Hotel Review: Homewood Suites in Maumee, Ohio

The best hotel (translation: "memorable accommodations") I've ever stayed in was the Homewood Suites in Maumee, Ohio. At the time I write this hotel review, my stay at Homewood Suites took place more than a year ago. This Hilton-chain hotel is one of the most comfortable hotels I've experienced, and it offered a wide range of amenities for the price. As a result, it's also one of the best lodging values-perhaps the best value-I have encountered in my travels.

Location for These Memorable Accommodations

Maumee is in the greater Toledo area. You can find this particular Homewood Suites at 1410 Arrowhead Road, only about ten minutes from the Toledo Express Airport. You can also find a number of restaurants, both fast food and sit-down, close to its location. Several even lie within walking distance.

Why Homewood Suites Is a Best Lodging Value

If you're looking for comfortable hotels with lots of amenities at reasonable prices, I'm not sure you can beat this value offered by Homewood Suites of Maumee. All the rooms are suites, but you may choose among several options, including one or two bedrooms, fireplace or not, one king-size or two beds. Rooms include sitting areas and kitchenettes.

Like most hotels, Homewood Suites offers varying rates throughout the year. If you travel during peak seasons, you can expect to pay higher rates than during off-peak times. You also generally get a lower rate if you stay for several nights, as opposed to one night.

For this hotel review, I wanted to give you an idea of the rates. I plugged in dates on the reservation website for October 2009 and June 2010. During the fall, the quoted rates ran around $84 to $99 for one bedroom and $118 to $139 for two. During the summer, rates ran around $118 to $152 for one bedroom and up to $179 for two.

What Every Hotel Review Needs: Amenities

The kitchenette in our suite included a full-size refrigerator, a couple burners (no oven), a microwave, dishes, glasses, utensils, pots and pans, and even a dishwasher. Eating out is not my favorite thing to do night after night. And since we stayed for several days, I very much appreciated the in-room kitchen.

Our suite also included free high-speed Internet access. This amenity, of course, has become commonplace, but it's still worth noting. We had a TV both in the bedroom and in the living area, with a full range of channels.

Furthermore, we enjoyed a complimentary breakfast each morning with the usual cereal, toast, juice-but also hot foods, such as scrambled eggs. On Monday through Thursday nights, the hotel also offered a complimentary meal. It was usually something light, such as sandwiches or wraps. They kept fresh coffee out and offered a plate of cookies in the evenings, as well.

The Homewood Suites property also included an outdoor basketball court and tennis court. We stayed at this hotel while my husband attended classes for his work. During his study breaks, we greatly appreciated these outdoor recreation areas. But we hadn't known about them before we came. Not to worry. The front desk provided rackets and a tennis ball free for our use.

And I wouldn't want to neglect the complimentary newspapers, fitness room, and pool. In addition, they offer on-site coin laundry, access to business tools (audio-visual equipment, fax machines, printers, and so forth) and meeting rooms, and a small convenience and snack shop.

What Made Homewood Suites into Memorable Accommodations

Besides the normal amenities and the outdoor recreation areas, we encountered several other things that transformed the stay from run-of-the-mill lodging to memorable accommodations.

Obtaining a rating of "best lodging" is about customer service, too. During our stay, the hotel staff always seemed happy to answer our questions or help us with needs. Everyone seemed genuinely concerned that we have a good stay, from the housekeeping staff to the general manager. They left a couple candies and notes to let them know if we needed anything.

The manager wrote a personalized note, not a generic corporate one, that gave us the opportunity to submit feedback, good or bad, on our stay. This wasn't a comments box tucked away in a corner where you'd never see it. Instead, they left it out on a table in our room. But no one was pushy about the survey, either. I've been to places where they say to me, "Now, we really want a five on this survey, so you make sure to give us a five, all right?" And as I go out the door, "Don't forget to fill out that survey!!!"

Sure, this was one of the most comfortable hotels I've stayed in. I appreciated the extra space in our suite, the convenience of the kitchen, the free food, and especially the complimentary recreation areas and equipment. But even if I had enjoyed all those amenities, yet the staff had not been as helpful or seemed as caring, I probably wouldn't have walked away with a high impression or the desire to write a positive hotel review.

How to Save on Your Reservation at Homewood Suites of Maumee

If this hotel review sparks your interest, you may wonder how you can save on a reservation in Maumee. You'll probably want to start with their rates and special packages.

At least until the end of 2009, they are offering discounts when you book in advance. The only drawback is that you must pay the total amount in full, and you cannot change the dates once you have finished the reservation.

If you travel frequently, you might consider the Hilton HHonors program. Every time you stay in a Hilton brand hotel, you accumulate points. You may redeem these points for free nights at Hilton hotels. Homewood Suites of Maumee participates in this program. If you pay for the reservation, you may accumulate points. Or if you already belong to the program and have enough points in your account, you can redeem them on your reservation at Homewood Suites.

If your travel dates are flexible, consider traveling during the week or in off-peak seasons. This tactic can usually cut down prices to the best lodging rates you can find, not just as Homewood Suites, but at any place of lodging.