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Started By
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Anyone here remember the old exterior corridor/motel style Hampton Inns?
Posted on 9/12/24 at 7:39 pm
Posted on 9/12/24 at 7:39 pm
Kind of an offshoot here of the Cracker Barrel thread, but it got me thinking. I was on a road trip recently back to West Virginia (live in Florida now, from West Virginia originally) and on our way back we stopped in Dalton, GA. Being a Hilton Honors member I typically try to stay at Hampton Inns or Hilton Garden Inn while on the road.
Booked a Hampton Inn in Dalton, GA, between Atlanta and Chattanooga. To my surprise, I get there and it's still an old school exterior corridor/motel style Hampton Inn. Outside of one in Gatlinburg on the Parkway near GSMNP, I didn't realize there were any other of these types left. I definitely haven't seen one outside of the Gatlinburg one in probably 10 years.
While it had a real ghetto feel (the exterior corridor hallways were definitely not clean and the lights on their sign were almost out, lol), the room itself was dated but otherwise fine. It made me think, does anyone else miss the exterior corridor/motel style Hampton Inns or even other brands like Holiday Inns or Holiday Inn Expresses?
I never stay at exterior hotels for the part anymore because they are usually lower even brands like Econo Lodges and Days Inns, but exterior Hampton Inns remind me of roadtrips back in the late 90s and early 2000's. They are definitely more convenient for unpacking the car and then leaving early the next morning.
Does anyone else remember these exterior corridor Hampton Inns or even miss the old exterior corridor/motel style?
Booked a Hampton Inn in Dalton, GA, between Atlanta and Chattanooga. To my surprise, I get there and it's still an old school exterior corridor/motel style Hampton Inn. Outside of one in Gatlinburg on the Parkway near GSMNP, I didn't realize there were any other of these types left. I definitely haven't seen one outside of the Gatlinburg one in probably 10 years.
While it had a real ghetto feel (the exterior corridor hallways were definitely not clean and the lights on their sign were almost out, lol), the room itself was dated but otherwise fine. It made me think, does anyone else miss the exterior corridor/motel style Hampton Inns or even other brands like Holiday Inns or Holiday Inn Expresses?
I never stay at exterior hotels for the part anymore because they are usually lower even brands like Econo Lodges and Days Inns, but exterior Hampton Inns remind me of roadtrips back in the late 90s and early 2000's. They are definitely more convenient for unpacking the car and then leaving early the next morning.
Does anyone else remember these exterior corridor Hampton Inns or even miss the old exterior corridor/motel style?
16
Posted on 9/12/24 at 7:42 pm to MountaineerPatriot
Yeah. I always enjoyed a bunch of locals hanging right outside the one door keeping my room from becoming a crime scene.
Posted on 9/12/24 at 7:50 pm to MountaineerPatriot
If they don't have a lobby bar, I'm not staying there.
Posted on 9/12/24 at 7:52 pm to MountaineerPatriot
yeah there is one in Albany Ga. checked in on a business trip, walked in my room - massive dump in the toilet that wasn't mine, immediately had corporate travel cancel it and went across the street to a different Hotel.
I do not like outside access Hotels
I do not like outside access Hotels
Posted on 9/12/24 at 7:53 pm to Dick Jacket
quote:
Yeah. I always enjoyed a bunch of locals hanging right outside the one door keeping my room from becoming a crime scene.
That's only because most exterior corridor hotels now are the lower end Econo Lodges, Days Inns, Motel 6 level hotels. That same stuff would happen in an interior corridor hotel. I've stayed at interior hotels, even ones associated with Hiltons and Marriotts, where the doors to the hotels were either propped open, or could just be opened without a room key, negating any safety advantage to an interior hotel.
If you had exterior Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn level properties at $125/night, they wouldn't have that crowd. That Hampton Inn I stayed at in Dalton, GA about 2 weeks ago, no issues with the crowd at all. Mostly others traveling, including older people, who checked in late and then check out early to get back on the road.
I don't doubt interior corridors are nice for people traveling alone, especially women by themselves. But the increased security of interior hotels a lot of times is truly just perceived. I don't think they are that much safer for the most part.
This post was edited on 9/12/24 at 7:55 pm
Posted on 9/12/24 at 7:57 pm to Thracken13
quote:
yeah there is one in Albany Ga. checked in on a business trip, walked in my room - massive dump in the toilet that wasn't mine, immediately had corporate travel cancel it and went across the street to a different Hotel.
I do not like outside access Hotels
Interesting, feels like GA must be the only state left with these exterior motel style Hampton Inns. I will say the toilet thing is unacceptable. It's really sad how these hotel operators used (and in many cases still are using) COVID as a bad excuse to just forget about any standard of cleanliness.
This post was edited on 9/12/24 at 7:58 pm
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:01 pm to MountaineerPatriot
It wasn’t all that long ago (10-15 years) I stayed in a Hampton inn exterior corridor motel in Valdosta for business. Ground floor room. That corridor was as busy as Hartsfield at 2 am.
This post was edited on 9/12/24 at 8:02 pm
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:04 pm to MountaineerPatriot
quote:I like the magnetic key entry to get into hotel interiors and elevators. It can be defeated, of course, but I do feel it probably eliminates some riff-raff compared to an outside-facing motel.
But the increase security of interior hotels a lot of times is truly just perceived.
I do miss the convenience of pulling right up to your door and having the room right there. Interesting idea to reimagine the concept, though.
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:05 pm to MountaineerPatriot
Problem with Hampton was like the holiday inn.
There was never a cafe/restaurant/bar in them.
I will make an exception and stay at one if somewhere with a bar and food is within a couple hundred yards and i can walk to it
There was never a cafe/restaurant/bar in them.
I will make an exception and stay at one if somewhere with a bar and food is within a couple hundred yards and i can walk to it
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:11 pm to MountaineerPatriot
Many hotels in the US are owned by Patels. They don’t give a sh!t about you!
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:14 pm to MountaineerPatriot
in fairness - it was 7 or 8 years ago.
my rule of thumb is if there is an outside access hotel in town, or a decent Hampton or HI Express 30 miles - I will drive it everyday for the better stay
my rule of thumb is if there is an outside access hotel in town, or a decent Hampton or HI Express 30 miles - I will drive it everyday for the better stay
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:20 pm to MountaineerPatriot
I stayed in one in Baytown a few years ago…I wanna say it was a Days Inn. Exterior corridors but it was really quiet and the room was actually really nice. It even had ceiling fans. Pretty sure Harvey destroyed it.
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:24 pm to Thracken13
quote:"Outside access" hotels are actually called Motels. You "motor" or use your autoMObile to your door.
I do not like outside access Hotels
I met the founder of Holiday Inn, Kemmons Wilson, many times when he came to my store in Memphis. He had had a million dollar bill with his name and photo on it as a calling card.
This post was edited on 9/12/24 at 8:28 pm
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:40 pm to MountaineerPatriot
I call those “down and outs”. Haven’t stayed. in one of those since Louisville, MS in 2003.
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:41 pm to Dick Jacket
quote:
Yeah. I always enjoyed a bunch of locals hanging right outside the one door keeping my room from becoming a crime scene.
Long story that involved canceled flights trying to get home to Huntsville Alabama and only option was to fly into Memphis at 1 am. Several big conventions going on so all hotels booked cab driver tells me about a place that usually has a vacancy. At this point just need a place to lay down a few hours until the rental car places open. When I walked up to the guy at check in (who was behind bullet proof glass) there was a sign that said “ NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN AFTER INSPECTING ROOM” I was like fuk that carry me back to the airport.
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:44 pm to Crow Pie
quote:
"Outside access" hotels are actually called Motels. You "motor" or use your autoMObile to your door.
Are "hotels" called that because your "ho" leads you to your door?
Posted on 9/12/24 at 8:56 pm to MountaineerPatriot
Nothing like walking around the corridors in dim lights looking for the ice machine hoping you don’t get mugged
Posted on 9/12/24 at 9:00 pm to Fat and Happy
quote:
Problem with Hampton was like the holiday inn. There was never a cafe/restaurant/bar in them
Hamptons don’t have a restaurant or bar but holiday inns do. Holiday inn is kind of the “budget” full service hotel brand but they all have a restaurant and bar. Holiday inn expresses don’t have a restaurant or bar though.
I remember staying at a holiday inn in Branson, MO that had outdoor access. Also the Baton Rouge holiday inn at airline and
I-12 was a mix of interior rooms and exterior rooms.
That Clarion in Gonzales is probably one of the nicer exterior corridor hotels around. LSU football used to spend Friday night there before home games in the hallman and DiNardo days.
Posted on 9/12/24 at 9:30 pm to shutterspeed
quote:Whoretel
Are "hotels" called that because your "ho" leads you to your door?
Posted on 9/12/24 at 9:35 pm to MountaineerPatriot
This thread reminds me of roadtrips with my family in the 70’s. I can still smell those rooms, they all smelled like soap, cheap white crunchy bath soap.
Great memories.
Great memories.
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