Frederick's BEST Kept Secret: Days Inn Review (You Won't Believe This!)
Okay, buckle up, because this isn't your average hotel review. We're diving headfirst into the Days Inn in Frederick – or, as the title suggests, a "BEST Kept Secret" (spoiler alert: I'm not entirely sold on the "best" part, but the secret part… well, let's see). This is going to be raw, honest, and probably a little all over the place, just like my experience there.
Metadata & SEO Stuff (because, you know, the internet demands it):
- Keywords: Days Inn Frederick, Frederick Maryland Hotel, Budget Hotel, Accessible Hotel, Pool, Free Wi-Fi, Breakfast, COVID-19 Safety, Cleanliness, Value Hotel, Weekend Getaway, Family-Friendly Hotel, Frederick MD Accommodation
- Title: Frederick's BEST Kept Secret: Days Inn Review (You Won't Believe This!) – A Messy, Honest Take
(Deep Breath. Here we go…)
First Impressions & Arrival (aka. The "Is This a Secret or Just…a Days Inn?" phase)
Alright, pull up to the Days Inn in Frederick. My first thought? It's a Days Inn. No blinding neon, no gargantuan lobby. It's… well, it IS a Days Inn. The exterior corridors immediately give off that classic "slightly older, but hopefully clean" vibe. Finding the entrance wasn't exactly an enigma; it's pretty straightforward. The parking? Plentiful and free. Score one for us! (And a huge shoutout to "Car park [free of charge]" – a small win, but a win nonetheless).
Check-in: The front desk seemed well-staffed, and the "Contactless check-in/out" sounded brilliant. But… let's be honest, I like a human interaction. I'm a talker. So, I opted for the usual, which turned out okay. They were friendly enough, got me sorted. "Check-in/out [express]" is definitely available, but I didn't feel entirely rushed on it even when there's a long queue.
Then, the room. Now, this is where things get interesting…
Accessibility & the Room Itself (The "Does this actually work?" Stage)
- Wheelchair accessible: Not sure exactly which rooms, I did not ask.
- Facilities for disabled guests: I'm assuming they have the requisite features, as a general hotel.
- Elevator: Yep.
- Rooms available:
- Air conditioning in public area/Available in all rooms: Check.
- Air conditioning: Check. (Thank GOD – it was a scorcher.)
- Alarm clock: Check.
- Carpeting: Uh… check. (Meh.)
- Closet: Yup, a functional closet.
- Coffee/tea maker/Complimentary tea/Coffee/tea in restaurant: YES! Essential!
- Desk: Check.
- Free bottled water: Always appreciated
- Hair dryer: Check.
- High floor: No luck, was there a choice?
- In-room safe box: Check.
- Ironing facilities: Yep. Not that I used it.
- Laptop workspace: Yup. It was a desk.
- Linens: Seemed fine.
- Mini bar: No. Sad face.
- Mirror: Got one.
- Non-smoking: Thank goodness.
- Private bathroom: Obviously.
- Reading light: Check.
- Refrigerator: A small one, perfect for those late-night snacks.
- Seating area: There was a chair.
- Separate shower/bathtub: I wanted a shower, but got a bathtub.
- Shower: See above.
- Slippers: Nope.
- Smoke detector/Smoke alarms: Yep.
- Socket near the bed: Yes. Bless.
- Soundproofing/Soundproof rooms: Well, not perfect. Could still hear the hallway chatter.
- Telephone: Check.
- Toiletries: Basic.
- Towels: Lots of them.
- Umbrella: No.
- Visual alarm: Not sure
Okay, let's talk the main event: cleanliness. I was hyper-vigilant, due to the current state of the world. The room appeared clean. The "Rooms sanitized between stays" claim gave me a bit of confidence, but I always wipe down the surfaces with my own anti-viral wipes. (Okay, maybe I’m a little obsessive). "Anti-viral cleaning products" – hopefully, they used them!
Internet Access, Internet [LAN], Internet services, and Wi-Fi in all rooms!
- Internet access – wireless: Yes!
- Internet access – LAN: I didn't even bother.
- Internet services: Well, Wi-Fi is the main one. See below.
- Wi-Fi in all rooms!: This is true! The signal was decent, but it did seem to drop occasionally. Thankfully, free Wi-Fi is usually a plus!
The "Things to do" (aka. Do I need to leave the hotel?)
The Days Inn isn't exactly a resort. Things to do, ways to relax:
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: Yep!
- Pool with view: Not really, it's just a pool.
- Fitness center/Gym/fitness: I saw a small gym.
- Sauna/Spa/Spa/sauna/Steamroom/Body scrub/Body wrap/Foot bath/Gym/fitness/Massage: Non of those sadly.
- Bicycle parking: I didn't see it.
There is a pool which helps with the fact that there's not much to do.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking… or, the Breakfast Saga
Oh, the dreaded breakfast. This is where the "BEST Kept Secret" title potentially crumbles.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Kind of.
- Breakfast service: Yes, but…
- Breakfast takeaway service: Also available.
- Asian breakfast/Asian cuisine in restaurant/Coffee/tea in restaurant/Desserts in restaurant/Soup in restaurant/Vegetarian restaurant/Western breakfast/Western cuisine in restaurant - No.
- A la carte in restaurant/Buffet in restaurant/Coffee shop/Poolside bar/Restaurants/Room service [24-hour]/Salad in restaurant/Snack bar: Nope.
- Bottle of water: Yes.
So, the breakfast was… let's just say, basic. Think pre-packaged muffins, stale cereal, and weak coffee. The "Buffet" aspect was… under-whelming. I mean, I managed to survive, but it wasn't a highlight. If you are dependent on breakfast for sustenance, plan accordingly. The "Individually-wrapped food options" were appreciated, given the circumstances, but the quality… well, let's just say I've had better. "Breakfast in room" would have been a better option really.
Cleanliness and Safety (The "Did I actually survive the night?" Section)
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Hopefully and I did my own anyway.
- Hand sanitizer: Available.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: I'm assuming.
- Hygiene certification: Nope.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Attempted.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: Claimed.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Didn't even realize that was an option.
- Safe dining setup: For breakfast.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: Again, for breakfast.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Hopefully!
- Sterilizing equipment: Possible.
They seemed to be trying. I didn't get sick. But the fear is always there, isn't it?
Services and Conveniences (The "Do they have (insert random necessity here)?" list)
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events: No way.
- Business facilities/Business center/Xerox/fax in business center/Meetings/Meeting stationery: Probably.
- Cash withdrawal: Nope.
- Concierge: No.
- Contactless check-in/out: Yes.
- Convenience store: Nope.
- Currency exchange: Nope.
- Daily housekeeping: Yes.
- Doorman: Nope.
- Dry cleaning/Ironing service/Laundry service: Nope.
- Elevator: Yes.
- Essential condiments: Not sure.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Probably.
- Food delivery: Maybe.
- Gift/souvenir shop: Nope.
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this ain't your grandma's meticulously planned travelogue. We're talking about a Frederick, Maryland, adventure, specifically centered around the… ahem… charming ambiance of the Days Inn. Let's be honest, expectations are low, like my bank account after a weekend away. But hey, that's where the REAL stories are forged, right?
Days Inn by Wyndham Frederick: A Love Letter (and a Few Gripes), Day by Day
Day 1: Arrival and the Beige Apocalypse (and a surprisingly good pizza)
- 3:00 PM: Landed. Finally. The drive from… well, let's just say it involved one too many "are we there yet?"s. Found the Days Inn. It… exists. Honestly, the exterior is a symphony of beige, a comforting shade that promises nothing and delivers on that promise. Check-in was efficient, thankfully. No epic tales of lost reservations or disgruntled staff. Thank the heavens.
- 3:30 PM: The room. Ah, yes. The room. It's… functional. The air conditioner sounds like a dying walrus, but hey, at least it works (for now). The bedspread looks like it's seen more action than I have in the past decade, but I'm not here for a fashion show. Scanned the room for any immediate threats – spiders, suspicious stains, signs of recent… activity. Clean enough, I guess.
- 4:00 PM: Okay, must. Get. Food. Starvation is a real threat. Found a local pizza joint called "Giovanni's" that was surprisingly… good. Like, crispy crust, actual sauce that tastes like tomatoes, and the perfect amount of cheese. Honestly, it was a culinary high point. I inhaled a slice and then ordered another. No regrets.
- 6:00 PM: Stumbled upon a local park. Beautiful. Serene. Spent an hour just breathing. I definitely needed it. After the pizza, I wanted to walk more. I thought I saw a hidden path, but it was a dead end. Ah, well.
- 9:00 PM: Back in the room. Watched some truly terrible TV (because, let's face it, the Days Inn doesn't exactly have premium cable). Drifted off to sleep, grateful for the basic comforts and the absence of any actual roach infestations. This is a win!
Day 2: History, Mystery, and the Great Coffee Catastrophe
- 7:00 AM: Coffee. Crucial. The complimentary Days Inn coffee. Okay, let's be real. It's brown-colored water that barely qualifies as coffee. I chugged it anyway. Required now.
- 8:00 AM: Drove to the Monocacy National Battlefield. Civil War history is fascinating. Walking the trails and imagining the battles was a humbling experience. Even managed to avoid any actual history nerds eager to engage in deep conversation. (No offense, history buffs! Just… not this morning.)
- 10:00 AM: Downtown Frederick. It's charming! Quaint shops, historic buildings. Got hopelessly lost. Ended up back at the same bakery three times (their croissants are truly addictive!). Tried to look intellectual and wandered around, but eventually just gave in to the whims of my stomach and impulse buys.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch at a local diner. Ordered a burger and fries which I later regretted because I got a tummy ache! But the staff was friendly.
- 2:00 PM: The National Museum of Civil War Medicine. This was intense. Genuinely fascinating and a bit disturbing. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about battlefield amputations. (Suddenly, my bad coffee seemed like a minor inconvenience.) It was overwhelming, but an essential part of this experience.
- 5:00 PM: Back to the room. Took a nap. Which turned into a full-blown afternoon coma. Slept through the walrus-like AC and the occasional passing truck.
- 7:00 PM: Attempted to find a decent dinner, but ended up back at Giovanni's. Hey, at least I know it's good. Ordered the same thing. Judgment be damned!
- 9:00 PM: Contemplated the meaning of life while staring blankly at the ceiling. This is where the Days Inn really shines: the perfect place for existential dread.
Day 3: Regrets, Departures, and the Lingering Aroma of… something
- 7:00 AM: Coffee round two. Still bad. Must. Survive.
- 8:00 AM: Checked out. The beige of the lobby was a bit more… intense this morning. Said goodbye to the front desk woman who had a face of stone.
- 8:15 AM: One last look at the room. Said goodbye to the faint smell of… something musty that I couldn't quite identify. The source of the mystery of the trip.
- 8:30 AM: Headed home, already missing the… unique charm of the Days Inn.
So, yeah. Not exactly a luxury getaway. But it was a real experience. Imperfect, messy, and filled with questionable coffee and surprisingly good pizza. And that, my friends, is what life (and travel) is all about. Maybe next time I'll upgrade to a hotel with a better AC unit, but honestly, I kind of miss this slightly depressing, always-surprising little adventure already. Frederick, Maryland: You’re alright in my book. And the Days Inn? Well, you were certainly… a presence.
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Okay, Okay, Spill the Beans! Is this Days Inn *really* Frederick's "Best Kept Secret" or Just Hype?
Alright, alright, hold your horses! My initial reaction? Hype. Pure, unadulterated marketing fluff. I went in expecting a cockroach convention and a general sense of impending doom. Honestly? I was... surprised. Not floored, mind you. But *surprised*. Look, the secret part? Maybe it *was* a secret to me... until I found it with a late, restless night, and a dwindling bank account.
Here's the deal, real talk. It's not the Ritz-Carlton. Don't go in expecting a butler, diamond encrusted toilet paper, or your own personal harpist. You're paying for a roof, clean-ish sheets, and a place to park your car. And, listen, sometimes, that's *all* you need. Just a solid "eh, it'll do" kind of place. But… (and this is a big but) for the price? It's… *almost* impressive. Almost. That is, if you don't look too closely.
Let's Talk About the "Clean-ish Sheets." Give me the REAL dirt. (Pun intended, probably.)
Okay, so clean-ish. Remember that feeling you get when you've wiped the counter, and it *looks* clean, but you *know* you left a tiny, microscopic speck of... something? Yeah. That's the sheets. Look, I'm not saying there were *actual* stains. But my inner hypochondriac was *convinced* I could see phantom outlines of previous guests. Is that a hair? *Is* that blood? (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating. Maybe.)
But overall, the sheets were fine. Functional. You could sleep on them without contracting anything *immediately* life-threatening. And honestly, after a ten-hour drive, I was past caring. Sleep was the priority. And hey, who am I kidding? I’ve slept in worse.
The Breakfast! Oh God, Tell Me About the Breakfast! Is it the standard Continental Nightmare?
Bingo! You've hit the nail on the head! The breakfast... is an EXPERIENCE. Prepare yourself for the usual suspects: pre-packaged muffins that taste vaguely of sadness, questionable coffee that fuels your internal existential crisis, and maybe, just *maybe*, some sad little mini-cereal boxes. Oh, and waffles! Waffles from a machine!
But… here's the thing. (And this is part of the "charm" I'm starting to see...) It's *free*. And it’s edible. And sometimes, when you're facing the abyss of a long travel day, a free, edible waffle is a gift from the gods. Just don’t expect gastronomic greatness. Think… survival sustenance.
Okay, So the Room Itself. Was it a Dungeon? Did it Smell Like Mildew and Regret?
Okay, now this is where things get... interesting. I booked a non-smoking room. And *thankfully*, the room itself didn't smell like a chain smoker's worst nightmare. The decor? Well. Let's just say it was a masterclass in beige. Everything was beige. Beige walls, beige carpet, beige curtains. It was like living inside a giant, slightly depressing cookie.
But the room? Mostly fine! The TV worked! The shower had hot water! And the air conditioning didn't sound like a dying walrus. (A victory, believe me.) My biggest beef? Space. Or lack of. The room was... cozy. Which is a nice word for... small. Let's just say there wasn't much room to swing a cat. (Not that I travel with cats. Or swing them. That would be weird.) And yeah, the furniture was definitely seen better days. But hey, it served its purpose. My biggest tip, bring your own air freshener.
I Heard About the Pool. Is It Swimmable Without Contracting Tentacle Disease?
Alright, the pool. This one is a mixed bag, folks. One big, glorious, shimmering question mark! The website pictures? Gorgeous! Sparkling blue water, happy families splashing around. The reality? Well, let's just say my inner germaphobe had a field day. I walked in, and… it was open. No one was there to stop me. And the water.. looked… greenish.
I'm not a pool expert. But I’m not sure I'd trust it. Maybe it *was* clean. Maybe it was just the lighting. Maybe aliens were using it for underwater training. All I know is, after a quick visual inspection, I opted to skip the swim. I'm still alive. Can't confirm tentacle disease (yet), but I have a feeling it's a gamble. Pro tip. Bring your own test kit.
Parking. Is it a Nightmare? I hate parking.
YES! Okay, so the parking. This is something I actually appreciate because I hate parking even more than I hate pre-packaged muffins. I'm not a parking person. Parking gives me anxiety. Usually, when I check into these places there isn't enough. I was going to say it's ample, but it isn't. It's fine. There's enough. If you show up late, you might have to park a little further out but it’s ok. If you're like me and hate parking, it's a blessing. I didn't have to circle a million times. So, thumbs up for the parking. It was fine. That's all I've got to say about the parking.
The Staff. Were They Grumpy? Did They Seem Secretly Miserable?
The staff… They were fine. Perfectly… adequate. I'm not going to say they were bubbly and overly enthusiastic. But they weren't actively trying to sabotage my stay either. They checked me in, gave me my key, and answered my questions without rolling their eyes too obviously. Considering some of the other experiences I've had at budget hotels, this is a HUGE WIN.
Honestly, I'm not sure what kind of day they were having, but they were polite. That's all I needed. I'm not trying to make friends; I just want a place to crash. They delivered. Also, one of them smiled. That's worth noting, right?
So, The BIG Question.Hotel Search Trek
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