Escape to Marietta: Your Perfect Red Roof Inn Getaway!
Escape to Marietta: My Red Roof Inn Adventure (And Honestly, It Wasn't Half Bad!)
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because I'm about to unpack my recent "getaway" at the Red Roof Inn in Marietta. The official title sounds all breezy and perfect, like a travel brochure promised by a travel agent, " Escape to Marietta: Your Perfect Red Roof Inn Getaway!" but let's be real, it was more like… surviving the week and actually enjoying it. So, buckle up, here's the unvarnished truth – with all the glorious flaws and occasional brilliance – of my Red Roof experience.
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First Impressions (and a Bit of a Panic)
Pulling up, the exterior…well, it's a Red Roof. You know the drill. Red roof, predictably. But hey, it's Marietta, which immediately upped the charm factor. I was a little apprehensive at first. It's always a gamble, isn't it? But I went in with an open mind. (Which, let's be honest, sometimes means I'm just setting myself up for disappointment.)
Accessibility: A mixed bag, as always.
They definitely advertise accessibility. This is the crux of my problem with budget hotels. They say accessible, but it's a mixed bag. Getting around the property in a wheelchair (for anyone who needs it) seemed… manageable. I saw ramps, which is a great start. The elevators worked (THANK GOD), and the public areas appeared relatively navigable. However, I didn't experience it myself, so I can't give a full, hands-on review. I did notice a lack of automatic doors in some key areas, which is always a frustrating bummer. Always call ahead and double-check everything if accessibility is a major concern.
Rooms: The Good, the Bad, and the (Surprisingly) Comfortable
My room… well, it wasn't the Ritz. But it was clean. And that, frankly, is half the battle. Let's go through the checklist of the "Available in all rooms" stuff, shall we?
- Air conditioning: Check. And it worked! Praise be!
- Alarm clock: Present and accounted for. (Though I slept through it. Whoops.)
- Bathrobes: Nope. Not here, buddy.
- Bathroom phone: Seriously? Who even uses those anymore?
- Bathtub: You betcha. (Standard fare, nothing fancy.)
- Blackout curtains: Blessing. Absolute blessing. Slept like a baby (until the alarm went off).
- Carpeting: Yep. (Could have been cleaner, but again, it was acceptable.)
- Closet: Adequate.
- Coffee/tea maker: Yes! Essential for survival.
- Complimentary tea: Excellent!
- Daily housekeeping: Happily, YES. They did a good job, too!
- Desk: Perfect for… well… doing what I do – writing this very review!
- Extra long bed: Nice. Always appreciate the extra legroom.
- Free bottled water: Woohoo! Hydration is KEY.
- Hair dryer: Did the job, at least.
- High floor: I requested a higher floor because I like the views, but not a high floor, so I wouldn't be too far away, which they granted.
- In-room safe box: Nope. My valuables remained safely with me.
- Interconnecting room(s) available: I didn't need it, but good to know.
- Internet access – LAN: Nope. (Who even uses LAN anymore?!)
- Internet access – wireless: YES! And…
- Ironing facilities: Yep. Because wrinkles are the enemy.
- Laptop workspace: Yep.
- Linens: Clean. (Important!)
- Mini bar: Nope. Didn't need one.
- Mirror: Yep.
- Non-smoking: Thank goodness. (No lingering cigarette smell!)
- On-demand movies: Nada. Netflix on my phone does just fine.
- Private bathroom: Yup.
- Reading light: Useful.
- Refrigerator: Score! For keeping my drinks cold.
- Safety/security feature: Smoke detector, sprinklers etc.
- Satellite/cable channels: Yep.
- Scale: Shudders. No.
- Seating area: Okay.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Standard.
- Shower: Functional.
- Slippers: Nope.
- Smoke detector: Absolutely! (Phew.)
- Socket near the bed: Thank GOD.
- Sofa: Not in my room.
- Soundproofing: Decent. Didn't hear the neighbors too much.
- Telephone: Probably exists, but who would use it?
- Toiletries: Basic. Bring your own if you're fancy.
- Towels: Clean. And a decent amount.
- Umbrella: Nope.
- Visual alarm: Nope.
- Wake-up service: Nope - I have an alarm clock… and it works.
- Wi-Fi [free]: YES! (Important, I'm writing this review!)
- Window that opens: Nope.
Cleanliness and Safety: The Heroes of the Hour
Okay, here's where the Red Roof Inn really impressed me. Especially post-pandemic, they seemed to be taking cleanliness seriously. They advertised "Anti-viral cleaning products" and "Rooms sanitized between stays," and honestly? The room felt clean. I saw staff wearing masks and they had hand sanitizers everywhere. This is HUGE in my book. It made me feel a little, tiny bit more relaxed. They also had "room sanitization opt-out available" which I liked. They got bonus points for "daily disinfection in common areas" and "Staff trained in safety protocol." It gave me a level of comfort I wasn't expecting. And the "First aid kit" – a comforting sight.
Internet: The Lifeblood of the Modern Reviewer
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! (I mentioned this, right? It's good.) The speed was… passable. Enough to stream Netflix, answer emails, and write this review, so I can't complain too much. The absence of "Internet [LAN]" is not relevant anymore.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Fueling the Journey
Okay, let's address the elephant in the breakfast buffet…or rather, the lack thereof.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Nope. Sadly, no buffet. This is where some chains fall down.
- Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant: Nope.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Nope.
- Breakfast service, Breakfast takeaway service: Breakfast was the bare minimum. Think pre-packaged pastries, instant coffee, and some fruit you weren't sure about. But hey, it was something.
- Room service [24-hour]: Not here, folks.
Poolside Bar, Happy hour, Bar, Snack bar - None. You're on your own.
Restaurants, A la carte in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Buffet in restaurant: None.
Food delivery, Bottle of water, and Essential condiments - available!
For the Kids (or Not)
No "Babysitting service" or any "Kids facilities" and no "Kids meal" if I wanted one.
Things to Do (or, How to Stay Sane)
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: They had one! (This was a selling point for me, I needed a place to unwind after a long day and it worked perfectly)
- Things to do, ways to relax, Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom: Nope. This isn't that kind of getaway.
- Fitness center, Gym/fitness: Nope.
- Massage, Body scrub, Body wrap, Foot bath: Nada…
- Terrace: Nope.
Services and Conveniences: The Everyday Stuff
- 24-hour front desk: Always a plus.
- Air conditioning in public area: Of course.
- Airport transfer: Nope.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events: Nope.
- Bicycle parking: Nope.
- Business facilities: Yes.
- Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Valet parking: Free parking - Yes. Charging station - Nope. Valet parking - Nope.
- Cash withdrawal, Currency exchange: Nope.
- **CCTV in common areas, CCTV
Okay, buckle up, buttercup, because this isn't your grandma's itinerary. This is how a real person, with a real (read: sometimes questionable) sense of direction, and a real love for questionable roadside attractions, tackles a stay at the Red Roof Inn Marietta, in the fine state of Ohio. Buckle. Up.
Red Roof Runaround: Marietta Mayhem (and Mild Discomfort)
Day 1: Arrival, Apprehension, and Apple Cider (maybe)
- 1:00 PM: Ugh, flight delayed. Seriously, what is it with airports? They're designed to drain your soul. Finally, landed in wherever-the-heck-I-am-now, and I'm pretty sure the rental car (a "compact" they said, a sardine can they delivered) is judging me. Driving to the Red Roof Inn. Pray for me.
- 2:30 PM: Check-in. The lobby smells faintly of chlorine and… despair? The front desk person is…trying. My room. Oh, my room. Okay, it's functional. The carpet is…well, it’s a shade of red that makes me question my life choices. The bedspread vaguely reminds me of a cheap pizza. But hey! At least there's a TV, and the wi-fi supposedly works. Score.
- 3:00 PM: Unpack (sort of). Okay fine, I basically throw my stuff on the spare bed, figuring I’ll sort it all out later. Which of course, will never happen.
- 3:30 PM : Wander around the location. What can I do? What is there to see? What is going on?
- 4:00 PM: Okay, I need coffee. Badly. The in-room coffee situation…let's just say it's not winning any awards. Locate a nearby gas station, armed with a vague Google map I’d printed out. It takes an epic journey. Get the coffee and some sort of chemically-enhanced apple cider donut. Oh, sweet, delicious, regret.
- 5:00 PM: Back at the hotel. I actually like the room now. Is it possible one could grow attached to a hotel room? Is this a sign I’m a fully-fledged adult? I guess. Decide to flip through the channels on the TV, which is more entertaining than it should be.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner. Ugh, choices, choices! Let's order something from the hotel which may have gone expired a week ago or try to find somethings down the street. Okay, the place down the street looks to be more interesting.
- 7:00 PM: Stumbling back to my room, post-dinner, I realize the walk wasn’t as long as I thought. The walk was kinda nice, actually!
- 8:00 PM: Plop. Down. TV time.
- 9:00 PM: Okay, I’m exhausted.
Day 2: River Romance (and the Reality of Old Boats)
- 8:00 AM: Wake. Coffee.
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel, which is exactly what you'd expect.
- 10:00 AM: Attempt to visit the Ohio River Museum. I'm expecting some kind of romantic, nostalgic experience. What I got was a slightly-musty, mildly-depressing look at old boats. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of history here, but be prepared to be hit with the reality of how hard life used to be. There's a big old sternwheeler, the W.P. Snyder Jr. and while it's cool, I bet it smelled like old fish and sweat. Still, the views were nice.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch at a local pizza joint. Carb loading is essential on any trip, right? Right.
- 1:00 PM: Head over to the Campus Martius Museum to try and get some historical context of the region. Realize I have no context for anything. Just enjoy the artifacts.
- 2:00 PM: Walk along the river walk. It’s peaceful. I almost feel like I’m in a movie…until a rogue seagull dive-bombs my head and steals a french fry from my hand. (Okay, now it feels like a movie.)
- 3:00 PM: Back to the Red Roof Inn for a little nap. My eyelids are heavy.
- 4:00 PM: Wake up. Decide I need a change of scenery.
- 5:00 PM: Drive around, aimlessly, until I find a charming historic district. It’s cute, with brick buildings and antique shops. I buy something I really didn’t need.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at the same place. Yes, the food was good. No, I hadn’t tried anything else.
- 7:00 PM: Back to the hotel.
- 8:00 PM: Watch a movie.
- 9:00 PM: Sleep.
Day 3: Departure and Delusions of Grandeur (aka, Goodbye, Marietta!)
- 8:00 AM: Wake. Realize I could actually get used to this hotel.
- 9:00 AM: Check out. The lobby's still smelling like chlorine and…I feel less despairing today.
- 9:30 AM: Grab coffee.
- 10:00 AM: Drive home.
- 11:00 AM: Realize I will forget everything about the trip in an hour of leaving.
- 12:00 PM: Arrive back.
So there you have it. My Red Roof Inn Marietta adventure. It wasn't glamorous, it wasn't always comfortable, but it was mine. And sometimes, that's all that matters. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to unpack (maybe). And start planning the next trip… to somewhere even more delightfully offbeat!
Gillette Getaway: Unbeatable Days Inn Deals!
Escape to Marietta: Your Red Roof Inn Adventure! (FAQ - Because I'm Still Recovering...)
Okay, Seriously, Why Marietta? And Why a Red Roof Inn? (Don't Judge My Decisions!)
Alright, alright, settle down. The "escape" part? Needed it. My brain felt like a scrambled egg after that... well, let's just say unpleasantness at work. Marietta? Seemed like a town on a map, relatively close, and offered a change of scenery. No judging allowed, okay? As for the Red Roof Inn? Budget, my friends, budget! And honestly, sometimes those places are perfectly serviceable. Besides, my expectations were so rock-bottom, anything felt like an upgrade.
Plus, here's a confession: I've always secretly wanted to be a travel blogger. Except, you know, good at it. This is... hopefully, a start. Maybe I’ll write a Pulitzer-winning memoir someday about my trip "In the Shadow of a Dingy Hotel Sign."
Did You Actually *Enjoy* Anything? Be Honest!
Okay, let's get this over with. “Enjoy?” is a strong word. I wouldn't go that far! But... yeah, a few little things. The drive there was actually pretty nice, the radio finally worked; no more awkward silence, you know? The sunset that first night was kind of… amazing, actually. Like, truly gorgeous. I nearly cried. Maybe I *was* more stressed than I thought.
And the diner I stumbled upon? The Marietta Diner... I'll get there later. The waitress, bless her heart, she was talking to me like I'm her grandchild. I'm not even that old! Okay, I am, slightly… but still! The coffee also was pretty good. That's a win for me!
What About the Hotel Itself? The Red Roof Experience? Spill the Tea, Sis!
Look, it was a Red Roof Inn. Let's not expect the Ritz. The lobby looked like it hadn't been updated since the Clinton administration. I swear, the color palette was all faded rust and questionable beige. Honestly, it had this vibe of "seen-it-all, no-longer-surprised".
The room? Perfectly… adequate? The bed was… a bed. The TV worked (mostly), and the air conditioning roared like a freight train. I did find a questionable stain on the carpet, which I mostly ignored. A bit of dried something, I assume. Oh well! I've seen worse! Honestly, in the spirit of adventure, it wasn't the *worst* experience!
The Marietta Diner. Tell me *everything*. Seriously. I Need Details!
Okay, buckle up, because this is where things get interesting. The Marietta Diner… oh my sweet lord, that diner. First of all, it’s enormous. Like, "can-seat-a-small-country" enormous. And it's open 24/7! You walk in and you're hit with the smell of sizzling bacon, coffee brewing, and… a general feeling of "home.” Don't ask me what "home" smells like. It's just… *there*.
I ordered the chicken fried steak. You know, for research. It was huge. And delicious. I was so happy I almost didn't notice the waitress, bless her heart, her name was Agnes (I think?), who was talking a mile a minute. She asked me about my day, my family, my… well, everything! I felt like I could tell her anything, and she wouldn't judge me. I needed that.
The jukebox had all the classics. This old dude was playing a game of checkers in the corner. A couple of teenagers were laughing too loud. It was… honestly, the best part of the trip. I went back twice! I almost cried when I left.
Okay, I'm tearing up just thinking about it. The Marietta Diner. It was more than just a meal. It was… a taste of something real. Something I didn't know I was craving. I feel like I should've tried their legendary cakes. Now I'm having regrets.
What About the Other Sights? Anything Else Worth Seeing?
Okay, okay, beyond the diner (which, let's be real, was the star of the show) I did see a few things. I went to the Marietta Square, which was quaint, I guess. There were some cute shops, and I bought a ridiculously oversized t-shirt that said "I Heart Marietta". I'm not sure why, but there it is. Maybe I needed a souvenir.
There was a weird statue or two. I walked around the city. I have a vague recollection of a brewery. It was all… fine. Nothing to write home about, besides the diner of course.
Did You Actually Relax? Or Were You Just a Nervous Wreck the Entire Time?
Relax? HA! I was… less stressed. Let's put it that way. The first night, I couldn't sleep. I kept hearing the AC. I felt like the walls were closing in. And the stained carpet... it was staring at me. But by the second day, I started to… unwind. The diner helped. A good cup of coffee helps. Sometimes, just being *away* from the usual chaos is a win.
Plus, I only cried in the car once on the way back. Improvement!
The Verdict? Would You Recommend This "Escape"?
Here's the thing: It wasn't a perfect getaway. It wasn't glamorous. There were moments I actively questioned my life choices. But... and this is a big "but"... I needed it. And the Marietta Diner? That place might actually be magical.
So, would I recommend it? If you're looking for luxury, probably not. If you're looking for an adventure, a slightly messy emotional reset, and a truly epic diner experience? Then… yeah. Go! Just… maybe pack your own pillow.
Okay Fine, One More Question. What's the Best Piece of Advice you can give me?
Order the chicken fried steak. Truly. You won't regret it.
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