Review: Comfort Suites, Corpus Christi, Texas

There is nothing like recharging your inner batteries at the coast. One of my favorite places to visit the shore is at Padre Island and Mustang Island in Texas. Whenever we are in Texas, we like to make the drive down to Corpus Christi and drive over to the islands.

It is about a 15 mile drive out from Corpus Christi to Port Aransas on Mustang Island. All the way there, you see the sand dunes, with a glance of the beach here and there. There are several beach access roads along the way.

Once you have spent the day at one of the many beaches in the area, you will need a place to rest your weary head. Trust me after a day of sun and fun, you will be tired!

Recently on our trip to the beach, we stayed at the Comfort Suites off of Windward Drive. It was incredibly easy to find. It was not right on the beach, but just across the street and an easy walk within minutes would get you to the sand and surf.

We arrived early for our four o'clock check-in. I went in and explained we were looking for a place to change into our swimwear. I asked if there was any way we could check in a few hours early. The young lady at the front desk was extremely accommodating, and found us a room and checked us in without a problem.

We hauled in our luggage and beach bag, to find a beautiful suite on the third floor. It was spacious, with two queen size beds and a pull out sofa. Our view was not of the beach, but towards the back of the hotel with inlets and houses, but still very pleasant.

The room had great amenities. There was a microwave and refrigerator. That was good for the doggie bag we returned with from the restaurant. The room also had a DVD player. The girls wanted to watch a movie they had just purchased, but were vetoed in favor of the Spurs basketball game. It was nice to have the options. The bathroom was spacious enough for more than one girl getting reading in the morning and the closet was big enough for our huge suitcase.

We did take a look at the pool. It was outside and there was a whirlpool. With the beach so close, I am unsure we would ever use the pool. It was a pleasant alternative to have available.

My daughter and I did try out the exercise room. The equipment was good. There was a treadmill, a weight machine and an exercise bike. They had available a water cooler and towels. We couldn't seem to make the television work, but we still had a good quality workout.

In the morning, we ate at the complimentary breakfast bar. They supplied the typical faire of eggs, sausage, fruit and pastries. It amused the girls that the waffle maker made my waffle in the shape of Texas. What else would you expect?

After breakfast, we wanted to go to the beach, which was close to the hotel. We went to the front desk and asked about a late checkout. This way we could all shower after the beach. Again, they were tremendously polite and gave us a late checkout of one o'clock. When we checked out, it was fast and easy.

Overall, we had an especially enjoyable stay at the Comfort Suites and would recommend it. If you are an AAA member, you do receive a discount. The Choice Privilege membership helps out. You can receive points for every stay towards a free night. The Comfort Suites are moderately priced. For a hotel on the beach, I considered it an excellent price. They can get very pricey in that area.