Bloomington's BEST Hotel? Hampton Inn & Suites Review!

Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington/Normal, IL Bloomington (IL) United States

Bloomington's BEST Hotel? Hampton Inn & Suites Review!

Bloomington's Best? Hampton Inn & Suites: A Truthful Review (Brace Yourself!)

Alright, people. Let's get real. This isn't some PR fluff piece. This is me, your average traveler, spilling the beans on the Hampton Inn & Suites in Bloomington. I'm talking warts and all, because, let's be honest, hotels are a gamble. You're hoping for a clean bed, hot water, and a decent coffee. Let's see if the Hampton Inn in Bloomington delivers…or just disappoints.

First Impressions: Getting In and Getting Around (The Physical Stuff)

• Accessibility: Okay, right off the bat, major props to the Hampton Inn. They get accessibility. I witnessed someone in a wheelchair effortlessly navigate the lobby and hallways. (Wheelchair accessible). And the Elevator? Smooth and quick. This is HUGE, especially if you're lugging heavy suitcases (Like I always am!). (Facilities for disabled guests).
• Exterior Corridor: Yep, typical Hampton Inn design. You’re walking to your door outside.
• Car Park [free of charge], Car park [on-site]: Definitely a plus. Parking was free, which is a lifesaver, and there's plenty of space to leave your car so you can rest easy to go to the hotel. (Car power charging station) might be available, but I didn't notice any, though.
• Getting There: Airport transfer is a great plus for those flying in. However, you gotta double check that, since I didn't use the airport shuttle!

Cleanliness and Safety: Pandemic Edition (And, Ahem, My Inner Germaphobe)

• Rooms sanitized between stays: This one is key. I'm not gonna lie, post-pandemic, I'm obsessed with cleaning. I’m talking wiping down surfaces with a ferocity that could make a crime scene investigator blush. The Hampton Inn seemed to take this seriously. (Rooms sanitized between stays). (Daily disinfection in common areas). I felt it, the lingering smell of sanitizing agents, but not in a way that was too aggressive (thankfully!). (Anti-viral cleaning products), I assume? I didn't see it with my own eyes but I asked the staff and they seemed to know about such.
• Hand sanitizer: Spotted! strategically placed throughout the public areas. Always a good sign.
• Safety/security feature: (Fire extinguisher, Smoke alarms, Security [24-hour], Front desk [24-hour] - all the standard stuff. Made me feel secure, so, mission accomplished.

The Room Itself: Comfort or Chaos? (The Real Test)

• Wi-Fi [free] – The Holy Grail: Yes! Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! and strong enough for my marathon Netflix sessions. Crucial. (Internet access – wireless), I really appreciated the (Internet access – LAN), but I only used it for emergency work.
• Amenities Galore (Or, the Bare Necessities?):
  • Air conditioning, Blackout curtains: Essential for a good night's sleep. I loved the darkness.
  • Coffee/tea maker, Free bottled water: Caffeine is a must! And the included water was a godsend, especially after a long day of travel. I ran out of water pretty fast, lol.
  • Bathtub, Separate shower/bathtub: Now we're talking! The shower was modern and clean - a definite plus!
  • Desk, Laptop workspace: Perfect for those moments when you have to pretend to work.
  • Bathrobes, Slippers: They provide them, but sometimes it gets lost, so check with them. I wasn't able to enjoy it since I didn't see them.
  • In-room safe box: Always a good security measure.
  • Non-smoking: YES! Thank you, Hampton Inn, for not letting me inhale second-hand smoke!
• My Personal Room Story: The Pillow Saga Let me tell you about the pillows. Okay, I'm a pillow snob. Like, seriously obsessed. I need fluffy. I need supportive. Hampton Inn’s offering? Meh. Standard. It was like sleeping on a soft brick. I asked for extra pillows (luckily the hotel has a lot of them), and the front desk quickly obliged. I was so relieved, as I was getting a bad neck issue.
• Overall Room Vibe: Clean, functional, and relatively quiet. I say "relatively" because you always get that distant hum of a machine and the occasional hallway noise.
• Soundproofing: Some, but not perfect. I could still hear a little bit of the outside noises.

Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Fueling the Traveler

• Breakfast [buffet]: This is where the Hampton Inn generally shines. (Breakfast service, Breakfast [buffet]). Typical buffet fare: eggs, waffles, sausage, cereal. The quality was…okay. Nothing to write home about, but it'll get you started. (Western breakfast).
• Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Yeah, the coffee was decent. Not amazing, but good enough to get me going.
• Snack bar: A small, convenient place to pick up snacks and drinks.
• Restaurants: There are several restaurants nearby the hotel.

Services and Conveniences: The Little Things (That Matter)

• Daily housekeeping: My room got cleaned everyday, but I was a bit confused about how often they cleaned.
• Laundry service, Dry cleaning, Ironing service: Okay, all very useful for the regular traveler, and they really got me out of a pinch when my shirt was wrinkled.
• Concierge, Luggage storage: They do not provide these services.
• Cash withdrawal: There is a machine nearby.
• Convenience store: Got everything you need at the front desk, but the price are a bit higher than normal.
• Contactless check-in/out: I really enjoyed the express check-in
• Staff trained in safety protocol: The staff seemed to be well-trained, which made me feel more relaxed.

For the Kids (and the Inner Child):

• Family/child friendly, Kids facilities: This is a good hotel for families, but the facilities are not plentiful.
• Babysitting service, Kids meal: There is no babysitting service, so bare this in mind if you're planning a trip to this hotel.

The Verdict: Should You Stay?

Alright, let's wrap this up. The Hampton Inn & Suites in Bloomington is a solid choice. It's clean, comfortable, and offers the basic necessities a traveler craves. Is it the most luxurious? No. Is it perfect? Absolutely not (those pillows!). But for the price and location, it's a reliable option with lots of great things.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Would I stay here again? Probably. Especially if I need a place to get a good nap and relax in peace.

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Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington/Normal, IL Bloomington (IL) United States

Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's meticulously planned itinerary. This is the Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington/Normal, IL – A Messy, Honest, and Totally Unhinged Adventure. Prepare for some serious emotional rollercoaster, a touch of existential dread, and maybe, just maybe, a glimpse of actual travel wisdom buried in the chaos.

Day 1: Arrival and the Agony of the Continental Breakfast

• 1:00 PM: Arrive, check in. This is supposed to be smooth, right? WRONG. Apparently, my booking got swallowed by a digital black hole. Cue twenty minutes of exasperated sighs, frantic typing from the beleaguered front desk clerk, and the distinct feeling that I’m about to sleep in my car. Finally, salvation! Room key secured. Phew. I'm already exhausted, and I've done almost nothing.

• 1:30 PM: Room reconnaissance. Oh. My. God. It’s… a room. A perfectly adequate, slightly beige room. The air conditioning is blasting like it’s trying to single-handedly reverse global warming. I immediately wrestle with the thermostat, a battle I will fight and lose repeatedly throughout my stay.

• 2:00 PM: Unpack. Or, well, toss stuff onto the bed and call it "unpacking." I swear, I always overpack. This time, I brought a sequined disco ball. Why? I have no idea. Don't judge.

• 3:00 PM: The Great Bloomington/Normal Exploration Begins! Or, more accurately, "Where Can I Get a Decent Cup of Coffee?" Google Maps leads me astray. I wander into the town square, feeling a sudden pang of loneliness. It's a Tuesday afternoon. Everyone has a life. I just have… a lukewarm latte.

• 5:00 PM: Back at the hotel, contemplating the meaning of life while staring at the ceiling. This is the "pre-dinner nap" stage of my trip. Let's be honest, it’s just a desperate attempt to avoid an early bedtime.

• 7:00 PM: Dinner at a local diner. The waitress, a woman named Delores with a permanent twinkle in her eye and a name tag that says "Queen of the Hash Browns," is the most interesting person I've encountered all day. I order the meatloaf. It's… meatloaf. But Delores makes it a masterpiece.

• 8:30 PM: Return to the hotel room. The TV is calling to me, but I resist. I must not succumb to the mindless allure of reality television. For all of ten minutes, I read a book. Then, I give in.

• 10:00 PM: Attempt to sleep. The air conditioner is now a banshee wailing in the night, and the pillow feels suspiciously like a bag of rocks.

Day 2: The Corn Maze of Despair and the Breakfast Buffet of Doom

• 7:00 AM: Wake up! The dawn! The promise of a new day… and the undeniable dread of the continental breakfast.

• 7:30 AM: The Agony of the Continental Breakfast, Part Deux. Okay, here we go. The waffle machine, the bane of my existence. I spend a solid five minutes wrestling a sad, misshapen waffle from its metallic embrace. The coffee tastes vaguely of burnt tires. The hard-boiled eggs look like they’ve seen some things. I contemplate eating only a banana, but the banana is under-ripe and green. I’m pretty sure I'd be better off fasting.

• 8:00 AM: Embark on the corn maze saga. I had HIGH HOPES. I envisioned sun-dappled stalks, the thrill of navigation, the satisfying conquest of a natural labyrinth. What I got was a humid, overgrown field, a distinct lack of signage, and a growing suspicion that I might actually get lost. And I did. For a solid hour. Humiliated, sweaty, and utterly defeated, I eventually stumble out, vowing to stick to the well-manicured lawns of civilization.

• 10:00 AM: Coffee. Necessary again. I find a cute little coffee shop. But the wifi is awful. I must suffer.

• 11:00 AM: Attempt to shop. The mall. A sprawling temple to consumerism. I wander, aimlessly, feeling a strange combination of boredom and a sudden crippling need for a new pair of shoes. I leave empty-handed, my credit card breathing a sigh of relief.

• 1:00 PM: Lunch. This is a blur of Subway and regret.

• 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Stare at the ceiling again. Contemplate existential dread. The disco ball judges me.

• 7:00 PM: Dinner. Pizza. It's the only way.

• 8:00 PM: Back in the room, watching TV, feeling a deep and abiding sense of… nothingness. Yes, I'm on vacation. Yes, I should be happy. But here I am, a solitary figure, watching reruns of a game show. Is this my life now?

Day 3: Departure and the Lingering Echo of Waffles

• 7:00 AM: Continental Breakfast: Round 3. The waffle machine gives me a dirty look. I give it one back. I conquer the waffle! I do it. The coffee is still questionable.

• 8:00 AM: Pack. This time, the sequined disco ball goes back in its bag. It was fun while it lasted.

• 9:00 AM: Final room inspection. Did I leave anything? Did I break anything? Did I accidentally summon a demon? Nope. Clean and clear.

• 9:30 AM: Check out. The front desk clerk actually remembers me. Maybe the booking black hole will finally swallow me whole.

• 9:45 AM: Goodbye, Hampton Inn & Suites (Bloomington/Normal, IL). It wasn’t perfect. It was messy and, occasionally, torturous. But it was… real. And for that, I’ll give it a grudging thumbs up.

• 10:00 AM - Onward: Drive home. Reflect on the trip. Vow to live a more exciting life. Also: start training for the 2025 corn maze escape.

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Bloomington's BEST Hotel? Hampton Inn & Suites Review (with a side of chaos!)

So, is this Hampton Inn & Suites REALLY the best in Bloomington? Like, BEST best?

Okay, alright, deep breaths. "Best" is a loaded word, right? It's like asking if a pizza is the best. Depends on the day, your mood, your toppings, and who's handing it over! But... for *me*? For a consistently solid, reliable, no-surprises kind of stay in Bloomington, yeah, Hampton Inn & Suites is a strong contender. Not perfect, mind you. Perfection is a unicorn. But consistently good. And sometimes, that's exactly what you need after a long drive, a chaotic conference, or a disastrous first date (more on that later… maybe).

The Rooms: Cozy or Cramped? And, crucially, are the beds comfy?

Okay, let's talk rooms. The standard rooms? Perfectly adequate, but don't expect a ballroom. They're well-laid-out. I always appreciate a good desk – I'm a sucker for writing down my thoughts or working in some quiet space. The suites? Roomy, but you're paying a premium. Worth it if you're traveling with, say, a screaming toddler (bless you, parents!). Or, you know, trying to hide from a particularly overenthusiastic group of convention attendees (my own secret shame!). And THE BEDS?! Listen, I'm a bed snob. A total, sleep-deprived, cranky-morning bed snob. And the beds at this place? They're good. Not *legendary* good, mind you (I dream of a bed that cradles me like a newborn baby – still searching!). But they're consistently comfortable. Enough to make you catch some Zzzs after a day exploring IU's campus or getting lost in the stacks at the Monroe County Public Library. And that's what matters, yeah? Sleep, or some semblance of it.

The Breakfast: Free Food Frenzy or a Bland Betrayal?

Ah, the free breakfast buffet, humanity's great equalizer (and sometimes, its biggest challenge). This Hampton Inn's spread? It's solid. Let's be honest, it's not a Michelin-star experience. But there's the usual suspects: waffles (always go for the waffles!), eggs (of varying degrees of, um, texture), sausage (sometimes good, sometimes… questionable), fruit, yogurt, and bagels. Here's a pro-tip: BEWARE the pancake machine during rush hour. It’s a battlefield of hungry tourists and bleary-eyed business travelers. I've witnessed some serious near-fistfights over a perfectly cooked pancake. Get there early, or embrace the potential chaos. And for the love of all that is holy, don't touch the coffee pot if you don't want to be burned on the inside.

Location, Location, Location! Is it actually convenient?

The location is a big win. Close to the shopping centers, restaurants, and a short drive from the Indiana University campus. So you can easily get to the main area of things to do. Easy access to main roads is a HUGE bonus. And it's relatively easy to find, which is a win for people like me who have a terrible sense of direction. Always. Though, prepare for a slightly less picturesque view. Expect a Walmart and maybe a gas station or two. It's practical, not postcard-worthy. Which, again, is often a win!

Amenities: Pool, Gym, Wi-Fi? What's the deal?

Okay, the amenities. The pool? It's there. I'm not a pool person, but it *looked* clean enough. The gym? Functional. Probably enough to work off all those waffles. The Wi-Fi? Generally reliable. I've never had a complete meltdown trying to stream a movie or check emails, which is a victory in my book. But here's the thing: I once witnessed the absolute HORROR of a broken treadmill (it felt like a metaphor for my life at that moment - maybe it was too dramatic?). And it took, seriously, a *week* to get it fixed. I'm not sure what it implies about the state of human fitness or hotel machinery but remember that the amenities aren't always perfect. Sometimes, you just have to be patient. Or just head over to Dunkin' donuts.

Service: Friendly Faces or a Flustered Fiasco?

The staff? Generally friendly. They're usually trying their best which makes a huge difference. They're always willing to help with directions or to just chat about the weather. And that makes a difference, really. I do remember ONE time, though, when I had a little… incident. Okay, *massive flashback*: I was in town for a conference. A conference I was dreading. And after a particularly soul-crushing networking event (that's code for "awkward small talk and questionable cheese cubes"), I stumbled back to the hotel, mentally exhausted. I arrived at the check-in desk, utterly incapable of coherent speech. My key card wouldn't work. And the poor front desk person – bless her heart – had to deal with a blubbering, sleep-deprived mess. She was incredibly patient! She fixed the key, offered me a cookie (bless you again, cookie!) and probably saved me from a complete mental breakdown. Really, this place, in that moment, was a lifesaver. So, yeah, the service is usually pretty good.

Any major downsides? Give it to me straight!

Okay, the downsides. The biggest one? It can get *pricey* during peak season. Book in advance, people! Especially during IU events. And sometimes the noise levels can be a little… much. Thin walls aren't everyone's cup of tea, when you're hoping for a quiet night. Plus, the parking lot often feels a little cramped and there are some minor issues with the elevators. But overall, it's small potatoes.

Final Verdict: Should I book this hotel?

Look, if you're looking for a reliable, comfortable, and convenient place to stay in Bloomington, I'd give this Hampton Inn & Suites a strong recommendation. It's not perfect. It's not a luxury resort. But it's a solid, dependable choice. If you're on a tight budget, look around. But if you value comfort, convenience, and a mostly pleasant experience, then this place is a great option. And, if you can, grab a waffle for me! (And maybe a cookie. You never know when you'll need a cookie.)

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Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington/Normal, IL Bloomington (IL) United States

Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington/Normal, IL Bloomington (IL) United States

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