Last night I stayed at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Arriving at around midnight their time, I didn’t notice anything unusual about the  property at first site. the lobby entrance is just like any other with modern clean lines and graphic patterns. Open and airy. Typical.

As we started to walk toward our rooms, things began to look somewhat familiar as if I had been there beforeand it wasn’t a Wyndham. The hotel is actually a former outdoor Holiday Inn and still keeps the stucco. Outdoor meaning that entry to the guest rooms was on the outside of the hotel building versus walking down halls in more modern hotels. Once inside, the room was nicely appointed and updated to more Wyndham standards. Offering either one king or two doubles, a fabulous “work” chair complete with attached tables and electrical outlet, a separate desk, large flat panel television and updated bathroom with marble and tiled everything except the wood legs that the vanity sat upon.

I did take a short video. I am having a hard time actually showing the video itself so I am trying it with a link. If you know how to place that video better please let me know.

This morning I walked around before I headed back to the lobby for breakfast in the    restaurant. Just as I expected, the pool was what I imagined although I was looking for the  ”Holidome”! I am not sure if they removed it and put in a solid ceiling or not however, it  looks just the same as I imagined with the wrought iron gate still standing and a pool  table, video games and a vending machine just outside of it.

Not far from the pool area is the fitness center that is actually not too shabby. Typical elliptical machines, treadmills and stationary bikes meet free weights and yoga options. Nice to see more than just one or two pieces with all 5 “floors’ of rooms.

I wish that I could say that the breakfast was as good as the quality of the rooms. The price is right and the wait staff is amazing but the cook could use a lesson or two in breakfast. typical continental with bread items, hot oatmeal, fruit, both fresh and cut up and cereal with milk. The extended items included scrambled eggs that were actually good, bacon and sausage (bacon had a lot of meat but was not crispy), home fries (lackluster and soft, almost cold and rubbery) and biscuits and gravy (you’re on your own there). The only thing that I would choose is the continental unless you like biscuits and gravy or plan on eating $4 worth of scrambled eggs and soft bacon.

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I love riding in the hotel van. You never know who you will meet or what will be said. Sometimes you even learn a thing or two. BTW, if the gals with the “cook” books are reading this, I opened my flight bag to find the 532 page “cook” book Bake Wise, The hows and whys of successful baking. It’s all about the chemistry! And, can you leave the titles of your books in the comments so I don’t forget before I get a chance to pick them up? Thanks.

I do not always post on hotels unless they are really bad, which this one is not. I am however, a little concerned about how they run some of the place. I am of course talking about the Crowne Plaza here at the airport in Detroit.

I have been pleasantly surprised that with such a big airport, the hotel van has been there waiting for us every time. No, this is not always a reality, although one would think so because we are crew and it’s supposed to “part of the contract”. Ha! The van drivers are very competent, strong enough to lift even the heaviest of crew bags so far and we haven’t had any near collisions en route to the hotel or airport like some other cities that I won’t name. LGA. Okay, couldn’t resist.

It’s also kind of fun that inside the van one will find bottles of water and a basket of tootsie rolls. I wonder, Are they made in Detroit? Nope. Chicago based actually and I just found out that they also make Junior Mints and Andes Mints. I love all 3.

The interior of the lobby area opens up into a large atrium where they offer free wi-fi and a large screen tv.  They offer a sports bar and a restaurant, an indoor pool and really decent workout room and different conference rooms for all types of events. The rooms are well laid out and comfortable. I am sitting at the large desk right now where there is more than enough room for my laptop, newspaper, and various other items that really don’t need to be on here but still fit. The pillows are okay, not the best or the worst but the bed is really nice.

Here’s where it gets a little crazy. I would love to have your opinions to think if I am thinking too much in to it. I am on the 11th floor, which is the concierge floor. I have stayed on other floors too yet somehow when I got my key last night, I expected a bit more. It has the same crappy coffee valet as the other floors and when I went to make coffee this morning, the coffee bin was dirty and the water was cloudy coming out of the faucet. I suppose this is why I usually use bottled water at hotels. But a dirty coffee maker on the concierge floor? Really? Maybe that’s why they offer them free breakfast in the Concierge Room in the morning. I simply used the bottled water that I got from the van, cleaned the filter myself and added the french vanilla creamers they leave.

I do have to say that the tub is the cleanest that I have ever seen in a hotel! I almost wanted to take a bath. I wonder if this is in the entire hotel or just the 11th floor? I cannot even find one black spot like in most hotels, even the really nice ones. There is also a nice bathrobe in the closet, possibly another perk of the 11th floor.

The television at this type of airport (and again on the concierge floor) leaves a lot to be desired. I suppose perhaps they think that guest will not be spending that much time in their room at the airport however, it’s an old box television that dates the otherwise nice room and the channel selection  is awful. My choices are local channels (I don’t need to watch the soaps or court shows), TBS, USA or HBO. They also have a golf channel and HLN that is talking about nothing but Tiger Woods. Double wammy. I suppose it really is a business hotel. Can’t a girl just get a little HGTV?!

So I’ve 14 hours stuck in a hotel because the weather is bad outside and I have been watching nothing but Tiger Woods Scandles, White House crashers and re-runs of King and Queens and Everybody Loves Raymond. Luckily, I did work out today and am writing this exciting piece of history.

All in all, I would recommend this hotel to someone who needs a place to crash before a flight or if perhaps it’s much cheaper than staying in the city and you plan on not hanging around too long. The staff alone makes the hotel great. Thanks guys!

What are your experiences at any hotels you have stayed at? Can you recommend a certain one in any city?

Life is great. I get paid to stay at hotels for a living.

If only it was to review the hotel and more importantly the hotel’s spa and food! I do not have to fly today so here I am at the hotel all day. The beach is within site (only because I know it’s there) and I can see downtown from here. Both of these things would require renting a car or a taxi and more stre

ngth than I have. There is a beautiful pool right here but I really don’t want to hang out in the sun. It’s too hot.

This morning around 10am, I ventured out. When I went outside at first, it was really nice. Not like what I expected being here in Florida. So, I sat outside and read the paper. Five minutes later when I was actually bored, I went to the g

ym and managed almost half and hour from myself in combined cardio and strength training. I like to work out with my husband more I guess because I seem to have more motivation then. Perhaps I would actually go to the pool since it was so nice when I first went outside? Yeah, right! It was then 11:30am and the heat that I expected the first time slapped me in the face. Back to the room.

Computer, stretch, computer, tv, computer, nap. I’m bored and not accomplishing anything.

So, I just went for another walk and it was really nice outside again. Just overcast enough to cool it off a bit. Ooh! Hammocks. My husband loves hammocks so I’ll give one a try. I am SO glad that no one else was out there because I am seriously hammock challenged. Once I could make it up and on t

he thing I had a hard time getting comfortable. If you can get on it, get comfortable and not swing right back off (yes, I almost did it) then I could see the appeal. Getting off was another story. For his health and mine I will suggest to J (the husband) that we don’t try to both get on one at the same time.

Now what?