on more than one occasion. I tried to watch the Star Wars movies once while there. The Wi-Fi, let's just say, was not with me. Plan accordingly, and download anything you absolutely *need* to see before you arrive. Pack a book as back-up, too. You know... just in case.
This whole Barboursville area... is there anything actually *to do* around there? Or am I going to be stuck staring at the "amazing deals" brochure all night?
Okay, Barboursville. It's a small town. Don't expect Vegas. Seriously. It's mostly a pitstop. There's some...stuff. A few restaurants, a gas station. You know, the essentials. Huntington is close, though, and there are some things there, like Marshall University and...other things. Honestly? I'd recommend planning a trip to see something cool outside of the area. Maybe it's a perfect starting point for a road trip the next day? It is what it is, but be realistic about your options.
On a scale of one to ten, with one being "totally pristine and delightful" and ten being "you'll need therapy after this," how would you rate the overall experience?
Alright, the moment of truth. The overall experience...let's be honest. This *is* the Rodeway Inn Barboursville. And I am an average person who does not have a lot of money. I'm thinking a solid 6.5, leaning towards a 7 on a bad day. There are definitely moments of "Wow, this is rough," and there are moments of, "Well, at least I have a roof over my head." You're probably not going to have a life-altering vacation, but you'll get through the night. And hey, sometimes that's all you need, right? Just pack your own pillows, some disinfectant, and a healthy dose of humor. And, maybe, your own snacks. You'll probably be fine.
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