Our Not-Free Lodging Was Worth Every Penny

Our trip to visit The Pony was almost derailed, due to no room at the casino inn! I got us a room at La Quinta, though. We've never stayed there before, so I didn't know what to expect. WELL! I'd certainly stay there again! The ONLY problem we had was our key-card reader thingy on the door. It took several tries to make it release the lock, every time we tried to enter. Aside from that, the room was great.

The room was, in fact, quite roomy! We had two double beds (not queens, like most two-bed rooms) because that's what was available. Of course there was the standard desk and chair, a cushiony chair, a microwave, and a mini-fridge. The casino rooms don't have a microwave. The bathroom was just a normal bathroom, with a tub and shower. Nothing remarkable, except that our room did not have carpet. Instead, it had tile that looks like wood. I liked it! While driving around to various activities with The Pony, it suddenly hit me. There was no carpet, because La Quinta ALLOWS PETS!

We saw two doggies while there, both on leash and harness. One was an orangy/white old gal, with markings like a border collie. The other was a perky little Yorkie. The front desk had a cookie jar of dog treats for the canine guests upon check-in. Strangely enough, when we left on Sunday morning, the floor in front of the room across the hall had three large FEATHERS laying there. Bright yellow, and white. Maybe they had a bird? I hope there wasn't a massacre! I DID hear people talking loudly out there, after midnight. So maybe they came back from a party and had Mardi Gras masks or something that left the feathers. We'll never know.

A free breakfast was included with the room. Saturday, we had scrambled eggs, sausage patties, blueberry/banana nut/chocolate muffins, bagels, bananas, apples, and waffles. Yes. We gorged ourselves. But still, we didn't have any hot or cold cereal, or boiled eggs. And we didn't each have everything. We got there just in time, too! At about 7:55. At 8:00, a parade of hungry guests entered the dining area. The tables filled up quickly. We'd been lucky to snag ours, and very few had left. Apparently, there were three teams of (?) track athletes staying there.

I made sure Farmer H was ready to go to breakfast by 7:50 on Sunday morning, but there wasn't such a crowd that day, it turns out. We had scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy, muffins, and waffles. Farmer H took a banana and two apples for our return trip, and we took along our muffins for a snack on the road. Farmer H also had orange juice with his breakfast both days, but I don't like it because I get heartburn from it. Neither of us drinks coffee. We did have some of the water out of the big jug, but it had lemons in it, which made me not like it much.

Another slight complaint was the snack room, where you could buy items. We were thirsty Friday night, despite free soda at the casino. Farmer H wanted a soda (they didn't have a soda machine at this one), and I wanted a bottle of water. I also selected a bag of pretzels for us to share. We knew it would be expensive, but those treats cost us $7! A soda/water from a machine will run you $1.50 apiece. I guess those were very special pretzels. Not even a big bag. Kind of medium. Not a little individual, but like those Big Grab bags of chips. The clerk couldn't figure out what to charge us.

"Hm. Are these chips? Or are they crackers?"

"I don't know, but they were between the Sun Chips and the Popcorn."

Heh, heh. I guess that would have blown her mind, the POPCORN, which is neither chip nor cracker. Anyhoo... the next day, we got a case of water at the local Devil's Playground, when we took The Pony shopping. It was $2 and something for 12 bottles!

So... we would definitely stay at La Quinta again, if we can't get free casino rooms. They have an outdoor pool, which I am sure Farmer H would utilize in summer weather.