Colorado City's BEST Kept Secret: Days Inn Review & Hidden Gems!
Days Inn, Colorado City: More Than Just a Stopover? (Brace Yourself, It's Messy!)
Okay, folks, let's get real. We're talking about the Days Inn in Colorado City. Not exactly the Ritz, right? But hey, sometimes you need a place to crash. And believe me, after a cross-country road trip, even a slightly dingy room can feel like paradise. So, here's my brutally honest, unfiltered take on Colorado City's "BEST Kept Secret." (Spoiler alert: it's not that secret).
First Impressions (and a Sigh of Relief):
Pulling up, the exterior… well, it looks like a Days Inn. You know the drill. But the real test is the inside. Thankfully, upon entering, I was greeted with… air conditioning! (Colorado heat is no joke, people.) And a friendly face at the 24-hour front desk. Check-in was a breeze – contactless, even! Progress! (Services and conveniences) That's always a plus after you've been wrestling with the GPS and your own temper.
Accessibility & Safety: Trying to Be a Good Citizen (and Staying Safe):
Now, my experience wasn’t directly impacted by accessibility issues, but I made a point of sniffing around. (Accessibility) They've got an elevator, which is crucial. I noticed "Facilities for disabled guests" listed. And the property seemed relatively level. I didn't see any specific wheelchair-accessible rooms, but the front desk seemed sympathetic enough while I asked about it.
On the safety front, they seem to be trying. (Cleanliness and safety) Hand sanitizer dispensers were everywhere. (Hand sanitizer) And I saw staff cleaning common areas. (Daily disinfection in common areas) The presence of a security guard out at night (24-hour front desk, CCTV, etc.) gave me some peace of mind. (Security [24-hour], CCTV in common areas) I mean, small town or not, you still want to feel safe.
The Room: My Tiny Fortress of Solitude:
My room… well, it was a room. (Available in all rooms) Air conditioning! (Air conditioning) (Mentioned it already, right? Important.) Free Wi-Fi! (Wi-Fi [free], Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!) Thank God. The bed was… a bed. Comfortable enough to collapse into after a 10-hour drive. (Extra long bed) There was carpeting, a desk, a TV with cable, and a… (checks notes) … coffee/tea maker! (Coffee/tea maker) And a mini-fridge! (Mini bar) Bonus points for a fridge. Essential for stashing road trip snacks and that precious bottle of water.
Now, the decor? Let’s just say it was… utilitarian. Neutral tones. Think “beige." Functional. But hey, I wasn’t there for interior design, I was there to sleep. The blackout curtains (thank you, Days Inn gods!) were a lifesaver. (Blackout curtains) Sleep is important.
The Food Scene: Fueling Up (or Just Surviving?):
Alright, let's talk food. (Dining, drinking, and snacking) This is where things get interesting. The "restaurants" listed… well, the hotel has a restaurant, but frankly, it was… not open. (Restaurants) The "Asian breakfast" was nowhere to be found. (Asian breakfast) Okay, maybe there was stuff around somewhere, but I didn't see it. The breakfast buffet? (Breakfast [buffet]) It was… underwhelming. Your standard continental fare. Think dry muffins, lukewarm coffee, and… (sigh) …pre-packaged cereals. It was the kind of breakfast that makes you question all your life choices. I'd suggest hitting the road, or finding an outlet nearby, and then enjoying your own "breakfast takeaway service" if you actually care about getting some good food. (Breakfast takeaway service)
Luckily, Colorado city has some options.
The Extra Bits: What About the "Relaxing" Part?:
Did I hit up the spa? The sauna? (Spa, Sauna) Nope. Not my scene. Didn't see it. The "fitness center?" (Fitness center) Probably a treadmill and an elliptical in a broom closet. (Okay, I’m being dramatic. Maybe.) Honestly though, after driving all day, the only "fitness" I craved was horizontal.
However, I did notice a "pool with a view" listed. (Pool with view) Now, that could have been a game changer, right? But it was closed. Bummer. I would've had to take a long, hard look at that view while I was swimming.
The Perks (and the Head-Scratchers):
- Free Wi-Fi: Essential for a workaholic on the go. Thank the heavens.
- Free Car Park: Always a win. (Car park [free of charge])
- Air Conditioning: Mandatory.
- The Staff were friendly: They made an effort.
- The Location? Depends on your priorities.
- The Breakfast: Avoid it. Pack your own snacks.
The Verdict: Is it Worth the Stay? (The Truth, I Swear)
Look, the Days Inn in Colorado City isn’t going to win any awards. It's a budget-friendly option, plain and simple. (Hotel chain) It's clean enough, safe enough, and the staff are trying to make your stay pleasant. If you're looking for luxury, move along. If you need a clean bed, hot water, and a place to recharge after a long drive, it'll do the trick.
Is it the "Best Kept Secret"? Absolutely not. But I'm not disappointed. I got what I expected, and that's sometimes all you need. Just pack your own snacks, and maybe lower your expectations a bit. And bring your own coffee, and you'll be fine. (Complimentary tea, Coffee/tea maker)
Metadata (because, you know, SEO):
- Keywords: Colorado City hotel, Days Inn review, budget hotel, Colorado travel, road trip, clean hotel, free Wifi, accessible hotel, Colorado City lodging, cheap hotel, hotel near [Nearby Attractions]
- Meta Description: Honest review of the Days Inn in Colorado City. Find out about its cleanliness, amenities, accessibility, and if it's worth your stay! Includes food insights and overall experience.
- Title: Days Inn Colorado City Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Beige! (Honest Truth)
- Focus: Review
- Category: Hotel Review, Travel
Okay, buckle up buttercup, because this ain't your grandma's meticulously color-coded travel itinerary. This is a trip to Colorado City, Colorado, through the eyes of a caffeine-deprived, slightly neurotic human being, experiencing the glory of…well, a Days Inn in Colorado City. Let's see where the road (and my sanity) leads:
Day 1: Arrival and Immediate Disappointment (aka, the "Pretentious Expectations vs. Reality" Act)
- 1:00 PM - Arrival at Days Inn by Wyndham, Colorado City, CO: The website promised…well, something. Crisp white linens! A sparkling pool! Maybe even a complimentary continental breakfast that didn't look like it had been abandoned by a herd of vultures? Nope. The reality? A slightly sticky front desk, a lobby that smelled faintly of chlorine and regret, and a check-in process that took longer than the actual flight here. I swear, the guy behind the counter looked like he hadn't seen a smile in a decade. (Later discovered he was just really, really tired. Relatable).
- 1:30 PM - Room Inspection (and Mild Panic): Okay, deep breaths. First impressions? Let's call it "lived-in." The TV remote had a suspicious film on it. The carpet…well, let's just say I considered wearing shoes inside, and I NEVER wear shoes inside. Is that a stain? Is it blood? Am I overreacting? Probably. I am. But still.
- 2:00 PM - The (Failed) Pool Attempt: The pool. Oh, the pool. The website photos…they lied. The water was a questionable shade of blue, the air felt heavy with the ghosts of summer fun, and there was a discarded inflatable flamingo. I lasted approximately three minutes before retreating back to the room, feeling a profound sense of existential dread.
- 2:30 PM - The Quest for Coffee (and Human Connection): This is crucial. This is the fuel. The lifeblood. Turns out, the Days Inn "breakfast" involved a sad-looking coffee maker and instant coffee that tasted like burnt pennies. I needed real coffee. So, I ventured out. Found a local diner a few miles down the road. The waitress, bless her heart, was named Doris and she poured my coffee and listened to me ramble about the horrors of the motel pool like I was her therapist. Suddenly, Colorado City didn't seem so bad after all.
- 4:00 PM - The Drive-Around: Okay, let's be honest. There's not a whole lot to do in Colorado City. So I drove. Slowly. I saw a lot of wide-open spaces, a few tumbleweeds doing their thing, and a sign advertising a "world-famous" hot dog stand. World-Famous?! I had to investigate.
- 5:30 PM - World-Famous Hot Dogs (and Profound Disappointment): The hot dogs were…fine. Really, the hot dogs were the biggest let-down of the day. I'm probably still reeling from the pool, but my expectations were sky-high and I got a sad, sad dog. The server was very kind though, made me feel better (though the chili on my hot dog could have been hotter).
- 6:30 PM - Hotel TV and Existential Crisis: Back in the room. Channel surfing until I found something other than infomercials or religious programming. Settled on a re-run of "Law & Order." And then the existential crisis hit. What am I doing with my life? Why Colorado City? Why this hotel? Why am I eating world-famous hot dogs? I considered ordering room service, but then I remembered the "continental breakfast" and decided against it. Made myself a mental note to pack extra snacks for day 2.
Day 2: Embracing the Absurd and Finding Unexpected Joy (or, "The Tumbleweed's Wisdom")
- 7:00 AM - The Breakfast Debacle, Part Deux: I'm not proud of it, but I did manage to get a bagel with some cream cheese. The cream cheese: it was the only redeeming quality of breakfast.
- 7:30 AM - The Dawn of Disappointment (Again): The hotel's "fitness center" was a joke. One treadmill that looked like it hadn't moved in a decade. A pair of dumbbells with more rust than metal. I lasted about 5 minutes before retreating. Maybe a walk around town?
- 9:00 AM - A Walk, A Revelation (and a Tumbleweed): I took a walk. Saw a tumbleweed. No, really, I saw a tumbleweed literally bounce across the road, mocking my life choices. But then, something weird happened. I started to laugh. At the absurdity of it all. At the fact that I was here, in Colorado City, facing a tumbleweed. And I realised, I was here to embrace it. I went out to a cafe and got a coffee.
- 10:00 AM - The Historic Downtown (There Isn't One): Okay, so "historic downtown" may be a stretch. It was just a few buildings. An antique shop, a really old-school diner called "Jitterbug's" that I went into.
- 11:30 AM - The Diner Dilemma: Jitterbugs Diner: All the staff were over 60 and were friendly and were genuinely happy to see me. It's the highlight so far. I ordered a burger and fries. The burger was good. The fries were golden and crispy. The coffee was a bottomless, delicious nectar of the gods. And the conversations? Priceless. They knew everyone, and gossiped about everything. I loved it.
- 1:00 PM - Back to the Room. The Quiet Hours: Back in the room. Decided to spend the afternoon relaxing and reading.
- 3:00 PM - Going To Watch The Sunset: No, I did not want to leave my motel room. But I did, I spent the evening seeing the sunset, it was beautiful, and the world melted away.
- 8:00 PM - Dinner at the Diner: Back to Jitterbug's for dinner. Had a milkshake. Watched the sunset. Actually, I'm not sure how I feel about the sunset. All I know is that I think this trip to Colorado City is the best thing happening in my life.
Day 3: Departure (and a Tiny Bit of Sadness)
- 7:00 AM: Bagels for The Road: Breakfasted, checked the bags
- 8:00 AM: A final farewell: Checked out. Found the same tired gentleman but he was cheerful today. I told him I enjoyed my visit.
- 9:00 AM: Hit the road. Honestly, I will miss Jitterbug's diner. And the tumbleweeds. And the profound, unexpected beauty of the slightly depressing Days Inn by Wyndham.
Quirky Observations and Imperfections:
- The complimentary soap in the Days Inn? Smelled suspiciously like industrial cleaner.
- I may have briefly considered starting a tumbleweed collection.
- My phone's camera roll is now 80% pictures of random pavement cracks. Don't ask.
- I left a small trail of crumbs in the lobby. Oops.
- The water pressure in the shower was impressive. (At least something was).
Emotional Reactions:
- Initial panic. Followed by cynical amusement. Then genuine bewilderment. Then a weird sense of…peace?
- The hot dogs: A deep, crushing disappointment.
- The diner: Pure, unadulterated joy.
- Leaving: A bittersweet mixture of relief and a strange, lingering fondness for a place I probably shouldn't have liked.
Conclusion:
Look, Colorado City isn't Paris. The Days Inn isn't the Ritz. But sometimes, the most memorable trips aren't about the fancy hotels and the picture-perfect scenery. They're about the unexpected moments, the quirky little details, the people you meet, and the way, somehow, a "world-famous" hot dog and a talking tumbleweed can make you question everything—and ultimately, appreciate something. So, yeah, I'd go back to Colorado City. Probably not the Days Inn, but definitely the diner. And maybe, just maybe, I'd try to befriend a tumbleweed.
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Colorado City's BEST Kept Secret: Days Inn & Hidden Gems! (The Unofficial FAQ)
Okay, spill! Why is the Days Inn in Colorado City such a "secret"? Is it, like, Illuminati-level secret?
Alright, alright, settle down, conspiracy theorists! It's not exactly Area 51. But seriously, for a place like Colorado City, nestled in the... *ahem*... unique corner of the world, the Days Inn gets overlooked. People tend to think, "Colorado City? Probably dusty, boring, and no good hotels!" And, well, sometimes they’re right. But! This Days Inn, surprisingly, is… decent. And more importantly, it's a launchpad to actual hidden gems.
Let me tell you, the "secret" is less about the hotel itself and more about what *surrounds* it and the kind of authentic experiences you can have. It’s not glamorous, mind you. Think more "charmingly average" with an added dash of "you-won't-believe-what-happened-last-night."
So, the Days Inn itself. Is it a roach motel? Be honest!
Okay, honesty time. It's not the Ritz. But it’s also not the Bates Motel. The rooms are… clean-ish. Look, I wouldn’t eat off the floor, but let's just say I've seen worse (looking at you, roadside motels from my backpacking days!). Expect slightly dated decor, the occasional questionable stain on the carpet (they're trying, okay?), and the faint aroma of… well, who knows what. But hey, the beds are comfy enough after a long day of…adventure. And the air conditioning *usually* works. And that’s what matters, right? (Deep breath)
Breakfast? Is there even breakfast? And if so, what's the deal?
Breakfast is... a *thing*. Picture this: A continental buffet. You're talking pre-packaged muffins (dry, but edible!), those little cereal boxes that are the bane of every parent’s existence, watery instant coffee that tastes vaguely of sadness, and maybe, just maybe, some sad-looking hard-boiled eggs. But listen, after a night of… well, let's just say "experiencing" Colorado City, anything warm and remotely resembling food is a win. Don't set your expectations high. Think "fuel for the day" not "culinary masterpiece." Personally, grab a coffee and the most sugar-filled donut - you'll need it.
Now the good stuff. The "hidden gems." Tell me!
Alright, buckle up, because this is where it gets interesting. Forget the flashy tourist traps. This is about the *real* Colorado City, the one most people miss.
**Option 1: The Local Diner. (Not naming names, gotta be vague, right?)** Seriously, find the *original* diner. (Hint: Look for the one that *isn't* chain-affiliated). It's a portal to another time. Picture vinyl booths, waitresses with stories that could fill a book, and food that tastes like your grandma's cooking (even if your grandma couldn't cook). Go for breakfast here. Seriously. Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, bottomless coffee. The conversations you overhear (or eavesdrop on) are worth the price of admission alone.
**Option 2: The Desert Hike. (Again, vague on purpose)** Seek out a local trail. The terrain can range from easy-peasy to "are-you-sure-this-is-a-trail?" (bring water. Seriously. And tell someone where you're going). The views are insane, trust me. The silence? Deafening. It's a chance to disconnect, to breathe, to… well, you might just run into a rattlesnake, so keep your eyes open. (I did. Once. It was terrifying.)
**Option 3: Go to the "event" at the community center.** It's hard to find a "schedule" online. But if the community center has *something* going on and its open, GO. It could be anything - bingo night, a bake sale, a town hall meeting, or, I once saw a talent show. It's a peek behind the curtain, into the heart and soul (or lack thereof) of the town. Embrace the weirdness. And take photos and videos to share later - ONLY if allowed by the local authorities.
What if I want a *nightlife* experience?
Nightlife? In Colorado City? (pause) Okay, let's be realistic. This isn't Vegas. This is where things get… interesting. If you're lucky, there will be a local bar. Be prepared for a different vibe to a standard bar. The people you meet might be the local ranch hands, the off-duty law enforcement, the occasional lost traveler, and probably a few people who have been there a LONG time. Be friendly. Be respectful. Be prepared to be stared at. And maybe, just maybe, you'll hear some stories.
Other alternatives? Stargazing. The skies are incredible. Buy a constellation app and wander out into the desert. No light pollution means EPIC views. Bring a blanket, a flask (maybe), and a deep appreciation for the vastness of the universe. Maybe find an abandoned building. I have a story about an abandoned building... (long pause)
What's the *weirdest* thing you've seen or experienced in Colorado City?
Oh, man, where do I even begin? Okay, so, last time I was there... (deep breath). I was driving, right? Trying to find that diner. The ONE I mentioned. And I ended up… well, I ended up in a completely different type of town. The sun was setting, casting the most insane shadows, and I got lost. I am TERRIBLE with directions. Anyway, I thought I saw a house. It wasn't just ANY house, it was... decorated. With random objects. I'm talking, like, garden gnomes, tires, mirrors, and a lot of… let's just say "artwork." I found myself on a deserted street. No people. No cars. Only a dilapidated swing set that was squeaking back and forth in the desert wind. Then, a dog began to bark. Loud. And then another. The barking turned into a pack. My car wouldn't start. And I'm surrounded by some kind of… cult. Right? I swear, I kid you not. I saw the car start. And then, as quick as it came, it vanished. I was out of there. I swore I'd never go back. I am traumatized by that memory... No. I am not making this up.
Okay, so… should I go? Is it worth it?
Look, it's *not* for everyone. But if you're looking for an authentic, off-the-beaten-path experience, something… different, then yeah. Maybe. Just be prepared for anything. Lower your expectations, embrace the imperfections,Hotel Radar Map
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