Wednesday, May 2, 2018

HOTEL REVIEW: Our Stop in Cotulla, TX - Comfort Suites Cotulla

Comfort Suites
617 Las Palmas, Cotulla, TX, 78014, US

Cotulla, TX sits right in the middle of San Antonio, TX and Laredo, TX on Interstate 35. There's lots of traffic going up and down 35, as it is a major hub into Mexico, but there are some stretches where you don't see anything for about 20-30 miles or so. If you've ever been to Laredo a few times from San Antonio, I can guarantee that you've probably stopped in Cotulla to fuel up, grab a bite to eat, use the bathroom, or just take a stretch break. It's about an hour away from each city so it's a great midway point.

Cotulla is a city in and the county seat of La Salle County, Texas, United States.[4] The population was 3,614 at the 2000 census. Polish immigrant Joseph Cotulla, who was reared in Silesia, then a part of Prussia, migrated to the United States in the 1850s. He joined the Union Army in Brownsville, Texas. He lived in Atascosa County but arrived in La Salle County in 1868[7] to establish what became a large ranching operation. After learning that the International-Great Northern Railroad intended to lay tracks in La Salle County, he worked to establish the town which bears his name. In 1881, Cotulla donated 120 acres of his land to the railroad, and in 1882, a depot was constructed there. In 1883, the town was granted a post office. The same year, Cotulla became the county seat by special election. On June 28, 2013, the Texas Historical Commission, the United States Department of the Interior, and the National Register of Historic Places designated downtown Cotulla as a significant part of Texas history with the unveiling of an historic marker. In 2006, Cotulla had been designated as a Texas Main Street community.

The have a ton of restaurants (local and commercial) in Cotulla, as well as a few truck stops and gas stations...... including a Loves for the truckers. Most of the lodging and restaurants are right there near the highway and in close proximity to one another.

On this particular day, we choose to stop at the Comfort Suites in Cotulla for our layover and we had an amazing time!! Check out my review below:

PARKING:There was plenty of available parking at this property and we were here on a weekend and a holiday. You can easily see all of the spaces if you choose a room facing the front of the property. Additionally, even though the front of the property faces the interstate, you are far enough off of the highway ramp that the noise can not be heard inside the room and doesn't disturb your sleep. That's always a plus and a usual concern when facing the front of the building. We like being able to watch our car but hate facing the side against the highway. This property gets a gold star from me for that aspect alone.

There are also beautiful palm tree in the parking lot that provides some shade for your vehicle in the hot Texas sun. Lastly, it is easy to get in and out of the parking lot because there are 2 entrances/exits and traffic flows both ways.

Above you see a picture taken from the room that we were in. While I was glad that our room faced the front parking lot, I did not like being over the awning. It was a bit noisy and we heard the wind howling all night long.

EASE OF CHECK IN/CHECK OUT: Check In/Out was a breeze. Both of the agents were extremely informative, professional, and friendly. The process was quick and seamless. Additionally, the entryway is absolutely beautiful. You can tell that a lot of care and thought was taken to design and welcoming and breathtaking entry way so of course, that makes for a memorable Check in/out process. There is also a ton of seating if you have to wait (which we didn't), a television to kill time, room to mingle with other guest or visitors, if you so choose, easy access to the business center in the lobby, and ice cold lemon water to welcome you.

CUSTOMER SERVICE:The customer service was superb!! Whenever we would pass housekeeping in the hallway, they were always friendly and welcoming, the receptionist recommended a great Mexican Restaurant in the area and told us all about the pool/gym hours without us having to ask. We were granted the late checkout upon request (Elite Member perk) and they ensured that we had everything that we needed!!


REWARDS STATUS PERKS: As most of you know, I am a Diamond Member with Choice properties so with many of their locations you get to choose a welcome gift or extra reward points with our stay. In this picture, you will see that this property had a well stocked pantry (if your choice was the welcome gift) and lots of choices no matter your preference of snacks and drinks. As always, we also received our digital copy of USA today the next  morning. Hard copies were also available at the front desk. Speaking of rewards, I also used my ebates when booking the room and received an additional 1.5% cash back. Those coins add up!! :-) Lastly, on both occasions, we received an extended late check out due to my Diamond Status.

THE ROOM: The bed was really comfortable and spacious. The layout of the room was open and provided a lot of space. There was a nice sitting area with two separate pieces of furniture (not the normal one piece). The shower area with interesting as it did not have a shower door that moved. There was an opening to the shower that you couldn't close. It didn't bother me much but the mom in me and my subconscious keep thinking, "I hope that I don't get any water on the floor." LOL One of the best things about the room with how well the air conditioner worked for it to have been nearing 100 degrees in Texas on that day. The air conditioner kicked in within a few minutes of turning it on and it cooled down the room almost instantly.


CLEANLINESS: The room was well cleaned. There was a small spot on the sofa but we all know how hard it is to get spots out of furniture so it wasn't a deal breaker for me. We stayed in this property twice in the same week (as we were going in and out of Laredo) and on both occasions, our room was very clean and well maintained. The other common areas were clean as well, including the gym, laundry room, and pool.

DECOR:I know that this may not be relevant to some people who are just looking for a safe, comfortable road side bed to sleep in but I was pleasantly surprised and extremely impressed with the level of attention put into the decor of this property. While mos of that impression was made in the entry way and the common areas, the decor in the rooms was nice too. They have these beautiful lamps in the waiting area, along with lovely wall art. I felt comfortable and serene being surrounded by such aesthetic beauty.

LOCATION: The location of this property was perfect for it's purpose. It's only a little over an hour from 2 major cities in each direction. It's easy to get to located among a cluster of other hotels and off of a service drive. It is within walking distance of a few restaurants, a market, and gas stations. There's also a dollar general store and an amazing Mexican Restaurant near the hotel. There is even a lounge right inside the hotel.

BREAKFAST:Breakfast was good. There were lots of options and plenty of seating by a huge, beautiful window that allows for viewing of the morning sun. This property serves the traditional hot breakfast and has a waffle maker, which is standard. Some items included dry cereal, yogurt, sausage, bacon, eggs, a selection of breads, oatmeal, and fruit.






WI-FI & TECHNOLOGY: One of my favorite things about Comfort Suites is that many of them offer Wireless Printing from your room or mobile device. Additionally, this property offers a business center with business supplies available from the front desk. Lastly, they had some f the best wifi I've encountered at a property. In both rooms that we stayed-in, as well as the common areas, the wifi worked perfectly well and I never had any problems logging on.




EXTRAS: (Pictures below) Some of my favorite things about this hotel included the comfortable pool next to the outdoor picnic area with a barbecue grill, onsite. I also enjoyed the gym, as it had plenty of equipment for usage and was equipped with towels and water for the guests convenience. This property also features a laundry room for guest use and ice machines on every floor.


VALUE: The value of this property was good. For it to be in a remote location, you might have expected it to be a tad bit less expensive. However, for such an amazing property, and to be among so many other major brands, the price was great being well under the $100 mark. All of the amenities and Hot Breakfast made the value that much greater. As always, I created my booking using Ebates and received 2.5% cash back.



 
All in all, I would have to say that this has become one of my absolute favorite Choice properties.  They have all that you need for a perfect stay. It was quiet, relaxing, and comfortable.

What's your favorite Texas City?

Have you ever experienced Cotulla? Any recommendations on "must try" things to do while there?

Also, let me know if you've ever been to this Comfort Suites (or another Comfort Suites property) and your thoughts!

Where are you in your corner of the world today?



























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