We went to Austin last weekend for a baby shower and it was being held in an apartment at the Bradford Homesuites, so we decided to get a room there the first night. The location was convenient (just off of North Capital of Texas Highway) and there were plenty of restaurants and shopping options (including a huge Crate and Barrel store) nearby.
I know that we have a Bradford Homesuites in our area and I have seen it off the site of the freeway, but I had never really heard anything about it, so I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The first night, I stayed in a suite. There was a kitchen (including a full size refrigerator, microwave, and a dishwasher), a "living room" area with a couch that included a sleeper sofa and a bedroom that was sectioned off by french doors. Each room has an individually-controlled thermostat. There was a TV and VCR in the living area and another one in the bedroom. The TV also featured pay-per-view movies and video game options. They included some "goodies" in the kitchen including Nutrigrain bars and popcorn. They kitchen also includes utensils, plates, glasses, and pots and pans. An added bonus in my opinion was that the sample size soap, conditioner, and shampoo was Bath and Body Works brand! The bonus for my husband was that the rooms are equipped for wireless high speed internet access.
Our second night, we were going to stay in a different hotel that we had booked through Hotwire.com, and when things didn't work out as we had planned, the staff at the Bradford Homesuites was very quick to accommodate us and provided us with a room at a discounted rate. Our room that night was more like a studio apartment and offered all of the features of the first room, but the area with the bed was not sectioned off. Both nights, our beds were very comfortable and we didn't have any problem getting a good night's sleep. Both rooms were also very clean. Another thing that I was impressed by was that they provided PLENTY of towels (I have stayed at so many hotels where you have to call or try to track down additional towels because they only provide you with two).
This location offers a free breakfast in the mornings that includes a little bit of something for everyone. There was waffles, french toast, hard boiled eggs, fruit (peaches, oranges, grapefruit, etc), muffins, bagels, and several different types of cereal. They also offered milk, a variety of juices, and coffee. We thought it was filling and you can't beat "free."
Other amenities included: a hot tub and swimming pool (these were located right by the building that we stayed in and appeared to be in great condition - we just didn't have time to use them), a "market" with convenience items including food, laundry facilities, a fitness center, and a business center (with computers, a printer, and a fax machine). Most of the buildings are three stories and they do have elevators.
They have a "three star" rating on Expedia.com and former guests have giving them an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 for the following: hotel service, hotel condition, room cleanliness, and room comfort. The staff was very friendly and accommodating throughout our stay. We were very happy and will definitely plan to stay here the next time we are in Austin.
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