Lafayette's BEST Kept Secret: Campus Inn Unveiled!
Lafayette's Little Jewel: A Deep Dive into Campus Inn – And Oh, Boy, Did We Discover Something!
Okay, so let's be real, finding a decent hotel in Lafayette, Louisiana isn't exactly like finding a unicorn grazing on a field of gumbo. But, after a particularly grueling crawfish boil (don't ask!), I stumbled upon Campus Inn. The name? Okay, maybe not thrilling. But "BEST Kept Secret"? That piqued my interest. And after my stay? Yeah, maybe they're onto something. This ain't your run-of-the-mill motel, folks. This is… well, let’s dive in. Buckle up. This is gonna be messy, opinionated, and full of me just being me.
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(Alright, now for the fun stuff…)
Accessibility:
Okay, first things first – I don't use a wheelchair, but I always check for accessibility. It’s just… good karma, you know? I’m happy to report Campus Inn is doing a decent job. Wheelchair accessible is a big YES – ramps, elevators, the works. They do have facilities for disabled guests, which made my heart sing, BUT I'm not equipped to truly assess its full comprehensiveness so I can't claim they are "perfect" (and frankly, who is?).
On-site accessible restaurants/lounges: Excellent! The elevator, exterior corridors (for easy access) and general layout feels accessible.
Cleanliness and Safety: (The "Are We Gonna Get Sick?" Checklist)
This is where things get seriously interesting. I'm a bit of a germaphobe (don't judge!), so the pandemic era has amplified my anxieties. Campus Inn, however, appears to have taken the whole "avoiding death by microscopic invaders" thing seriously.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Check! (That's a good start.)
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Yup. Saw it with my own eyes!
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Absolutely. I felt almost comfortable crawling into bed. (Almost! I still wiped stuff down because old habits.)
- Rooms sanitized between stays - this is a huge plus. I was able to sleep peacefully.
- Hand sanitizer: EVERYWHERE. (I may have even used it after I washed my hands… don't judge!)
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: Good lord, yes! I saw the staff making sure EVERYTHING was spotless.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: They seemed to know what they were doing. No awkward shuffling and averted gazes.
- Food safety: Safe dining setup: Yep! And Individually-wrapped food options: They had it covered.
THIS IS HUGE: Their commitment to cleanliness hugely impacted my experience. It allowed me to enjoy my stay without constantly worrying about invisible boogeymen. Stress level: Reduced. Significantly.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: (Gumbo, Gumbo, Everywhere!)
Okay, let's talk food. This is Louisiana, after all!
- Restaurants: YES! They've got more than one and offer room service 24/7 which is amazing!
- A la carte in restaurant: The menu was comprehensive. I tried… well, let's get to that…
- Asian breakfast: Okay, a little unexpected, but I love that they are being creative.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant. I had a delicious Pad Thai.
- Bar: They have one.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yes, and I actually indulged. More on this later…
- Poolside bar: I believe they have one.
- Lunch or Dinner: The restaurant offered a solid lunch and dinner menu. I stuck with local cuisine.
- Snack bar: Something small if you'd love a snack.
- Vegetarian restaurant: I am a carnivore, but I was happy to see it
- Western breakfast: Available.
- Western cuisine in restaurant: They had it.
The Gumbo Incident (A Dining Anecdote):
So, I decided to order gumbo from the in-house restaurant. This is the true test, right? And OMG, I didn't even make it to the restaurant. I just ordered it via room service, went to get a towel and then came back to my room and the GUMBO was there. I ate the entire bowl. It was the perfect gumbo. Rich, dark roux, spicy sausage, the works. I had been deprived of a good gumbo since I arrived a few days earlier. It turned my whole mood around! Seriously that good. I'm not even exaggerating. If you go, ORDER THE GUMBO. You can thank me later.
Ways to Relax - The Spa, Pool, and Other Delights:
Okay, let's get to the pampering part. After a long day filled with crawfish and humidity, here's what they've got:
- Spa: YES! They had spa with everything you could want.
- Sauna: They have that!
- Steamroom: And that!
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: And it's a pretty one!
- Pool with a view: Yep, you get a great view.
- Fitness center: They had one.
- Massage: Absolutely!
- Body scrub: Ah, YES!
- Body wrap: I was very tempted. (Next time, for sure.)
The "Pool with a View" Experience:
I spent a solid hour, maybe two, just sprawled out by the pool. It wasn't just a pool. It was a pool with a view of… wait for it… the sunset. The sun setting over Louisiana. It was a moment. A genuinely relaxing moment. The water was the perfect temperature, the staff were attentive, and the whole atmosphere was… calm. I needed that. It's not just a pool; it's a vibe.
Rooms: (The Sleepytime Chambers)
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! (Essential!)
- Air conditioning: Always a must in Louisiana.
- Blackout curtains: Bless them! Sleep is a precious commodity.
- Coffee/tea maker: Hallelujah!
- Free bottled water: Hydration is key.
- Hair dryer: Because humidity hates a good hair day.
- In-room safe box: For your valuables (and your sanity).
- Wi-Fi [free]: Gotta stay connected, right?
- Additional toilet: Nice touch!
- Alarm clock: To wake you up.
- Bathtub: Great for a relaxing soak.
- Desk: Work if you must.
- Extra long bed: Perfect.
- Internet access – LAN: Yep.
- Ironing facilities: Surprisingly useful.
- Laptop workspace: Great for getting work done.
- Non-smoking: Essential.
- Refrigerator: I actually used it.
- Seating area: I wanted a place to hang out.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Love this.
- Smoke detector: Safety first.
- Soundproofing: Appreciated.
The "Room" Experience: The room was clean, comfortable, and came equipped with everything you need. The bed? Heavenly. The blackout curtains? Essential for dodging that Louisiana sun. The desk was perfect for planning my next escapade (or ignoring emails, depending on my mood).
Services and Conveniences: (The "Making Life Easier" Department)
- Contactless check-in/out: Smooth and efficient.
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes, thank god!
- Concierge: Helpful.
- Daily housekeeping: A blessing.
- Elevator: Thank goodness.
- Food delivery: Convenient for getting everything.
- Ironing service: Made sense, nice touch.
- Laundry service: Amazing.
- Luggage storage: Very needed.
- Safety deposit boxes: Perfect.
- Smoking area: If that's your thing
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this itinerary for Campus Inn in Lafayette, Indiana…well, it's going to be less "perfectly planned getaway" and more "slightly chaotic chronicle of one human's attempt to survive a trip." Prepare for rambles, opinions, and the occasional existential crisis.
Welcome to Lafayette! (Prepare for Mild Panic)
Day 1: Arrival and the Search for Wi-Fi (and Sanity)
1:00 PM - The Drive of Doom (and the Urgent Need for Caffeine): Okay, so the GPS said "seamless journey." Lies. All lies. Traffic on I-65 was a nightmare. I swear, I saw a minivan doing a surprisingly aggressive merge. Almost lost it. Finally, finally, made it to Lafayette. Checked into Campus Inn. It’s…classic, shall we say? Reminds me of my grandma's basement, in the best possible way. Beige, reliable, and probably seen some things.
1:30 PM - The Wi-Fi Wilderness: First order of business – Wi-Fi. Gotta upload those Instagram stories, right? (Don't judge me). Turns out, the connection is slower than a snail in molasses. Spent 20 minutes squinting at my phone, muttering under my breath. It's enough to make me want to throw the whole darn thing out the window. Okay, deep breaths. Remember the mission.
2:00 PM - Snack Acquisition (and a Moment of Pure, Unadulterated Bliss): Found a vending machine. Miraculously, it had my favorite kind of chips. This, my friends, this was the highlight. The perfect salty crunch in the otherwise slightly stressful beginning. Feeling that small win.
2:30 PM - Exploring the (Slightly Undulating) Grounds: Walk around the grounds. The air is… Midwestern. Musty? Sort of. There’s a pool, which is tempting, but the water looks a suspicious shade of green. Maybe later.
3:00 PM - The Great Lafayette Food Quest (and a Questionable Pizza Decision): Yelp delivered. Found a pizza place called "Pizza Palace." The name alone was enough to draw me in. Let's just say, the pizza was…an experience. Chewy crust, a slightly sweet sauce, and a topping of "mystery meat." But hey, I was hungry, and that's all that counts, right? (Maybe I'll regret this later.)
4:00 PM - Checking In and Room Aesthetics: I'm in the room. It's very… functional. The TV is small, the bed is… a bed. Definitely has that "hotel smell," a sort of mix of cleaning solution and the lingering scent of a hundred other people sleeping in the exact same spot. Not terrible, not great.
4:30 PM - Pool Observation (and the Internal Debate): The pool is still there. It's calling. The temptation is real. But… that green hue… Hmm. More research is needed. Is it the perfect temperature? Or would I regret my decision?
5:00 PM - The Evening's Plans are Forming: The evening is the great unknown. What's there to do in Lafayette? Google is my friend. Maybe an old movie? A local brewery? I'm open to anything.
7:00 PM - Dinner Time and the Pizza Regret: Okay, so that pizza? Yeah. The regret is settling in. Let's just say antacids are my friend tonight. Deciding on a more sensible dinner!
8:00 PM - Evening Entertainment and the Quest for Relaxation: A movie is on. This is the relaxation I need, even if the Wi-Fi signal is sketchy.
9:00 PM - The First of Many Sleep Attempts: Lights off. Closing my eyes. Praying for sleep that is a good one.
10:00 PM - Final thoughts and a hope for the next day: Okay, Day 1 is almost done. Hoping for a relaxing sleep and an interesting day.
Day 2: Purdue Adventures and Unexpected Delights
- 8:00 AM - Wake Up! Let's Go! The sun is rising! Waking up early. Time for coffee and to get the day started!
- 8:30 AM - Coffee and Breakfast Ritual: The hotel coffee is… well, it's coffee. Getting a breakfast snack for the day. Gotta fuel up for the adventure, right?
- 9:00 AM - Purdue University Exploration (and the Allure of a Bookstore): Today’s the day! Heading over to Purdue University. It's such a big campus, and so many things to do and see!
- 10:00 AM - The Bookstore Revelation (and the Lure of Stationery): Yes! The books! The stationery! As a book lover, I was in heaven.
- 11:00 AM - Campus Tour and the Student Observations: The architecture is beautiful. Feeling like a student again is tempting. They seem to be studying diligently.
- 12:00 PM - Lunch Near Campus: Found a little campus cafe. The food was good!
- 1:00 PM - The Museum Discovery (and the Art Appreciation): A small museum which was a delight! I love art!
- 2:00 PM - Downtown Lafayette Exploration: Exploring the city.
- 3:00 PM - The Sweet Treat Stop (and the Sugar Rush): Found a local bakery. A cupcake was a must-have and the sugar rush was worth it!
- 4:00 PM - Return to Campus Inn and the Afternoon Downtime: Back to the hotel. Time to rest and relax.
- 5:00 PM - Pool Decision (the Moment of Truth): The pool is still there. I'm still here. I take the plunge! The water is…refreshing.
- 6:00 PM - Early Evening: Back in the room. Getting ready for another evening in Lafayette.
- 7:00 PM - Quick Dinner and the Evening's Plan: Something to eat. Relaxing and getting ready for bed!
- 8:00 PM - Final Thoughts Reflecting on the day and writing final words!
- 9:00 PM - Good night, Sleep well!
Day 3: Departure and the Longing for a Real Bed
- 8:00 AM - The Farewell Breakfast: The last day. Coffee, again. Toast, again. Thinking about my comfy bed.
- 8:30 AM - Last Minute Packing and the Hotel Room Farewell: Saying goodbye to the room.
- 9:00 AM - Final Checking Out and the Hotel Goodbye: Checking out.
- 9:30 AM - Last Lafayette Moment and the Road Trip: One last time in Lafayette. It's a nice city.
- 10:00 AM - The Drive: The drive back home!
- 1:00 PM - Arrived home!
Campus Inn Unveiled: Lafayette's Messy, Honest, and Totally Human FAQ
Okay, okay, what *is* this Campus Inn everyone's whispering about? Is it, like, a secret society? Seriously?
Alright, settle down conspiracists. No Illuminati, no secret handshakes... well, *mostly* no secret handshakes. Campus Inn, at least from what I've gathered, is this… *situation*. Picture a sprawling, if slightly worn, apartment complex near campus. Think peeling paint, questionable linoleum choices, and the vague smell of… something. But the *secret*? It's where a LOT of students end up at some point. It’s almost a rite of passage. You know, the "welcome to real life, kid" initiation.
So, what are the apartments *actually* like? Because "questionable linoleum" doesn't exactly sell me...
Look, let's be real. Luxury? Not a word I'd associate with Campus Inn. I lived there for a *year* (shudders). It's… functional. You get your basics: a kitchen (prepare for some serious oven-grime), a bathroom (pray you don’t find *that* surprise under the sink), and bedrooms that range from “cozy” (read: small) to “a closet with a window”. My first apartment… it smelled vaguely of cat pee, even though nobody owned a cat. No, really. I spent *weeks* trying to find the source. Never did. Embrace the character, I guess? (Ugh, I’m still traumatized by that smell.)
But here's the thing... I also met some of the BEST people in my life at Campus Inn. It creates this unspoken camaraderie, like "we're all suffering together, let's laugh about it!"
Is it expensive? Because if it’s gross *and* pricey, I’m out.
Relative to the *other* places around Lafayette, it's usually… *more* affordable. Emphasis on "usually." Landlords are... well, they have their own unique style of doing things. Sometimes they have great deals, other times they price it to the roof! I swear, the rent went up every time a new tree lost a leaf in front of my window. So get ready to bargain, be prepared to haggle. And always, ALWAYS read the fine print. Seriously. I almost ended up owing them my firstborn because I didn't read the lease properly.
What's the social scene like? Are there, like, parties? (Asking for a friend… obviously.)
Oh. The parties. Let me tell you about the parties. Listen, it truly depends on *your* neighbors. Sometimes you'll have a quiet building, perfect for studying (hah!). Other times... well, let's just say you'll get *intimately* familiar with the local police department's complaint line. Expect everything from impromptu guitar singalongs to raucous beer pong tournaments. And yes, there were the legendary (and probably illegal) basement parties. I'm not saying I attended… much. But the sheer *energy* of it was… something. Definitely something to remember. Or, you know, partially forget, depending on… circumstances.
Are there any… *problems*? (Besides the smell)
Problems? Buddy, where do I even *begin*? Okay, hold on, deep breath… Maintenance is… let's call it "leisurely." My bathroom faucet leaked for three glorious months. Three months! I learned to shower quickly. Pests are… a thing. Rats, roaches, the occasional squirrel that thinks it's entitled to a free apartment. And the walls… they’re paper thin. Like, I knew what my neighbor had for dinner. Every night. Okay, maybe that wasn't ALL bad… I learned some new recipes.
But here's the kicker: One time the pipes burst in my apartment. Like, full-on, cascading water, a Biblical deluge. It was 3 AM. I had a *final* the next day. It was a disaster. A total, soggy, stressful disaster. Water everywhere. Soaked textbooks. The floor warped. I called the emergency line (which was, according to the recorded message, “currently unavailable for maintenance requests, please leave a message”). I thought I was going to cry. I’m a mess when I'm tired. It took them… three days to fix it. Three days of living amidst the wreckage of my academic dreams. It really, really sucked.
But... and this is the weird part... my neighbors helped. They brought towels, offered to let me crash on their (admittedly cleaner) couches, and even made me coffee while I, you know, wallowed in the despair of a flooded apartment. It was awful, but in a weird way, it bonded us. See? Camaraderie! It's like, you *go* through things like that, you *have* to bond. It's survival, man.
Is it worth it? Should I… live there?
Look, this is the million-dollar question, isn't it? Would I recommend it? Okay, here’s the unvarnished truth. It's definitely not for everyone. If you need pristine conditions and pristine sanity, maybe avoid. But… if you're looking for an affordable, albeit slightly chaotic, starting point, a place you can make your own (even if it's just temporarily), a community of shared experiences… it has its own kind of magic. I hated it, I loved it, I'd probably do it again. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though. You've been warned, I'm not kidding. Campus Inn: It's a rollercoaster of broken dreams, questionable cleaning supplies, and, occasionally, some of the best times of your life. Good luck. You'll need it.
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