Joliet's BEST Hotel? Super 8 I-55 Review Will SHOCK You!
Joliet's "BEST" Hotel? Super 8 I-55: A Review That's More Rollercoaster Than Relaxation
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the wild world of budget lodging in Joliet, Illinois. And the designated crash test dummy? Yours truly! I bravely (or maybe foolishly) stayed at the Super 8 I-55, and trust me, the experience was… well, let's just say it's still percolating in my brain like instant coffee.
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Let's Get Messy, Shall We? Starting with… Accessibility (Because, You Know, Life Happens)
Okay, so accessibility is a big deal. My leg isn't metal, but I appreciate a smooth, navigable experience even if I'm not in a wheelchair. The Super 8? Mmm, hit or miss. The elevators… well, they existed, thankfully. The hallways were okay, but the doorways, I swear some felt like they’d been put there by a pre-metric system era architect. I was told there are fully accessible rooms, hopefully, they are actually accessible.
On-Site Accessible Restaurants/Lounges, You Say?
Hah! This is a Super 8, not the Four Seasons. Forget about fancy restaurants. We’re talking about, well… snack-vending machines. The nearest real eats? A drive, probably. I vaguely recall a… wait for it… a Subway and a McDonald's nearby. Fine dining this is not.
Wheelchair Accessible?
See above re: accessibility. Some areas attempt to be accessible. The staff seemed… well, let's just say they weren't exactly overflowing with disability awareness. My take? Call them directly and grill them if you need specific access.
Internet Access - The Digital Lifeline (Free Wi-Fi in All Rooms! Bless Up!)
Thank GOD for the Wi-Fi. It was… mostly functional? The speed wasn’t exactly blazing-fast (I'm talking dial-up on a good day), but hey, it worked. I had to get work done. Thank God. I mean, there was probably an Internet [LAN] too, but who uses that anymore?!
"Things to Do, Ways to Relax" – (Spoiler Alert: Not Much Within the Hotel)
Right. The Super 8, in its infinite wisdom, has a pool. An outdoor pool. In Joliet. I didn't investigate it. I'm not sure I wanted to investigate it. Let's just say I'm not convinced that the pool has a "view." I'm pretty sure it faces the parking lot. The hotel does not have a spa, sauna, steamroom, fitness center, or anything of the sort.
Cleanliness and Safety - The "Hope for the Best; Expect the… Well, You Know" Zone:
Anti-viral cleaning products? Hygiene certification? Professional-grade sanitizing services? Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I did notice lots of hand sanitizer dispensers, but honestly, I'm always a little paranoid about whether they're actually refilled. I did see staff working to keep things clean.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking - Survival of the Fittest
- Breakfast in Room: Nope.
- Breakfast Takeaway Service: Maybe. I think they might have a grab-and-go kind of thing.
- Breakfast [Buffet]: Yes. But "buffet" is a generous term. Expect pre-packaged cereal, cold-as-stone microwaved breakfast sandwiches, and coffee that tastes suspiciously like brown water. I grabbed a rogue banana. Thank God for the banana.
- Restaurants: See "On-Site Accessible Restaurants/Lounges."
- Snack bar: See "vending machines" above.
Services and Conveniences - The Bare Essentials (and Maybe A Little Extra, If You're Lucky)
- Air conditioning: YES. Thank heavens. It was hot.
- Business facilities: Uh, there might have been a business center, probably with a printer, but I did not go.
- Daily housekeeping: Yep. Which, after my experience, was crucial. I mean, the room wasn't filthy, but let's just say it had a certain… lived-in quality.
- Elevator: Yup. See "Accessibility."
- Laundry service: Nope. (But hey, there's probably a laundromat nearby, which is an adventure in itself.)
Available in all rooms - The Truth (and a few tears)
- Air conditioning: Yes. Praise.
- Alarm clock: Yes.
- Coffee/tea maker: Yes, and an awful cheap instant coffee.
- Hair dryer: Maybe.
- The internet access – wireless: Yes.
- Satellite/cable channels: I think so.
- Private bathroom: Yes, thankfully.
Now for the Down and Dirty… REAL Anecdotes and Rants:
- The Bathroom Chronicles: Okay, the bathroom. Let's just say the grout was… contemplative. I swear to all that is holy, there was a… stain. And I'm not going to elaborate. Let's just say I was grateful for the shower and the hot water. The complimentary toiletries? Bare bones. Think tiny, generic soap and shampoo. I brought my own. You should too.
- The Bed… and the Bedding: The bed? It was… a bed. Not the worst I've slept in, but definitely not the best. The pillows? Flat as pancakes, which is fine if you like that. The sheets? Not exactly luxury linen. More like… functional cloth.
- The Noise Factor: This is VERY important. I was on the first floor, and it directly faced the parking lot. It was a non-stop cacophony of car doors slamming, drunken yelling (at 2 am), and the occasional revving engine. If you're a light sleeper, bring earplugs. Seriously.
Final Verdict? The Super 8 I-55: It's a… Choice.
Look, it’s a budget hotel. You get what you pay for, and you're definitely not paying for fancy. If you need somewhere to lay your head for a night or two, and you’re not looking for luxury, it’ll do. It's clean enough, the Wi-Fi works most of the time, and they have air conditioning.
But if you're expecting pampering, fine dining, or a spa experience? Keep looking. I survived it, though. And that, in itself, is an accomplishment.
Rating: Two out of five stars. (One star for the air conditioning, one for the functional Wi-Fi. The rest is… debatable.)
Don't expect too much, and maybe bring your own pillow, and you'll survive.
Escape to OKC: Your Dream Stay at Residence Inn South!
Alright, buckle up, buttercups! 'Cause we're about to embark on a whirlwind tour of… well, Joliet, Illinois. Specifically, the Super 8 off I-55. Let's see if we can survive this, shall we?
Day 1: Arrival (and Existential Dread?)
- 1:00 PM: Arrive at O'Hare. Okay, flight was… uneventful. The guy next to me snored like a rusty chainsaw. I swear, I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation already. Grab the rental car – fingers crossed it doesn't smell like cigarettes and despair.
- 2:30 PM: Drive to Joliet. The I-55 is… well, it's the I-55. Long stretches of nothing but trucks and the occasional billboard promising miracle cures. Honestly, I'm already starting to question my life choices. Did I really need to come to Joliet?
- 3:30 PM: Check into Super 8. The front desk guy looks like he's seen things. Maybe he has, maybe he hasn't. The lobby smells faintly of chlorine and… desperation? The room? Let's just say it's… functional. The bedspread has a pattern that seems to stare back at you with judgement. Why, Joliet? Why? Note to self: check for bedbugs. Thoroughly!
- 4:00 PM: Unpack. Discover that I forgot my toothbrush. Classic. This is exactly the kind of thing I’m good at.
- 4:15 PM: A silent moment of reflection and pondering my life. Contemplating the irony of being a 'travel blogger' in Joliet. (Spoiler alert: I'm not a travel blogger, I'm just… here.)
- 5:00 PM: Okay, mission: find food. Stumble upon a… wait for it… Subway. Heart sinks. Hey, I guess a veggie sub and a bag of chips is as good as it's going to get in… Joliet.
- 6:00 PM: Back at the Super 8, eat in the room. The TV promises sweet release with reruns. I try to avoid the news, cause it's all doom and gloom!
- 7:00 PM: Attempt to read, instead I keep getting distracted by the weird hum coming from the air conditioning. This is my life now.
- 8:00 PM: Decide to walk around outside and see where it gets me.
- 8:30 PM: The walk was extremely uneventful, so I head back.
- 9:00 PM: Check emails, and finally watch a movie.
- 10:00 PM: Sleep. (Hopefully.)
Day 2: Joliet's Joys (Maybe?)
- 7:00 AM: Wake up. Disoriented. The sun shines through the window but I'm sure the room remains frozen.
- 7:30 AM: Free breakfast at the Super 8! Prepare for disappointment. It's the same beige, pre-packaged, carb-filled symphony of sadness I expected. "Continental" is a generous term. But hey, free is free, right? Attempt to eat but ultimately I'm so bored I just drink the coffee. It tastes like old tire.
- 8:00 AM: Actually decide to leave the building and go for a walk around.
- 8:30 AM: Okay, back. Nothing to do here.
- 9:00 AM: Attempt to visit a laundromat.
- 9:30 AM: Laundromat closed.
- 10:00 AM: Head back to the Super 8 and drink water again.
- 11:00 AM: Back on the road again.
- 12:00 PM: This time try to find food. This time, I succeed.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch. Try to actually enjoy this time.
- 2:00 PM: Find something to do as the sun begins to set.
- 3:00 PM: Give up.
- 4:00 PM: Back at the Super 8.
- 5:00 PM: Dinner.
- 6:00 PM: Watching the TV again. The only friend I have at this point.
- 7:00 PM: Contemplate if its time to sleep.
- 8:00 PM: Sleep.
Day 3: Escape! (Or, At Least, Departure)
- 7:00 AM: Wake up. The same feeling of boredom again.
- 7:30 AM: Breakfast. The same disappointment.
- 8:30 AM: Pack. Say goodbye to the room.
- 9:00 AM: Head out of the Super 8.
- 9:30 AM: Final thoughts of my adventure.
- 10:00 AM: Head back to the airport.
- 11:00 AM: The plane.
- 12:00 PM: Goodbye.
This, my friends, is Joliet. It's not the glamorous vacation destination of my dreams, but hey… at least I survived. And maybe, just maybe, I'll learn to appreciate the beauty of… well, I'm not sure what. But there's a certain… something in just being here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go wash off this feeling of mild existential dread. Next time, I'm going to Hawaii. I swear!
Escape to Luxury: La Quinta Inn Bossier City - Your Dream Getaway Awaits!
Is the Super 8 Joliet REALLY the "best" hotel? (Spoiler: Probably not, but…)
Look, let's be brutally honest. "Best" is a relative term, especially when you're considering the options in Joliet. The Ritz-Carlton this ain't. But BEST? Well, it depends on what you're after, doesn't it? If you're looking for clean, cheap, and conveniently located near I-55 (and hey, that's what I was after, right? Stuck on the road, gotta get to the destination, no time for fancy), then maybe, just *maybe*, it could be in the running. But "best" is probably overselling it. Unless, of course, you consider "best" as in "best at being a slightly dingy, yet functional, place to crash for the night."
Okay, spill it. What's the room *really* like? Be honest!
Alright, fine. Prepare yourself. First impressions: It's... beige. A lot of beige. Think 1990s motel chic. The carpet *might* have been vacuumed...last week? I'm being generous. The bed? Well, it *was* a bed. Slightly lumpy. The sheets were...clean, probably. Okay, definitely clean. Look, I checked. Twice. (Because honestly, you have to with these places, right?) Bathroom: Small. Shower: Meh. The water pressure was...weak. About as strong as my will to live after a 12-hour drive. Pro Tip: Check the corners for...ahem...unexpected guests. Just a recommendation. Not personal experience... *cough*.
Speaking of unexpected guests… Did you encounter any… *ahem*… "critters?"
Oh boy. Okay, I'm not going to lie. This is where things get *interesting*. One evening, late, I was sitting there, exhausted from the drive, trying to watch some streaming service on the tiny TV when… I saw *something*. Not a full-blown, running-around-the-room-screaming event, but something. Small. Scuttling. Under the… *ahem*… the dresser. My heart rate immediately went up. Okay, keep calm, I told myself. It’s probably a dust bunny. A *giant* dust bunny. (Because everything seems bigger in these places.) I peered under the dresser… and well…let’s just say, I suddenly developed a *very* strong aversion to beige carpet and a newfound appreciation for sealed cereal boxes. Let’s just say, the front desk staff did *not* seem surprised when I reported it. They just… gave me a new room. Which, I'll admit, wasn't *terrible*. But the memory lingers, like a particularly stubborn stain on a… well, you get the picture. Lesson learned: Pack a flashlight. And maybe some bug spray. And a hazmat suit, just in case.
Is the breakfast as bad as everyone says?
Breakfast. Ah, the breakfast. Look, if you're expecting a gourmet experience, you're in the wrong place. It was a… *classic* continental breakfast. Think: Stale bagels. Industrial-sized packets of sugar-laden "juice." Doughnuts that looked…well, let's just say they had seen better days. The coffee? Let's be kind and say it was… "brown." But hey, it was free! And it soaked up the alcohol from the night before…right? I took a bagel, I ate some of it. I would say it filled a hole!
The location? Tell me about the location!
Convenient, actually? It's right off I-55. Which is great if you're on a road trip. Not so great if you're looking for peace and quiet. You WILL hear the trucks. You WILL hear the sirens. This is not a rural retreat. It's a highway hotel. But hey, you're close to… well, Joliet. And a bunch of fast food and gas stations (which, at 3AM, is exactly what you need. Or don't, depending on the "critters").
Would you stay there again? Be honest!
Okay, here’s the deal: Would I *choose* to stay there if I had other options? Probably not. Would I stay there again if I was on a budget, needed a bed for the night, and didn't want to drive another 2 hours? Maybe. Maybe with some serious bug spray. And probably a good sense of humor. Because you kinda HAVE to have a sense of humor with a place like that. Look, it's not the Hilton. But it is *memorable*. And sometimes, that's all you need. And hey, you'll have a story to tell. And maybe, just maybe, you'll laugh about it later. Probably from a safe distance.
Okay, final thoughts? Any last words of wisdom?
Bring your own pillow. And your own expectations. And maybe a hazmat suit. Mostly kidding...mostly. Remember, it's only a night. You'll survive. You'll probably even get a good story out of it. But if you see anything scuttling under the dresser... run. And then write a review. And warn other travelers. Because the Joliet Super 8? It's an experience. And sometimes, experiences...are best shared.
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