Newton's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Express Review! (KS)
Newton's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Express Review! (KS)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the swirling vortex of… Newton's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Express (KS). And let me tell you, folks, I've spent enough nights in hotels to write a damn symphony about it. This isn't your average hotel review. This is the raw, unfiltered truth, seasoned with a healthy dose of my own brand of chaos.
First Impressions & Accessibility (The Good, The Bad, and the Slightly Confusing)
So, rolling up to the Holiday Inn Express in Newton, Kansas. Now, I'm not exactly known for my elegant entrances (more of a stumble-in-with-a-suitcase kind of gal), but my first thought? "Okay, this is… clean." Which, after a long drive, is always a win.
Accessibility: They claim to be accessible, and they mostly are. Elevator? Check. Ramps? Check. But sometimes I find myself wrestling with a door that feels like it’s mocking my lack of upper body strength. That’s where the slight confusion comes in. It could be better in the access department but workable.
Wheelchair accessible: This is important. I did see evidence that this is mostly true.
Internet Access (Oh, Glorious Wi-Fi!): Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Thank the gods. And it's pretty decent. I could actually stream my favorite cat videos without the dreaded buffering. This is crucial. There's nothing worse than a hotel’s glacial internet when you're trying to escape the real world.
Internet [LAN] – Didn’t even try to use it, who even uses a LAN cord anymore.
Internet Services – Seems like the Wi-Fi is it, which is fine, but be certain.
Wi-Fi in public areas: Yep, Wi-Fi everywhere. Even in the lobby, which, let’s be honest, is a dangerous place for me and my phone.
Rooms and Amenities (The Nitty-Gritty)
Alright, let's talk rooms. Mine was… fine. Not the Ritz, but hey, I wasn’t expecting the moon.
Available in all rooms: Air conditioning, alarm clock, coffee/tea maker (essential!), free wi-fi (halleluiah!), hair dryer (praise hands!), iron and ironing board, in-room safe box, mini bar (this wasn't a fancy one, mostly just space for my diet sodas), refrigerator, and safe. Standard stuff.
Additional toilet: Nope, just the one.
Air conditioning: Worked like a charm, thank goodness. Kansas summers are brutal.
Alarm clock: Functional. I use my phone now, but I guess it’s there if you're old-fashioned.
Bathrobes: Nope. Bummer. I love a good hotel robe.
Bathroom phone: Nope. Now, that's old school. I can't even remember the last time I saw one.
Bathtub: Yes, but nothing special. Did its job.
Blackout curtains: Yes! HUGE win for this light-sensitive sleeper.
Carpeting: Standard hotel carpet. You know the drill.
Closet: Adequate. More than adequate for my minimalist packing style.
Coffee/tea maker: YES! Lifesaver in the mornings. Instant coffee, but I can't complain.
Complimentary tea: See above – yes!
Daily housekeeping: And they did a good job. My bed was made, my towels were replaced, my clutter was strategically… well, at least moved.
Desk: Functional. Perfect for pretending to work on my laptop while actually scrolling through TikTok.
Extra long bed: Oh, heavens, yes! I could stretch out without my feet hanging over the edge. Score!
Free bottled water: Appreciated. Hydration is key, people.
Hair dryer: Yes. Saved me from the dreaded "wet hair all day" look.
High floor: Nope.
In-room safe box: Meh. I don’t usually use them.
Interconnecting room(s) available: I didn’t need one, but good to know.
Internet access – LAN: Not that I used it, but I assume it’s there.
Internet access – wireless: Already covered this – YES! A million times YES!
Ironing facilities: Yes. Though, I’m not sure I’ve ever ironed anything in my life.
Laptop workspace: Yep. Desk. Done.
Linens: Clean and comfortable. No complaints.
Mini bar: I already mentioned it. Not stocked with anything exciting, but the fridge worked.
Mirror: Yes. Essential for self-assessment, even if it’s just to check if you've got food stuck in your teeth.
Non-smoking: Praise be!
On-demand movies: Didn’t check, but probably there.
Private bathroom: Yes. And it was clean. Bonus points.
Reading light: Yes. Useful for those late-night book binges.
Refrigerator: Yes. See, I like my diet sodas.
Satellite/cable channels: Yep. Plenty of options. I watched way too much HGTV.
Scale: Yes. I pretended it didn’t exist.
Seating area: A small couch. Enough to plop down on after a long day.
Separate shower/bathtub: Nope. Just a combo.
Shower: Worked fine. Good water pressure.
Slippers: Nope. Not provided.
Smoke detector: Hopefully working!
Socket near the bed: Critical for charging my phone and not having to crawl across the room.
Sofa: Small couch. See "seating area".
Soundproofing: Decent. Didn’t hear any crazy noise from the hallway.
Telephone: Yes. I still haven't figured out how to use them at all.
Toiletries: Basic. Shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Nothing fancy.
Towels: Fluffy and clean. Always a win.
Umbrella: Nope. But I didn’t need one.
Visual alarm: Yes, if you need one, it's available.
Wake-up service: Available. I prefer my phone alarm, though.
Wi-Fi [free]: We've been over this, right? Fantastic!
Window that opens: Nope. Sealed. The AC did its job, though.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (Fuel for the Soul!)
Breakfast [buffet]: The breakfast buffet is a big part of the Holiday Inn Express experience, and here's where things gets…messy (in the best way!). It's your classic continental breakfast: cereal, pastries, fruit, yogurt, the usual suspects. But the real highlight? The pancake machine.
Now, look, I'm not usually one for manufactured breakfast, but this thing is pure genius. Put in the batter, wait a few seconds, and BOOM. Fresh hot pancakes! I may or may not have eaten an embarrassing number of them. But hey, it's vacation, right? Cheat Day 24/7! I did see other options, including a more Asian breakfast.
Breakfast takeaway service: Not used, but I assumed you can take some to go.
Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yep. And decent coffee.
Coffee shop: Nope. Just the breakfast area.
Restaurants: Not really. Just the breakfast area.
Snack bar: Maybe at the front desk?
Western breakfast: Pretty much.
Western cuisine in restaurant: Again, mostly the breakfast stuff.
A la carte in restaurant: nope
Alternative meal arrangement: – probably not.
Asian cuisine in restaurant: – no
Bar: Nope.
Bottle of water: Nope.
Buffet in restaurant: The breakfast.
Desserts in restaurant: Nope
Happy hour: Nope.
International cuisine in restaurant: Nope, just breakfast.
Poolside bar: Nope.
Room service [24-hour]: Nope.
Salad in restaurant: Nope
Soup in restaurant: Nope
Vegetarian restaurant: – No
Things to Do & Ways to Relax (Or Not…)
Okay, let's talk about the "things to do" part.
Swimming pool [outdoor]: Yes! And it looked inviting. I didn’t get a chance to go in, because… well, I was too busy eating pancakes (see above).
Fitness center: Yes, and
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this itinerary is less "precision Swiss watch" and more "slightly-used trampoline held together with duct tape and hope." We're talking a stay at the Holiday Inn Express Newton (KS), and let's be honest, my expectations are hovering around "clean bed, functional coffee machine, and hopefully no surprise spider infestations."
Day 1: Arrival, Airport Angst, and the Astonishing Lack of Glamour
- 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM: The Great Unveiling (of the Newton Airport…or lack thereof)
- Okay, so "airport" might be stretching it. It’s probably more "a glorified shed with a runway." Flying into Wichita and making the trek to Newton. The drive is like… Kansas. Acres and acres of… well, you get the picture. My inner monologue during this drive was somewhere between "Am I hallucinating?" and "Is that… a whole field of sunflowers?" Spoiler alert: it was. Apparently, sunflowers are Kansas' thing. Good for them.
- 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Check-in Chaos (and the Sweet Relief of Air Conditioning)
- Finally, Holiday Inn Express. The lobby… well, it's clean, which is a win. The front desk guy seemed a little… detached? Like he'd seen a thousand weary travelers and their credit cards and had already filed away mine in the mental "done with it" category. But hey, he got me checked in, and that's what matters. That sweet, sweet air conditioning was a godsend, because apparently, Kansas in summer is basically a slow cooker.
- 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Room Reconnaissance & The Dreaded TV Remote
- First order of business: Room check. Bed looks comfy. Coffee machine? Check. (Praise be!) The TV… Ah yes. The TV. The eternal battle. Navigating the modern technology of a basic remote is like trying to decipher ancient hieroglyphs. After 10 minutes of battling with the buttons, I finally manage to locate… the local news. Riveting stuff, people. Riveting.
- 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Dinner Disaster (or, Adventures in Chain Restaurants)
- Okay, so there wasn't exactly a Michelin-starred restaurant beckoning in Newton. I'm going to skip the name because it wasn't a great experience. The food was… fine, I guess. I'm starting to think I need to lower my expectations. Everything is fine. That's all I'm capable of thinking right now. Except, when the waitress asked if I liked the meal, I think I accidentally said, "Perfect." It's not. It was an utter lie. I should become a method actor and just commit to any deception I have to say.
- 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM: Early Night and the Unsettling Silence
- Back to the room. A little TV, a little book. But, man, it's quiet here. Too quiet. Like, "you could hear a pin drop on a field of sunflowers" quiet. Suddenly, I'm acutely aware of every creak in the floorboards. The silence is almost unsettling. Makes you think you can hear your own heartbeat. Okay, okay, that's probably just the coffee talking. Sleep is probably going to be a struggle.
Day 2: Exploring the Undiscovered Charms (or, Staring Deeply at Cornfields)
- 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM: The Breakfast Buffet Battle
- Breakfast buffet – the great equalizer. The smell of stale coffee and slightly overcooked scrambled eggs. The joy of grabbing a plastic fruit cup and eating it next to the people. I may or may not have accidentally grabbed a second waffle. Don't judge me. It was the only moment of real joy I'd had all day.
- 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Out and About and the "Scenic" Driving Route
- I decided, against my better judgment, to actually explore Newton. I'm going to be honest, there is only so much that I can see of a town. It's good. The houses are really nice. The locals seem… nice. It's just… all so… normal. A lot of cornfields. Like, really a lot of cornfields. I mean, I like corn, but… oh god, another cornfield. I can't even tell them apart. They're all just… corn.
- 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Lunch, Again, and the Quest for Decent Coffee
- Lunch was at a different chain restaurant. The coffee situation? Still grim. Maybe, just maybe, I could get a decent cup of java… after a second restaurant that I will not mention.
- 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM: The "Museum" (and the Unexpected Spark of Joy)
- Okay, so there's a historical museum. I didn't go into it expecting much. But, you know what? It was actually pretty fascinating. Learned a lot about the history of Newton. It had a lot of vintage stuff. Who would've thought?
- 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Hotel Hangout & The Inevitable Channel Surfing
- Time to relax, or rather, attempt to. The hotel pool seemed a little… uninviting. Channel surfing ensued. Found a decent movie on. It was perfect. Kind of.
- 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Dinner (and the Deep Regret of a Solo Traveler)
- Dinner. Alone. Again. Being a solo traveler has its perks, until it doesn't. Sometimes, all you want is someone to share your slightly-overcooked chicken with.
- 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM: The Long Night & The Dread of the TV Remote, Again
- Another evening, another battle with the TV remote. Then, the unsettling quiet. I've started to think I might actually be losing the plot.
Day 3: The Great Escape (and a Fond Farewell to the Sunflower State)
- 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM: Breakfast Buffet and the Final Waffle Fiasco
- One last hurrah at the breakfast buffet. You know the drill. Grabbed a waffle.
- 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Checkout and Departure (with a Sigh of Relief)
- Check-out was efficient. The front desk guy still seemed detached. But the air conditioning hit me.
- 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Drive to the Wichita Airport (and Reflecting on the… Experience)
- The drive back to Wichita. Sunflowers, cornfields. The whole experience felt a little… surreal. I'm not sure what I expected from Newton, Kansas. Maybe, I shouldn't have expected anything. Maybe, that's the key.
- 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Airport Angst – The Final Chapter
- The dreaded airport. Security checks. The blandness of airport food. I'm ready to go home, I really am.
- 1:00 PM – Onward: Home and the Sweet, Sweet Familiarity of My Own Routine
- Plane takes off. Leaving Kansas.
Honestly, the Holiday Inn Express was fine. Newton was… Newton. And honestly, that's okay. Sometimes, a perfectly ordinary trip is exactly what you need. I'm already planning my next adventure, hopefully that one is more "unforgettable" than "forgettable, but in a good way."
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Alright, spill the beans: Is this Holiday Inn Express in Newton, KS, a solid choice, or should I just sleep in my car? Be honest!
Let's talk about the room. What can I *really* expect? Any red flags I should be aware of?
The breakfast. Everyone always talks about the breakfast. What's the deal? Promise me an honest assessment.
What about amenities? Does this place have a pool? Gym? Should I pack a swimsuit?
Parking? Is it a nightmare? Do I need to walk a mile with my luggage?
The staff! Are they friendly? Do they actually care? Tell me the truth!
Let's talk location. Is this place conveniently located? Close to anything interesting?
Okay, the REALLY important question: Would you stay here again? Be honest!
So, what’s the *worst* experience you’ve had there? Give me the gory details.
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