
Wichita Falls' BEST Kept Secret: North Side Inn Review!
The North Side Inn: Wichita Falls' (Slightly Secret) Treasure - Or Just a Solid Place to Crash? A Messy, Honest Review
Okay, so "BEST Kept Secret" is quite a claim, huh? Let's be real, I’m not sure ANY place in Wichita Falls is THAT secret. But the North Side Inn… well, it's got a certain charm. And hey, after wrestling with the Panhandle wind all day, charm is sometimes all you need. Here’s the lowdown, from someone who's seen a few motel rooms in their time, and isn't afraid to spill the tea (or lukewarm instant coffee):
SEO & Metadata (because apparently, that’s important… or at least, what the robot overlords want):
- Keywords: North Side Inn, Wichita Falls, hotel review, accessibility, Wi-Fi, spa, pool, restaurant, family-friendly, pet-friendly (kinda), clean, safety, amenities, Texas lodging, budget hotel, North Texas, travel, accommodation.
Accessibility:
- Okay, let's start with the basics. The North Side Inn attempts to be accessible. I say "attempts" because while they have an elevator, and supposedly rooms designed for wheelchair users, I didn't personally experience that firsthand. I did see a ramp leading up to the main entrance, which is a definite plus. (Accessibility Score: 7/10, potential for improvement.) Always call ahead and confirm specific needs – don’t just rely on website promises.
On-site Accessible Restaurants / Lounges:
- Nope. Forget fancy accessible lounges. This is a motel-style set up. The "restaurant" is basically a breakfast nook, but we'll get to that later. (Accessibility Score: N/A)
Wheelchair Accessible:
- See above. Potential, yes. Verified, I can't definitively say. Contact the hotel directly.
Internet - The Digital Lifeline:
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! HALLELUJAH! Seriously, in this day and age, it's expected, but I've stayed in places that still charge extra. The Wi-Fi was… functional. Let's put it that way. Enough to check emails, stream some Netflix, and avoid actual human interaction (which is sometimes my goal). I didn’t test the Internet [LAN] – who even uses a LAN cable anymore?
- Internet services: Basically, the Wi-Fi. And maybe the ability to print something at the front desk, if you're lucky.
- Wi-Fi in public areas: Available, but the signal strength varied. The lobby was okay, the pool area was meh. (Internet Score: 7/10, not spectacular, but acceptable.)
Things to Do / Ways to Relax - Spa Dreams Dashed?:
- Okay, here's where things get interesting. I’m pretty sure the "Spa" mentioned on their site is a little… optimistic. There's no sauna, no steamroom, a very basic gym. Frankly, the only “spa”-like experience I got was the sheer, unadulterated pleasure of sitting under a hot shower after a long drive. They have a pool, though! (Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor]) are listed in the facilities. The pool was… well, it was a rectangular body of water, with some chairs. A refreshing dip after a long day in the Texas heat is a definite plus, and honestly a solid selling point.
- Body scrub, Body wrap, Fitness center, Foot bath, Gym/fitness, Massage: Dream on.
- Access to the Pool: I liked that it wasn't some weird, overly chlorinated kiddie pool. It was a reasonable size and, again, in the sweltering summer heat, it’s a godsend.
(Relaxation Score: 5/10, relying heavily on the pool, and your own ability to chill.)
Cleanliness and Safety - The Anti-Germ Zone?
- Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Staff trained in safety protocol, Sterilizing equipment. Okay, they take COVID seriously. I saw staff cleaning surfaces (which is more than some places). My room felt freshly cleaned, and there was the omnipresent hand sanitizer strategically placed in the lobby.
- CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private], Fire extinguisher, Front desk [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Security [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Soundproof rooms: The security measures were reassuring. I always appreciate a 24-hour front desk.
- Safe dining setup: This, of course, refers to the breakfast situation, which was fine.
- Room Sanitization Opt-out: I didn't see that option. You are in a room and at the mercy of the cleaning staff, but to be fair everything was clean.
(Cleanliness/Safety Score: 9/10, they're doing their best and it shows.)
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking – Breakfast Adventures!
- Here’s the real scoop: this is not a culinary destination. However, the Breakfast [buffet] is… functional. Think continental: cereal (individually wrapped), pastries, fruit (slightly bruised), and the eternally hopeful coffee. Don’t expect gourmet. Breakfast service, Buffet in Restaurant, Breakfast takeaway service, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop, Essential condiments: were all available.
- A la carte in restaurant, Alternative meal arrangement, Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Bottle of water, Desserts in restaurant, Happy hour, International cuisine in restaurant, Poolside bar, Restaurants, Room service [24-hour], Salad in restaurant, Snack bar, Soup in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant: Nope. Not even a little bit. Look, I wasn’t expecting a Michelin star experience. I got my coffee and a pastry down, and I was happy. Remember the "convenience store" they have? You’d be better off walking down the street for food than the breakfast.
- The closest you'll get to an actual "dining" experience is maybe a microwaved something from the convenience store.
(Dining Score: 4/10 – strictly functional. Bring your own snacks.)
Services and Conveniences – The Little Niceties:
- Air conditioning in public area, Business facilities, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Gift/souvenir shop, Indoor venue for special events, Invoice provided, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center: Okay, let's break this down. They have an elevator (good!), daily housekeeping (excellent!), and a convenience store that sells, well, stuff (mostly snacks and drinks). Laundry service and dry cleaning as well.
- The concierge? Don't expect a white-gloved butler. It's more like the front desk person, who was generally helpful.
- Other amenities… well, they weren't really apparent. Definitely no "shrine." No on-site event hosting or outdoor venue for special events or anything like that. Basic stuff.
- Cashless payment service: Check
- Food delivery: Maybe through a third-party app and the convenience store.
(Services/Convenience Score: 7/10 – gets the job done, nothing fancy.)
For the Kids - Family Friendly Fun?
- Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal: I didn't see any specific kid-centric amenities. No playground, no game room. Maybe bring an extra bag of toys.
(Kids Score: 5/10 – it's a place to stay with kids, not a kid's paradise.)
Getting Around - Location, Location, Location:
- Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking: The car park is free, which is amazing in this day and age.
- Airport transfer is also probably a no. Expecting a taxi or car from the airport, which is pretty close.
(Getting Around Score: 8/10 – easy parking is a major win.)
Available in All Rooms - The Crucial Bits:
- **Additional toilet, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Daily

Alright, buckle up, buttercups, 'cause this ain't your grandma's itinerary. We're going to Wichita Falls, Texas, baby, and we're doing it right. By "right," I mean realistically, with all the hiccups and heartbreaks that come with trying to experience a place. This travel "plan" is more like a loosely-held suggestion box filled with potential disasters and hopefully, a few good memories. Let's see how this plays out.
The Best Western North Side Inn: Our Home Base (and potential purgatory)
Day 1: Arrival and Tentative Optimism (aka, the honeymoon phase)
- 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Roll into Wichita Falls. Praise be to the gods of GPS – we actually found the Best Western. First impressions? Uh… it exists. It's a building. It has a sign. The parking lot looks like it’s seen better days. But hey, it's a roof over our heads. Crossing fingers for clean sheets and no bed bugs.
- 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Check-in. Pray the receptionist isn't a total grump. Pray, pray, pray the room is actually the one we booked. Last time, we got a smoking room with a view of the dumpster. Shudder. Okay, clean room, non-smoking. Victory! The air conditioner whirs like an overworked hummingbird. I can survive this.
- 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Reconnaissance Mission. Walk around a little, check out the surroundings, and get the lay of the land. Let's go check out the Big Texan. Everyone raves about it, so it's a must-see. And it's the perfect place to start our Texas Adventure.
- 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Dinner and Drinks. Find a local dive bar. Something with cheap beer and a jukebox. Tonight, the mission is to find something really Texan. So, brisket and a few beers are a must. It would be amazing to find a place that is true to the heart of this place.
- 9:00 PM - Bedtime: Pass out from exhaustion.
Day 2: Waterfalls, Wonders, and Maybe Just Whining
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel (if they even offer it, which, let's be honest, odds are slim). Otherwise, we will find a decent coffee shop. Maybe it turns out to be a bad idea.
- 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Head to the Wichita Falls. Okay, this is the whole reason we're here. We're gonna soak up that waterfall beauty. Take a lot of photos.
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch. Okay, we need to find a good place to eat. It would be great to try some of the local shops and see what's in store for us.
- 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Walk the MPEC and check it out. Do some souvenir shopping.
- 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Nap time. The heat and the sightseeing are getting to me.
- 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Dinner at ???. Do some research on where to go. Maybe we will find something amazing.
- 8:00 PM - Bedtime: Watch a movie.
Day 3: Departure and the inevitable "What did we just do?"
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Quick breakfast.
- 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Last-minute souvenir shopping (because, let's face it, we always forget something).
- 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Check out.
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Last look at the Falls.
- 12:00 PM: Hit the road. Reflect on what kind of memories we made and what kind of adventure we went on.
Why this "Itinerary" is pure chaos (and why I like it):
- The Unspoken Truths: I'm not pretending this will be perfect. There will be delays, wrong turns, and probably some hangry meltdowns. That's life, man.
- Flexibility is Key: That's what makes travel fun, right? The opportunity to stray from the plan, discover something unexpected, and laugh at your own mistakes.
- The Quirky Observations: I'm a human. I notice things. The wonky sign, the weird smell wafting from the restaurant kitchen, the guy with the enormous belt buckle – these are the things that make a trip memorable.
- The Honest Emotions: I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. If I find the Best Western depressing, I'll say it. If I fall head over heels in love with a tiny Tex-Mex eatery, I'll gush. It's all about the realness.
- The Stream-of-Consciousness: I'll probably ramble. My thoughts will jump around. Deal with it. It's like talking to someone, not reading a dry travel guide.
So, there you have it. My "plan" for Wichita Falls. Wish me luck. And maybe, just maybe, wish us a clean room at the Best Western. Godspeed.
Rockefeller Center's Hidden Gem: The Jewel Hotel's Unbelievable Luxury!
North Side Inn: The Unvarnished Truth... and Maybe Regret Buying That $10 Room
Okay, Seriously, What IS the North Side Inn? Is it REALLY a secret?
"Secret" might be overselling it. Unless you're a local, or delightfully lost with a flat tire (happened to a friend... multiple times), it's off the beaten path. But yeah, it's the North Side Inn. Think of it as the dive bar of lodgings. It *used* to be a motel that caters to the construction worker, the traveling salesman, the "I-need-to-be-nowhere-else" crowd. I found it, purely by my own aimless wandering one bored Saturday morning. And honestly? I felt like Indiana Jones discovering the Ark of the Covenant. Or maybe the Ark of Used Mattresses. Either way, you *notice* it.
So... the rooms? Be honest.
Brace yourself. Okay, so the first time, I walked in and the guy behind the bulletproof glass (yep) looked like he'd seen a ghost. I swear, the air conditioning was a concept he didn't even know. My room? Let's just say it had a distinct aroma of... history. And by history, I mean someone probably spent *weeks* in there. Picture this: The bedspread? A colorful tapestry *with* a history, possibly dating back to the Carter administration. The TV? A relic that might still have rabbit ears. BUT! And this is a big but – the shower, shockingly, had hot water. Mostly. And the water pressure? Surprisingly decent, considering the overall vibe.
Look, don't expect The Ritz. Expect a place where you can leave your troubles at the door (and maybe a few of your expectations).
Is it, like, *cheap*? Because I'm all about a bargain.
Oh, yeah. Cheap is an understatement. We're talking "I-could-buy-a-dozen-Krispy-Kremes-with-the-money-I-saved" cheap. Seriously, don't tell them I directed you there, because prices change faster than a politician's promises. But yes, you’re likely to get away with a room which could be less expensive than a mediocre burger. This is a massive selling point.
Is it... safe? I'm a little jumpy.
Well, let's say the clientele is... diverse. Security? The aforementioned bulletproof glass is a good start. Common sense goes a long way. Lock your door. Don't flash your Rolex (because, let's be honest, you probably don't HAVE a Rolex if you're considering the North Side Inn). Be street smart. I've *never* had an issue. But I'm also not exactly one to pick a fight. Your mileage may vary. And honestly, I’ve seen scarier things at the local Walmart at 3 a.m.
Okay, so, food? Or, like, amenities?
Food? Hahahahaha! Okay, breath. No. Maybe a vending machine with ancient chips and questionable candy. Amenities? Uh... a bed. Possibly a working TV. Maybe. And hopefully, hot water. Consider bringing your own everything – soap, shampoo, a travel-sized can of disinfectant (it doesn't hurt, trust me). Plan to grab sustenance elsewhere. There's a good BBQ place nearby, if you can walk it.
Let's get down to the nitty gritty. Why, *exactly*, would someone stay here?
Money, mostly. Desperation sometimes. But there's a certain... *charm* to it. A gritty realism. It's the opposite of sterile, cookie-cutter hotels. It's real. I've met some *characters* in the parking lot. You know, folks with stories. And it's an experience. A story you can tell. “I stayed at the North Side Inn…” See? It's already got gravitas.
Tell me a specific North Side Inn story. Something juicy.
Alright, buckle up. This happened a few months back. I needed a place. It was late, I was broke, and The North Side Inn called. Booked a room, paid in cash, and the guy behind the window looked like he'd seen a ghost. Again. I get to the room, unlock the door. It's bad. Seriously. The air smelled of… well, let's just say a lifetime of cigarettes and regret. And on the bed was… a *single* pillow. No sheets. Just a bare mattress. I'm not kidding. I went back to the counter. “Um… hey,” I stammered. “Is… is there a mistake?” He peered at me over his glasses. “You got a pillow, don't ya?” Well, that was that. I went back and started the “what did I got myself into” internal conversation. I tried the TV. Nothing. Then, I tried the shower. No dice. That was the last straw. I went to the counter. I requested a refund. The ghost-looking guy gave me this *look*. I was about to rage. But then, the most amazing thing happened. He started to smile. It cracked his face a little. “Look, kid,” he said, “it’s been a long day. Here’s the deal. Ain’t the Ritz. But I give you a free room next time.” A *free* room? Now, that was tempting. I sighed. "Sure," I said. I got into my car and left. But the second I was out of sight, I knew I'd be back.
So, final verdict? Should I stay?
It depends. Are you adventurous? Are you on a budget? Do you appreciate a little... *character*? If yes, then absolutely. If you require fluffy towels and room service, stay far, far away. Me? I'll probably be back. I might regret it. I most likely will. But I'll have a story. And sometimes, that's worth more than a clean bed. Just, you know, bring your own sheets.


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