Escape to Barrie: Your Perfect Travelodge Getaway Awaits!
Escape to Barrie: My Perfect-Ish Travelodge Getaway (and the Real Deal Behind the Shiny Pictures)
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because I'm about to spill the (slightly lukewarm) tea on my recent escape to Barrie at the Travelodge. Yeah, the one that promises a "perfect getaway." Let's just say, perfection is a very subjective thing, but I am here to tell you all about it, the good, the bad, and the hilariously awkward.
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- Meta Description: My unfiltered review of the Travelodge in Barrie! Honest thoughts on accessibility, the pool, food, and the overall experience. Read before you book! (Spoiler: It's not always Instagram-worthy.)
(Rambling Intro Over – Let the Chaos Begin!)
First off, the idea of this trip was divine. Escape the Toronto concrete jungle, breathe some fresh air, maybe soak in a hot tub, read a book, and generally become a more relaxed version of myself. The Travelodge in Barrie, with its promise of a "perfect getaway," seemed to be my knight in shining…well, slightly faded, beige armor.
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag, But They Tried!
Okay, let's be real. I'm not using a wheelchair, but I did pay attention to the accessibility aspects. (Rambling Alert!) The website talked about a few things, but it wasn't exactly crystal clear. I saw the mention of "facilities for disabled guests" and that's what brought me in. Did not see whether how many accessible rooms available so I will have to call the resort and find out. This is important so I will make sure to add it now.
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes, but I didn't get to see it. There was mention of it.
- Elevator: Yes! Crucial. Especially after that hike I decided to take. I'm pretty sure I'm not walking 10 flights of stairs.
- Entrance: Seemed fine, nothing overly taxing.
On-Site Eating and Lounging: Adventures in Buffet-ness
So, the hotel boasts a restaurant. And it's…well, it's there.
- Restaurants (and all the related categories): I think there was one. Asian cuisine? I did not think so. International? Probably. I stuck to the buffet. The Buffet in restaurant was fine, I think. The Breakfast [buffet] was…a buffet. Let's just say the scrambled eggs were not exactly gourmet, more like, "edible, if you're REALLY hungry." I spotted a Coffee/tea in restaurant to help me get through it. Poolside Bar? Didn't see it.
- Happy Hour: Maybe? I was too busy trying to figure out what the mystery meat in the buffet was.
The Fitness and Relaxation Zone – Or, Where My Hopes Briefly Soared
This is where the "perfect getaway" REALLY got tested.
- Pool with view: Okay, the pool was decent. I'm not sure if it had a view. It was the thing that was most enjoyable.
- Sauna, Spa, Steamroom: Nope. I think all the images that got put on the advert were taken years ago. I had a flashback to that time when I thought my life was on track…
- Gym/Fitness: Ah, the gym. Let's just say it was well-equipped… with dust bunnies. And the treadmill looked like it hadn't been oiled since the Clinton administration.
- Massage: Definitely not available (unless you count the stress trying to find a clean towel).
- Spa: Definitely not available.
- Body scrub, Body wrap: Nope.
- Foot bath: You're asking too much.
My Takeaway: The pool was decent. Okay, I'll work with that.
Cleanliness and Safety – The COVID Era Edition
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Hmmm. They said they were using them. I definitely saw some Clorox wipes at the front desk.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Seemed plausible.
- Hand sanitizer: Plentiful. I'm pretty sure I rubbed my hands raw from over-sanitizing.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Mostly observed, except at the buffet. People were hungry.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: They reassured.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: They seemed to have an idea.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: I did not ask.
- Food safety: Sanitized kitchen and tableware items were available.
- Other notable: Doctors and nurses on call, hand sanitizer, food options, sterilization equipment
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking – The Buffet Saga Continues
- Breakfast [buffet]: The central character in this whole culinary story. I've said enough.
- Coffee shop No comment.
- Restaurants: The food was okay, I did have some soup.
- Snack Bar: No.
- A la carte in restaurant, Alternative meal arrangement: None, buffet.
- Bottle of water: Did you know you can just ask anyone to bring you one? Because I did.
- Poolside bar: Nope.
Services and Conveniences – Can't Complain, Can't Rave
- Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet services, Wi-Fi in public areas, Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Free Wi-Fi worked. That was definitely a plus. Especially because I was bored and watching Netflix.
- Daily housekeeping: Present.
- Concierge: Didn't see one.
- Doorman: Nope.
- Laundry service: I didn't use this, but it was there.
- Cash withdrawal: I did not see a machine.
- Dry cleaning: Nope.
- Safety deposit boxes: I didn't use it.
- Other stuff: Air conditioning in public area, Elevator, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Luggage storage, Meetings, Meeting stationery
For the Kids… and the Kid in Me
- Family/child friendly: Yes.
- Babysitting service: Nope.
- Kids meal: Nope.
- Other stuff: Access, CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private]
Available in All Rooms – The Room Itself: My Sanctuary-Light
- Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Wi-Fi [free]: Yes!!
- Air conditioning: Yep.
- Coffee/tea maker: There. Adequate.
- Refrigerator: A tiny one.
- Desk, Alarm clock, Closet, Hair dryer: All as expected.
- Smoke detector, Telephone, Towels: And stuff like this.
- Other stuff: Additional toilet, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Carpeting, Closet, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens.
Getting Around – My Parking Buddy
- Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site]: Free parking! Yay!
- Other stuff: Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking, Available in all rooms
My Verdict?
Look, the Travelodge in Barrie isn't going to win any awards. It's not the Ritz. But it's okay. It's a solid, functional place to rest your head. If you're expecting a luxurious spa experience and gourmet dining, adjust your expectations. But if you're looking for a functional, reasonably priced base for exploring Barrie, with free Wi-Fi and a pool that's actually a pool, then it works.
I didn't become a completely Zen master, I did get out of town, and I did have a few laughs (mostly at the buffet's expense). It was a decent getaway. Perhaps "escape" is a better word.
Alright, buckle up, Buttercup, because we're not aiming for a meticulously planned Travelodge itinerary. We’re aiming for… reality. Or, at least, the reality of my brain on a slightly-too-long weekend getaway to Barrie, Ontario. Let’s see what kind of mess we can make.
Travelodge by Wyndham, Barrie, ON, Canada: The Anti-Itinerary (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Traffic Delays)
Day 1: Arrival & Hopeful Optimism (Spoiler Alert: It Won't Last)
1:00 PM: Arrival at Travelodge. The Dream Begins. Driving in from… well, let's just say "Not Barrie." The car? Packed tighter than a sardine can. Kids yelling, dog drooling. You know the drill. The Travelodge looks… well, it looks exactly like a Travelodge. Familiar, clean-ish, promising a beacon of rest. Check-in was mercifully painless. The front desk lady had the weary eyes of someone who's seen it all. I feel ya, sister.
1:30 PM: Room Reconnaissance. Okay, first impressions: Surprisingly… not terrible. The air conditioning isn't blasting me into the arctic, which is a win. The bedspreads look… lived-in. Not in a bad way, just in a "yeah, people stay here" kind of way. (Note to self: Bring disinfectant wipes.)
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM: The Great Declutter & Snack Attack. Unpack, fight over the prime window view, find the remote (always a scavenger hunt), and unleash the snack arsenal. Pretzels, Goldfish, fruit snacks that taste vaguely of artificial despair. The kids are temporarily placated. I am fueled by stale snacks and the faint scent of chlorine from the pool.
4:00 PM: The Pool… A Tragedy in Miniature. The hotel pool. Ah, the siren song of childhood. Except… It’s crowded. Very crowded. Kids are screaming. The water looks… questionable. I decide to stay out. Maybe later, after a generous application of hand sanitizer.
5:00 PM: Dinner Disaster (Attempt #1). Found a "highly rated" restaurant on my phone. Got stuck in horrific traffic. Arrived at the restaurant, only to discover a 45-minute wait. Kids' blood sugar levels reached DEFCON 1. Aborted mission.
6:00 PM: Pizza Salvation. Found a pizza place. Got pizza. Pizza was fine. Kids ate pizza. All is relatively well.
7:00 PM: Attempt at Relaxation. The kids are finally (finally!) in bed. Crack open a book, pour myself a glass of wine… Only to be interrupted by a fire alarm test. Apparently, the universe hates me.
8:00 PM: Attempt to Sleep. Exhaustion sets in. Sleep begins.
Day 2: The Lake & Letting Go of Expectations (Kinda)
8:00 AM: Breakfast "Buffet"… A Journey. The breakfast buffet. Free, but also questionable. Weak coffee, stale mini-muffins. I take a single, sad piece of toast.
9:00 AM: Scenic Drive to the Beach (Sort Of). Head to the beach! It’s a beautiful morning. The sun is shining. The water is… less than crystal clear. (Barrie, you gotta up your beach game, just saying.) The kids build a sandcastle that gets promptly destroyed by a rogue wave. Emotional damage: Minor.
11:00 AM: Mini-Golf Meltdown. Mini-golf. Always a bad idea. My competitive spirit is unleashed. I miss every single putt. The kids cheat shamelessly and win. I'm pretty sure the universe is laughing at me.
1:00 PM: Lunch (Attempt #2): Found a cute little café. Actually, it was a disaster. The kids were hungry, I was stressed. The food was so so.
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM: The Pool… Part Deux. Okay, back to the pool. Less crowded this time. Success! I brave the water. The kids splash. I mostly observe, trying to avoid the errant cannonballs. Survive.
4:00 PM: Unscheduled wandering. I find a park bench and just… sit. Breathe. Watch the clouds drift by. It is nice. I feel a brief flash of peace.
6:00 PM: Dinner (Success!). Found a cozy pub. The food was good (finally!), the beer was cold, and the kids actually behaved. Victory!
7:30 PM: Evening Walk. A stroll around the hotel. The air is fresh, the stars begin to twinkle. Feel that warm, fuzzy feeling.
9:00 PM: Actual Sleep. Amazing.
Day 3: Home-Run? Nope.
- 8:00 AM: The Breakfast Gamble: I skip the buffet. Don't want to tempt fate.
- 9:00 AM: Checkout: Smooth. The front desk lady smiles like it is not just her job.
- 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM: Last Chance Shopping: Some last-minute souvenir shopping. The kids want everything. I buy very little and feel slightly guilty.
- 11:00 AM: Last look around Barrie. I think this could be a nice place. I have seen better.
- 12:00 PM: The Road Home. The drive. Traffic. Constant chatter. The end.
Quirky Reflections & Emotional Ramblings:
- I learned that packing for a weekend trip with kids is a form of advanced Tetris.
- The "hotel breakfast" is a metaphor for life: sometimes you just get what you get.
- Mini-golf reveals your true self: a competitive, slightly unhinged individual.
- Barrie has potential. It needs, a better beach. And maybe a bit more sunshine.
- Despite the chaos, the minor disasters, the questionable pool water… I did it. I survived. And I got a few moments of peace. And sometimes, that's enough.
- I should have packed more snacks. Always pack more snacks.
So there you have it. The messy, imperfect, brutally honest anti-itinerary of my Travelodge adventure. Would I do it again? Probably. Just gotta remember to bring the hand sanitizer next time. And maybe a sense of humor. And a good book. And… okay, I need to start packing.
Escape to Barrie: Your Perfect Travelodge Getaway Awaits! (Ish... Let's Be Real)
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to dive into the glorious, messy reality of a Barrie Travelodge trip. Don't expect shimmering brochure promises. Expect, well, *me* talking. And maybe a few useful tips in between my tangents. Let's do this.
So, Why Barrie? Is it *that* exciting? (Be Honest!)
Okay, first things first: Barrie. Look, it's not *Paris*. It's not even, like, Toronto (gasp! I said it!). But listen, sometimes you just need a little breather, ya know? A change of scenery. And Barrie offers a solid, if unspectacular, dose of that. Plus, for us city dwellers, it's close enough to drive without feeling like you're leaving the *planet*.
For me, it's usually for a specific reason; my best friend Sarah has a crazy-big family who are always visiting. I hide out in Barrie. So, exciting? Maybe. But perfect for a weekend escape? Absolutely.
The Travelodge: What's the Vibe? Clean? Cozy? Or... Survival Mode?
Alright, Travelodge. Let's be real. Expectations are key. You're not waltzing into the Four Seasons. You're here for a place to crash, hopefully a semi-decent shower, and a vaguely edible breakfast. And, let's be honest, for the price, that's usually what you get.
My personal experiences? Eh, mixed bag. One time, the A/C sounded like a dying walrus. Another, the free Wi-Fi was a cruel joke, a flickering promise in the digital wilderness. And the "continental breakfast"? Let's just say I've seen more appetizing things crawling out of drains. But another time? Surprisingly clean, the staff was hilarious and friendly, and the lukewarm coffee, well, it did its job.
Okay, Fine. But *Specifically*, What Kinds of Rooms Can I Expect? (Are there any decent views?)
Rooms... ah yes, the heart and soul of the Travelodge experience. Typically you're looking at basic. Basic, functional, and usually with a bed that's seen better days. Forget about panoramic vistas. You're probably getting a view of the adjacent parking lot, a slightly mangled shrub, or the back of another building. It's not about views, people! It's about escaping the *other* view - the one from your boring couch!
I once got a room that seemed strangely… angled. Like, the walls weren't quite square. I swear I felt seasick. But hey, it added to the "character," right? That's how I described it to the front desk. (They didn't seem to care.)
What's the Deal with the "Free" Breakfast? Is it Worth the Stomachache?
Ah, the breakfast. The eternal question. Okay, brace yourselves. This is where the true grit of the Travelodge experience reveals itself. We're talking *continental*, people. Think: lukewarm (or stone-cold) cereal, pre-packaged mini-muffins that taste suspiciously of sadness, and coffee that may or may not be caffeinated.
Honestly? I usually BYOB (Bring Your Own Breakfast). I pack granola bars and a decent coffee from somewhere *other* than the lobby. Saves you the disappointment and the questionable mystery of the breakfast buffet. However, sometimes, when time is of the essence, you gotta roll with it. Gotta grab a coffee... and pray.
Let's Talk Activities! What's Actually *Worth* Doing in Barrie? (Besides, you know, escaping.)
Alright, now we're talking! Escaping is a valid activity, but let's get some actual stuff on the itinerary. Barrie, surprisingly, has a few tricks up its sleeve.
The waterfront is nice for a stroll, or maybe a bike ride (rentals available, I think). Centennial Park's fun if you have kids, although I've definitely had more exciting picnics. The downtown has some cute shops and restaurants. The MacLaren Art Centre is pretty cool. And, you *can* drive to Wasaga Beach, or even to the very-fancy Blue Mountains for some skiing (in the winter or hiking (in the summer).
But my absolute favorite? This tiny little ice cream shop called "Scoops Ahoy" (I might be wrong, but I'm sure it's something *like* that) on a side street, and they make the *best* waffle cones. Forget all those fancy things; I go to Barrie specifically to have ice cream and *not* feel guilty.
Any Tips for Surviving the Barrie Travelodge Experience? (Like, Seriously, How Do I Do This?)
Alright, rookie tips. Listen up, because I've made all the mistakes, suffered all the indignities so you don't have to.
- **Lower Your Expectations:** Seriously. This is the mantra. You are not at the Ritz. You are there to relax and hide, and as long as you get that, all other things are a bonus.
- **Pack Snacks:** Always. Trust me. Especially if you skip the breakfast (see above...).
- **Bring Earplugs:** You *will* hear things. Snoring, hallway conversations, the aforementioned dying walrus of an A/C unit. Protect your sanity.
- **Befriend the Front Desk Staff:** They can be your lifeline. They know where everything is, and sometimes, and I mean *sometimes*, they'll upgrade your room. (Worth a shot, right?)
- **Embrace the Absurdity:** Laugh at the lumpy pillows, the questionable artwork, and the fact that the remote control may or may not work. Because honestly, what else are you gonna do?
And, one final, crucial piece of advice: Be prepared to have your own Barrie story. It's part of the fun (and sometimes, the pain) .
Okay, Okay, You've Convinced Me (Sort Of). Should I *Really* Book a Travelodge?
Look, am I *personally* going to tell you to book? No, that’s a big choice that I can't take responsibility for! But I can tell you this: if you're looking for a no-frills, budget-friendly escape, and you’re okay with taking some things with a grain of salt (or, preferably, a chocolate-covered pretzel from the gas station), the Travelodge in Barrie could be just the thing. Sometimes, all you need is a break, a place to recharge, and a good dose of "well, it's not *home*."
And remember: those perfect Instagram photos will never convey the glorious, messy, human truth of travel. And the best stories are often made where you *least* expected them. So go. See. And
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