Longview's BEST Kept Secret: HomeTown Inn & Suites!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because we're about to dive headfirst into the heart of Longview's BEST Kept Secret: HomeTown Inn & Suites! Forget those glossy, overly-polished reviews – this is real. This is the unfiltered truth, with a side of spilled coffee and a dash of "did I really just say that?". Let's do this thing!
First, the Basics (and the Surprisingly Sweet Stuff!):
Right off the bat, let’s be real: Longview isn’t exactly the glitzy coast. But HomeTown Inn? It's got serious charm, a surprising amount of thought put into the little things, and, crucially, FREE Wi-Fi in EVERY ROOM! (Bless the internet gods!) They also have Free Wi-Fi in public areas, which, let's be honest, is just good manners in this day and age.
Accessibility? They're Thinking About It! (and That's a HUGE Plus):
They're doing accessibility right! Wheelchair accessible is a BIG check mark, and they have thoughtfully included dedicated Facilities for disabled guests. I didn’t personally need them on my stay, but just knowing they're there, and that the staff seems genuinely invested in providing a comfortable experience for everyone, is huge. HUGE.
Cleanliness & COVID Considerations (Because, You Know, Reality):
Okay, let's address the elephant in the room: the whole COVID thing. HomeTown Inn gets major points for taking this seriously. They've got:
- Anti-viral cleaning products. (Phew!)
- Daily disinfection in common areas. (Important!)
- Individually-wrapped food options. (No buffet chaos in sight.)
- Rooms sanitized between stays. (Peace of mind, people!)
- Staff trained in safety protocol. (Good to see!)
- Hand sanitizer everywhere. (Seriously, everywhere. I almost became a hand sanitizer connoisseur by the end of my stay.)
- Room sanitization opt-out available (if you prefer it)
And let's be perfectly honest, I felt safe there. Not just physically, but mentally. Like they were doing MORE than just the bare minimum. That meant a lot to me. They do Cashless payment service, which is nice. I'm glad I didn’t have to find the hidden ATM.
Eating, Drinking, and Snacking – More Than You'd Think!
Okay, the dining situation wasn't Michelin-star level, but it was surprisingly decent! They have Restaurants which were more like cafes, but definitely convenient.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Okay, this is where things get a little…variable. They have Breakfast [buffet]. There was a decent spread of the usual suspects, bagels, toast, cereals. They can arrange Alternative meal arrangement, which is a nice touch. They have Breakfast takeaway service which is great if you want to take it on the road.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant/coffee shop: I'm a sucker for coffee, and this was a lifesaver (especially after the aforementioned late night). The coffee shop was open at a decent time, and they had Essential condiments which really makes a difference!
- Room service [24-hour]: This is a lifesaver for any weary traveler!
- Restaurants and Snack Bar: The Poolside bar was open only during certain hours, so I didn't get to experience that.
Pool and Spa…Sort Of!
They have a Swimming pool [outdoor]. I did get a chance to test out the Swimming pool. It wasn't the biggest or fanciest pool in the world, but it was clean, refreshing, and the perfect way to unwind after a long day. It was even open later into the evening, which was awesome.
Now, about the "Spa" part…they don't have a full-blown spa with all the bells and whistles. They don't have a Body scrub, Body wrap, Steamroom, Sauna, or Spa/sauna. What it does boast is surprisingly effective, and I’ll be honest, I found the small one, really worked!
Things to Do, Ways to Relax…And Staying Connected:
They have a Fitness center which I didn't check out, I'm a sucker for a good old day, and there’s a massive Car park [free of charge]!
- Internet access: They have Internet access – LAN in case you're old school. And, of course, Internet access – wireless!
- Business facilities: They have a Business facilities!
- For the kids: They have Family/child friendly, which is awesome!
- Check-in/out [express]: Easy peasy!
- Check-in/out [private]: If you prefer some privacy!
Inside the Rooms: Comfort is Key!
Okay, here’s where HomeTown Inn really shines – the rooms! I stayed in one, and it was a damn oasis of calm.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Air conditioning: Yes, thank god!
- Alarm clock: Check!
- Bathrobes: If you're into that kind of thing!
- Coffee/tea maker: Essential!
- Free bottled water: A lifesaver!
- Refrigerator: Handy for the midnight snacks!
- Wi-Fi [free]: Crucial!
- Wake-up service: Even more crucial!
- Additional toilet: Nice touch
- Balcony/terrace: Some of them!
- Bathtub: Yup!
Now, the Imperfections (Because Nothing's Perfect, Right?):
No place is perfect. Here's the honest truth:
- The décor is a little…dated. But hey, it's clean and comfortable, and it gives the place a certain charm.
- The elevator could be slow during busy times.
- The "gym" is basic. But at least it's there, right?
The Verdict: Why You Should Book HomeTown Inn & Suites…NOW!
Here's the deal: HomeTown Inn & Suites isn't the Ritz. But it is a solid, reliable, and surprisingly charming hotel. They actually seem to care about their guests, and they go the extra mile to make the experience pleasant and safe.
The "OMG, You HAVE to Book This" Offer:
Listen up! For a limited time only, when you book at HomeTown Inn & Suites directly through their website use the code "LONGVIEWLOVE" and get:
- 10% Off Your Stay!
- A Free Bottle of Local Craft Beer on Arrival! (If you're of age, of course!)
- A Late Check-Out (Subject to Availability!)
Seriously, what are you waiting for? Book your stay at Longview's BEST Kept Secret: HomeTown Inn & Suites now! You deserve a little comfort, value, and a whole lot of peace of mind. You won't regret it!
Torredembarra Beachfront Corner Apartment with Private Pool!
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into my chaotic, probably-slightly-unhinged itinerary for the Longview, Texas adventure, centered around (deep breath) the HomeTown Inn & Suites. Prepare for some real talk, folks. No airbrushing here.
Day 1: Arrival and the Unfolding Mystery of the Breakfast Buffet
1:00 PM: Land in Longview (well, technically, I flew into Longview, but that’s just details. It's a little airport, let me tell you. Felt like I was touching down in a giant Tupperware container). Grab my rental car - a sensible sedan, hopefully not a lemon. Praying to the travel gods for decent AC, you know? Texas heat is no joke.
2:00 PM: Check into HomeTown Inn & Suites. Honestly, after a long flight and the sheer uncertainty of air travel in 2024, the sight of a relatively clean and reasonably priced room made me slightly giddy. My room, which is what I am referring to is pretty standard but comfortable. My first thought was, "Well, this ain't the Ritz, but I've definitely seen worse…much worse."
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Unpack and Settle In. I'm the kind of traveler who treats unpacking like a sacred ritual. I need the ritual to feel "home" . Lay out all my stuff (judge me) and try to find some semblance of order and calm. This inevitably involves a minor crisis of not knowing where I put my charger, followed by an even bigger crisis when the WiFi password doesn’t work the first time. (I swear I’m not high-maintenance).
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Explore the immediate surroundings. Stroll the neighborhood a bit. There's a Dollar General nearby (always a good sign - essential for snacks and emergency toiletries). Maybe a quick drive-by of a local park if I'm feeling ambitious. Honestly, the goal here is just to get my bearings, find a grocery store to stock up on healthy supplies, and maybe, maybe pick up something other than road-trip snacks as I am still on the road snack hangover from the flying.
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Dinner at Local Watering Hole: TBD. I'm open to recommendations here. I need a place that's casual, serves good food (preferably not deep-fried everything), and doesn't cater to over-the-top diners. I am guessing Mexican food. I am open to suggestions to have any suggestions for a good restaurant in Longview.
8:00 PM - Bedtime: Relax. Watch something on TV, read a book, and try to avoid the temptation to scroll endlessly through my phone. (Easier said than done, of course.)
Day 2: The Breakfast Buffet Blues and the Great Gregg County Historical Museum
7:00 AM: The Breakfast Buffet - A Saga in Three Acts. This is where things get REAL. First, the excitement! Free breakfast! Glory! Then, the reality: a buffet displaying lukewarm scrambled eggs, questionable sausage patties, and the world’s driest waffles. (Dramatic, I know, but my stomach is a very sensitive instrument.) I’ll try to play it cool, but I'll probably end up with a plate overloaded and a secret desire for a proper biscuit. The coffee, the true barometer of any hotel's worth, is either going to be god-tier or lukewarm brown water. Then there is the judgement of "What do I want to start my day with?"
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: The Struggle is Real. Attempt to eat breakfast, get a handle on my morning, and maybe contemplate life's big questions while half-heartedly pretending to be productive. Probably spend way too long trying to decide between cereal and fruit. Oh, the inner turmoil!
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Gregg County Historical Museum. This is my "learn about the town" stop. I might find it fascinating; I might find it boring. I'm hoping for the former because I am a history buff, but I will allow for whatever I discover. Plus, museums are a great place to observe people, and that's where the real entertainment lies.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch. Pack a lunch or hit up a local eatery near the museum. The location is open to suggestion!
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Local Exploration. Possibly some antique shopping, a visit to a local park (if the weather isn’t brutal), or just wandering around and soaking up the local vibes. I'm open to serendipity.
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Downtime and Freshen Up. Back to the hotel for a nap or simply relaxing for a while. Necessary prep before the evening.
6:00 PM - Bedtime: Dinner and Evening Entertainment. I'm open to possibilities here. Maybe try another local restaurant, or perhaps a live music venue. The goal? Keep it authentic and enjoy the evening.
Day 3: Departure and the Lingering Taste of Sausage Patties
- 7:00 AM: The Breakfast Buffet – Part II. Will I learn from my mistakes? Probably not. Will I give the sausage patties a second chance? Possibly. Deep down, I know.
- 8:00 AM: Pack Up and Check Out. The bittersweet moment. I will say goodbye to my Longview home, and take the mental notes I've made for my stay.
- 9:00 AM: Last-Minute Errands. Depending on my flight schedule, I might have time for a few final errands or a quick souvenir shopping trip.
- 10:00 AM: Drive back to the airport. This is where reflection gets real.
- 11:00 AM: Departure and the Aftermath. Reflecting on the trip, and a slight longing for that (surprisingly edible) waffle. Also, the faint memory of lukewarm coffee…
- Travel Home: Home.
The Imperfections:
- Missing Details: This is a framework, people! The specifics might shift depending on the weather, my mood, and the general whims of fate.
- Honest reactions: I'm not a professional travel blogger. I'm a person who likes to travel and ramble a bit.
- Rant time: I'm not going to lie that travel is stressful. And the travel-stress-breakdown-to-joy is part of the charm.
Bottom Line: This is my Longview adventure. It's messy. It's honest. It's probably a little ridiculous. But it’s mine. And that's what matters. (And hey, if you have any restaurant recommendations around Longview, please tell me!)
Escape to Paradise: ANEW Hotel Hilton Pietermaritzburg's Luxury Awaits
Welcome to the REAL Deal About HomeTown Inn & Suites, Longview ;)
Okay, spill the tea – what *IS* this "BEST Kept Secret" everyone's whispering about?
Alright, alright, let's get down to it. HomeTown Inn & Suites in Longview, Texas. It's not the Ritz. Let's be clear. But the whole "best kept secret" thing? It's kinda true, in a "your grandma's secret recipe" kinda way. Think clean-ish rooms, friendly-ish staff, and prices that don't make your wallet weep. It's like, a reliable friend, you know? A friend who might show up late with a questionable casserole, but always has your back. It’s... comfortable. Or at least, comfortable *enough* to keep you from going completely insane while you are in town. (And trust me, given Longview, sometimes that's a high bar to clear.)
Is it truly "clean"? Because hotels, y'know...
Look, I'm gonna be brutally honest. I've seen cleaner. I've also seen *much* dirtier. (My college apartment during exam week was a biohazard zone, so I have a pretty good baseline.) HomeTown Inn is generally… well-maintained. Like, they’ve got that fresh-ish scent of cleaning products, which is always encouraging. There might be a stray hair that the vacuum missed in a corner, and the grout in the bathroom certainly isn't winning any awards for cleanliness, but I’ve never encountered anything that made me scream and flee. (And believe me, I’m prone to screaming and fleeing.) Plus, the sheets *usually* smell like they’ve actually been washed. That's a win in my book! Consider it an above-average motel. That's the bar we're aiming for.
What about the staff? Are they actually... helpful?
Okay, here’s the thing: the staff at HomeTown Inn are... well, they're people. And people, as we all know, are a mixed bag. Some are genuinely nice, go-out-of-their-way helpful. Others? Let's just say they’re not exactly bursting with enthusiasm at 3 AM when you realize you've locked yourself out of your room. (Don't ask.) But generally? They’re fine. They'll give you extra towels without a fuss, answer your (probably stupid) questions, and occasionally offer a smile. They're not robots, which is something, right? Their heart is in the right place, even though they might have had a rough morning.
The *breakfast*. Tell me about the breakfast. Because that is crucial.
Oh, the breakfast. It's... a statement. A commitment. It's simultaneously the best and the worst part of the experience. Expect the usual suspects: instant oatmeal (which, honestly, isn't *that* bad), maybe some sad-looking pastries, a waffle maker that’s seen better days, and possibly some fruit that's on the verge of going squishy. Coffee. Lots of coffee. And remember, this is Longview. Expect the local flavor to be present. (If that's a euphemism for “not-so-good,” then…yes. Mostly.) But, damn, it’s *free*. And sometimes, after a long night (or a very long day), a free, bad breakfast hits the spot. It's a survivor's breakfast. You eat it, you sigh, and you get on with your day.
Okay, okay, fine. But what about *location*? Is it actually convenient?
Relative to what? Longview? Compared to the bustling metropolis of, say, Paris? Well, no. But. HomeTown Inn is conveniently located near... well, *stuff*. Restaurants, stores, and, crucially, the highway. (Because let's be honest, you're probably just passing through.) You can easily hit up a fast-food place, grab some groceries, or embark on a thrilling adventure to the nearest Walmart. It's not *central* central, but it's definitely not in the middle of nowhere. You're not going to spend hours trying to find it. Which, in a small Texas town, is a blessing. (Ask me about trying to find *a specific address* in some of these other towns. Shivers.)
Tell me a story. Any story!
Alright, buckle up. Once, and this is a true story, I was stranded in Longview. Don’t ask. Let’s just say my car and I had a… disagreement. So, HomeTown Inn it was. I was exhausted, emotionally drained, and reeking of desperation. The kind staff, bless their hearts, saw my misery and upgraded me to a slightly-larger room. It wasn’t the presidential suite, mind you, but it had a working television and a relatively clean bed. And this, this is where things get interesting, and also where the imperfections come in. I turned on the TV. The local channels, naturally. And then, the *magic* happened. A local evangelical channel was on. And the preacher? He was… well, let’s just say he had a *very* enthusiastic approach to the gospel. I wasn't particularly religious at the time, but I sat there, mesmerized. It was like a fever dream. His every gesture, his every word, his *passion*. It was… something. The feeling of the world and your worries melting away. I ordered pizza. I ate that pizza. I did the very most Longview thing I could, and I enjoyed myself. This is the part I’m not proud of, or maybe am. I fell asleep during the sermon. Woke up to the sound of the cleaning crew the next morning. And they were… well, they were cleaning. The room, the halls, the *sins* of the night before. And you know what? I felt… oddly refreshed. Like HomeTown Inn had somehow, in its own weird, imperfect way, performed some kind of cleansing ritual. It wasn't just a hotel experience. It was a *Longview* experience. And that, my friends, is the essence of the best-kept secret. It takes you for who you are.
So… should I stay there?
Look, I can't tell you what to do. But if you're looking for a five-star experience? Go somewhere else. If you're looking for a *real* experience? A place that's comfortable, convenient, and maybe a little bit… messy? Then yeah. Give HomeTown Inn a shot. Just bring your own pillow, maybe some disinfectant wipes, and an open mind. And embrace the chaos. Because in a town like Longview. it's what it’s all about.
