Arlington's BEST Comfort Suites? (Near Dallas Entertainment!)
Arlington's Comfort Suites: My Brain Dump (aka Review) – Near Dallas Entertainment!
Alright, let's dive into this Comfort Suites in Arlington, TX. I just got back, and my brain's still buzzing. It’s near all the Dallas entertainment, which is a HUGE selling point. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. This isn't a five-star resort, folks. Think of it more like that comfy, dependable friend who always has a spare key and a fridge stocked with… well, decent bottled water.
First, the Essentials (and my gripes):
Accessibility: Okay, this is where things get interesting. They claim to have facilities for disabled guests, and I saw an elevator, which is a good start. I didn't personally need it, but I did notice things weren’t perfectly smooth. Like, the ramp to the front door… it was there, but slightly… steep? Little things that make you think they tried, but maybe didn't quite nail it. Score: 3.5/5 for the effort, but more thorough checking is needed.
Cleanliness and Safety: This section is paramount these days. I was relieved to see a bunch of stuff ticked off. Hand sanitizer everywhere, staff in masks. They say they're using anti-viral cleaning products. I couldn't, you know, personally test that. They have "professional-grade sanitizing services," apparently. I caught a housekeeper wiping down the elevator buttons, so, points for visibility. They offered room sanitization opt-out(!) which felt like a weird option. Like, "Nah, leave the germs, I'm good". I opted in! Overall, I felt safe, which is the biggest thing. Score: 4.5/5.
Rooms Sanitized…But a Few Quirks: Between stays is vital, no doubt. My room was, for the most part, clean. Bathroom was sparkling. But the carpet felt a little…lived in? Like it had seen a few parties it wasn't invited to. Still, blackout curtains are AMAZING! Perfect for sleeping in. The mattress was… well, it was there. Not luxurious, but okay for bouncing around on. And the in-room safe box, that's always a nice touch… even if you don't actually use it. My brain's already turning to the "what ifs". Score: 4/5.
Internet (Oh, the Internet)
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Praise the gods (and the hotels)! Okay, okay, deep breath. The Wi-Fi. It wasn't always lightning fast. There were moments, especially during the evening rush, where I was pretty sure my dial-up modem from 1998 would have been faster. I needed to upload a video of my cat doing something ridiculously cute. Frustrating! They do have an Internet [LAN], which I didn't touch. Overall, it was usable. But don’t expect to be streaming 4K movies or running a marathon of Zoom calls. I also found I couldn't get the Wi-Fi working on the laptop workspace. Just another ding in my perfect rating. Score: 3.5/5.
Dining, Drinking, & Snacking - Where I Suffered (and Survived)
(Deep Sigh) Let's be brutally honest. The breakfast was… well, it was free. And by free, I mean… you get what you pay for. Breakfast [buffet]: there was food. Cereal, some sad-looking pastries, and the "hot" items were… warm. I think I saw some Asian breakfast options, but I didn't dare venture there. The coffee was strong, but the flavor was closer to "burnt tire" than "gourmet blend." BUT! There was a coffee shop, and I did have some soup, and the staff was nice, so, it's a mixed bag. Score: 3/5. I wish there was vegetarian restaurant. I would have tried it.
Poolside Bar…or Lack Thereof: They have a Pool with a view, BUT they don't have a poolside bar. Talk about a major missed opportunity. I wanted a margarita while splashing, darn it!
Things to Do (and, More Importantly, Not To Do)
Swimming Pool [Outdoor]: It looked inviting. I didn't get in. I was too busy staring at the… "Pool with view," which, wasn't much. The pool, in itself, only had a view of the parking lot. Fitness center: It was there. (Repeat after me: "It was there.") I peeked in. Looked like your standard hotel gym fare. Treadmill, elliptical, weights. I'm more of a "room service and Netflix" kind of person, so… no comment.
Spa/Sauna: They have a sauna, which, given the Texas heat, seemed a bit masochistic. No Body scrub. No Body wrap. No massage. No Foot bath. Fine, no spa. Score: 2.5/5. I was so bummed.
For the Kids: Family/child friendly? Yeah, I saw some families. Didn't see any "Kids facilities" advertised. No babysitting service. No Kids meal. But, hey, it's a Comfort Suites. Are we expecting a Disney World experience? No.
Services and Conveniences - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Cash Withdrawal: They had that. Useful.
Concierge: Nope.
Contactless check-in/out: Yes! Which was great, I hate standing in line. Very efficient. Score: 4/5.
Daily housekeeping: Yep!
Elevator: Yes!
Gift/souvenir shop: Nope, unless you count the vending machine with overpriced snacks.
Laundry service: Yes! I saw a woman hauling a ton of clothes to the laundry.
Luggage storage: They did hold my stuff.
Meeting/banquet facilities: They had the space available.
Smoking area: It exists, because, you know, Texas.
Car park [free of charge]: HUGE plus!
Getting Around
Airport transfer: Nope. Taxi service available, though.
Car park [on-site]: Plenty of parking. Score: 5/5.
The Nitty Gritty (aka, What's Actually in the Room)
Air conditioning: Yep! Essential.
Alarm clock: Yep!
Bathrobes: Nope.
Bathtub: Yep. I took a bath. The water was hot. Pretty good.
Blackout curtains: YES GOD!
Closet: Standard.
Coffee/tea maker: Yep.
Complimentary tea: In packets.
Desk: Yup.
Extra long bed: Yup.
Free bottled water: There was some.
Hair dryer: Yup.
High floor: I was on the 3rd floor! (Not that it mattered).
In-room safe box: Yup.
Internet access – wireless: (See above)
Ironing facilities: Yup.
Laptop workspace: In-room.
Non-smoking: YES!! Thank goodness.
On-demand movies: Didn't check.
Private bathroom: Yup.
Refrigerator: Mini.
Satellite/cable channels: Yup.
Seating area: It had one.
Shower: Good water pressure!
Slippers: Nope.
Smoke detector: I'm guessing so.
Sofa: Nope.
Soundproofing: Not perfect, but decent.
Telephone: Old school.
Toiletries: Standard hotel fare.
Towels: Yup.
Wake-up service: I slept through it so, no comment.
Wi-Fi [free]: (See above)
Window that opens: Nope. Boo.
The Verdict
Okay, here's the bottom line. The Arlington Comfort Suites is… fine. It's not luxury. It's not Instagram-worthy. But, it's clean, relatively safe, and gets the job done. The location is good for hitting up the attractions. It just needs a few improvements like a real coffee shop (or at least decent coffee), a more functional internet, and a poolside bar when the weather warms up. I'd stay there again if I was on a budget and needed a place to crash for a few nights. I’d give it a solid 3.75/5 stars. You're not going home raving to your friends, but you'll sleep well enough. Just bring your own coffee.
SEO & Metadata Stuff (because, let's be real, that's why we're here):
- Title: Arlington Comfort Suites Review: Near Dallas Fun! Honest & Messy
- Keywords: Comfort Suites Arlington, Arlington TX hotels, Dallas entertainment, hotel review, family-friendly hotels, clean hotel, free wifi, swimming pool, parking, cheap hotel, good value hotel
- Meta Description: My unfiltered review of the Comfort Suites near Arlington's entertainment district! Find out if it's worth your stay. Cleanliness, amenities, pool, and my honest
Alright, buckle up, buttercup, because this ain't your grandma's meticulously color-coded itinerary. We're going to Comfort Suites Arlington - Entertainment District, which, let's be honest, sounds exactly as thrilling as a beige office cubicle. But hey, Dallas, baby! Sunshine, big hair (hopefully not on me), and the promise of… well, something interesting. Let's just see if we can wrestle this trip into some semblance of order.
Day 1: Arrival, Mild Panic, and a Quest for Pizza (and Sanity)
- 1:00 PM: Arrive at DFW. Actually, survive the airport is more like it. Jet lag is already kicking my butt. The baggage carousel? That's where dreams go to die. Mine almost did. Found my bag, though. Bless.
- 2:30 PM: Check into Comfort Suites. The lobby? Predictably beige. The receptionist, bless her heart, looked like she’d seen things. Also, I requested a non-smoking room. Fingers crossed. Seriously, the thought of a cigarette-smelling room makes me want to cry. Okay, maybe it's the jet lag talking. Or is it the anticipation?
- 3:30 PM: Unpack. Find out my room faces the parking lot. Great. Can't wait to watch… cars. Sigh. But hey, at least the AC is blasting arctic air. I'm a sweaty mess after travel, and the blast is a welcome relief.
- 4:00 PM: The internal debate begins: nap or explore? (Spoiler alert: the nap almost won.) But I need food. And I need it now. Pizza is the answer. Always. Gotta find a decent slice.
- 5:00 - 6:30 PM: Found a pizza place. Not the best pizza, but it did the job. And the local beer selection helped soothe my travel-weary soul. Sat at the bar, eavesdropping on a couple's date. They were adorable, and totally not judging my solo pizza consumption. Winning!
- 7:00 PM: Back at the hotel. Finally succumbed to the nap. Woke up in a haze, completely forgetting what day it was and almost missed the evening.
- 9:00 PM: Tried to do the "research" thing, look up things to do, but I was more in the mood for another local dive bar… or bed. Bed won. Sleep… hopefully uninterrupted this time.
Day 2: AT&T Stadium Fiasco (and Redemption through Ribs)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Free breakfast. Honestly, it's what I expected. Standard waffle maker situation, beige everything. I just grab coffee, toast, and a single, lonely-looking banana.
- 10:00 AM: My grand plan: AT&T Stadium tour. I'm not even a Cowboys fan, but… it's huge. I imagined soaring eagle-like shots of the stadium, selfies, and a genuine appreciation, but let's be honest, the stadium is kind of intimidating in person.
- 11:00 AM: Attempt the tour. Find out I bought the wrong ticket or something. The attendant gave me a look. The "are you even trying?" look. Felt like a total idiot. I'm pretty sure I'm the reason behind the stereotype of the tourist being a clueless buffoon. My fault, totally.
- 12:00 PM: Defeated and hungry, I wander out. Find a BBQ place. Oh. My. God. The ribs. The pulled pork. The sauce. This BBQ place was the reason to come to Texas. I could've eaten there all day. Actually, I almost did. I ordered a second plate. No shame.
- 2:00 PM: Finally, I decided that I needed to do something. The day was slipping through my fingers. Thought about Six Flags.. nah. A museum? Nah. I really wanted to just take a picture of the Cowboys star star and call it a day. As it turns out, I just ended up at a chain store. (I needed a new phone charger, okay?)
- 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Back to the hotel. Decided to attempt to be productive. I tried to catch up on e-mails and plan for what's next. Which was… nothing. I decided I was done for the day.
- 7:00 PM: Found a low-key live music place, somewhere in the Entertainment District. Some local band ripped it up. The beer was cheap, the crowd was super friendly, and I ended up chatting with a couple of locals who were actually Cowboys fans. We had a great time.
Day 3: Culture, Coffee, and a Touch of Regret… Mixed with Hope?
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast, again. I know, groundbreaking. But hey, the waffle iron is my friend now. And the coffee is strong, which I need after last night.
- 10:00 AM: Okay, this is the day I will be cultured! I ventured out and was at a museum. The museum was surprisingly interesting, and I did like taking pictures and learning. Hey, maybe I am becoming less of a clueless buffoon!
- 12:00 PM: Found a coffee shop. The coffee was great, the atmosphere perfect to settle down. I was journaling and plotting what I wanted to do.
- 1:00 PM: I finally feel as if I'm getting the hang of this trip! I was having such a good afternoon.
- 2:00 PM: Realization hits: I leave tomorrow. And I still haven't done half the things I intended. The "regret" is creeping in.
- 3:00 PM: I push past the creeping regret, and I decide to plan out my evening. I found the best-rated steak house to have an amazing meal.
- 4:00 PM: I take a nap, prepare for my last night!
- 7:00 PM: Headed to dinner. The steak was good, the wine was better, and I almost made it through dinner without a single mishap. Almost.
- 9:00 PM: Last night in the hotel. I feel a strange mix of melancholy and relief. The trip was a mess. I missed the mark on a lot of stuff. But it was my mess. And I kind of liked it. I decided to not be afraid to wander out for a final drink and to enjoy myself.
Day 4: Departure (and, God Willing, Laundry)
- 8:00 AM: Wake up, pack, and try to remember where I put my phone charger. The usual chaos.
- 9:00 AM: That last sad, lonely breakfast.
- 10:00 AM: Check out.
- 11:00 AM: Head to the airport.
- 1:00 PM: Flight home.
- Post-Trip: Face the mountain of laundry, the endless emails, and the inevitable post-vacation blues. Start plotting the next adventure… and vow to be slightly less of a mess next time. Maybe. Probably not.
Arlington's BEST Comfort Suites (Near Dallas Entertainment!) - The REALLY Unfiltered FAQs
Okay, seriously, is this Comfort Suites *actually* near stuff like AT&T Stadium, Six Flags, and all that jazz?
The free breakfast... is it actually edible? And more importantly, is there COFFEE?
What about the rooms? Are they clean? Are the beds comfortable? Because, you know, sleep is important.
Pool and Gym? Do they have one? And are they any good?
What if something goes wrong? Like, say, my air conditioner breaks? How's the customer service?
Is it noisy? Think about the crowds, the location... could you get any sleep?
Parking? Is it free? Is it insane?
Overall, is this a good place to stay? Honest, now.
