On my most recent trip home this time I needed to have a place where I could do some work as well as have some peace and quiet. I needed a kind of vacation when I knew I was going to be busy with family all weekend. One where I could unplug after work and be done with everything and have some me time.
I have stayed at several hotels in the Johnstown area before and had a range of great to horrible stays. Kind of trying to find the best place to stay while in town when I opt to not be with family. This was basically the only place I had not been to in the area (to note: there are just some that I will not even try).
The Hampton Inn in Johnstown sits overlooking Route 219, looking very prominent and close to everything. The reality of it is that when you get off the highway you have to go on a bit of trek to get there. It sits off of the connector road from the shopping plaza to the industrial park. At the end of a cul-de-sac that has nothing else on it. It's out of the way, but still feels connected to everything. I do say, use caution when you exit here. The entrance to the place sits almost at the crest of a hill, almost a blind hill where if you are not paying attention you could be taken out by a vehicle coming the one direction.
As for the hotel itself, it is fairly newly remodeled. It has the newer outside look with the abstractness and coloring. Inside gives a welcoming, updated take and allows for things to flow. From the main entrance you come into the lobby area which flows into the seating area for meals and out to the outdoor area where the pool is located.
But, if you are me, you used the app to check in before arrival and used the virtual key so you could completely bypass the front desk. When I booked my room, I used the Hilton app and selected a regular room with a king bed. When I checked in that morning I was assured this was correct. However, when I arrived and got to my room, I had a accessible room. I feel like they just put me in this room since I selected a late arrival. I also feel that this room could have been better used for someone that truly needed it. But, what I can say was amazing about the room, and this is probably the top thing, is the proximity to a side door and the parking lot.
The bad thing, and this is tops in regards to bad, is that it sat right across the hallway from the housekeeping area where they leave the door open all day while they work and you not only get to hear their music, but smell the laundry being done. Try working from your room when you have music playing in the background from across the hall.
As for the room itself, it was decent. Fully remodeled in the sense that everything was updated. With holdovers from things past. The most notable thing was the air unit. It was so far into the room that it acted like a shelf for items and a hinderance when you wanted to close the blinds. Also, it was slow to respond to your choice of temperature in the room. It was freezing in my room for nearly a day before it caught on that the 70 was for warmth since it was rainy and cold outside. I actually had to crank it to 82 for it to kick over to heat for me.
Vinyl flooring, comfortable bed, fridge in room, desk space, seating area round out the room. But the bathroom, I was not a fan. With it being an accessible room it felt like I was sitting in a high chair toilet. I'm short, but I've never been toilet short before. And the shower, they tried their best here. I now understand the drain placement in the middle of the bathroom as well as the shower. It did not matter how I positioned the shower head, half the water pooled in the middle of the floor. I had that shower head pointed every which direction I could and that bathmat was no match for the amount of water that came out of the shower stall.
The one plus side here was the complimentary breakfast. Each morning it was something different with constant items. Waffles, yogurt, juice. But the hot items would change, eggs one day, omelets the next.
Checking out was as easy as checking in for me. I used the app and out the door I went. read more