Olive Branch's BEST Kept Secret: Quality Inn Review (You Won't Believe This!)
Olive Branch's BEST Kept Secret: Quality Inn Review (You Won't Believe This!) - My Honest Take (Brace Yourself!)
Alright, folks, buckle up, because I'm about to spill the tea on the Olive Branch Quality Inn. And trust me, it's way more interesting than a beige hotel room might suggest. Forget meticulously crafted, travel-blogger perfection. This is real life, and I’m here to give you the unfiltered truth, complete with the good, the bad, and the slightly questionable.
Let's get the Accessibility Stuff Out of the Way (Important, But Not the Soul of the Story):
Okay, Quality Inn tries. They really do. Wheelchair accessible isn't perfect, but it's there. Elevator? Check. They've got a decent setup for facilities for disabled guests, definitely a plus. You've got your basic Air conditioning in public areas, which is a godsend in Mississippi heat. They mention Facilities for disabled guests, so that's something! Accessibility wise? Pretty solid overall, though always call ahead and confirm specific needs.
Internet Access – Pray You Get a Good Signal (Free Wi-Fi in All Rooms!):
Okay, let's be honest, the internet is kinda everything. And yes, praise the Wi-Fi gods, Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! is the headline grabber. They also have regular old Internet [LAN], so if you're old school like me and still rock a wired connection, you're covered. Internet services are, well, internet services. It usually works. The Wi-Fi in public areas is good, but getting a strong signal in my room was a bit of a battle sometimes. But, hey, it's free! That's a win in my book.
My Room: Paradise or Pandemic Proof Fort?
Let's talk about the rooms themselves. They're… functional. Think clean, but not necessarily stylish. The Non-smoking rooms are a HUGE relief. You've got your Air conditioning (essential!), Alarm clock (who uses those anymore?), Bathrobes (fancy!), Coffee/tea maker (life-saving!), and a Refrigerator (for all those midnight snacks you know you'll be needing). The Desk and Laptop workspace were a necessity for me. The Hair dryer was a lifesaver post-pool. They provided Free bottled water which was nice, especially after the drive.
My room wasn't a palace, but it was clean and safe. They had a Safety/security feature box, a Smoke detector, and Smoke alarms. The soundproofing was decent. I didn't hear everything, but the occasional truck roaring by on the highway was a constant reminder of where I was.
Now, here's where things get interesting: I really appreciated the Room sanitization opt-out available. They go all out with Rooms sanitized between stays. It's the Anti-viral cleaning products and daily disinfection in common areas. They seem to prioritize cleanliness, which made me feel better in these uncertain times.
The Food Game: Buffet Bonanza or Buffet Bust?
Okay, this is where things get… variable. The Breakfast [buffet] is what you expect. Think scrambled eggs, questionable sausage, and a waffle maker that's either a work of art or a source of existential dread, depending on your mood. It's not gourmet, but it's edible. I took advantage of the Breakfast takeaway service one morning when I was running late which was super convenient.
There's a Coffee shop in the lobby (coffee was meh, sadly). There are Restaurants – plural. If you're staying here, you're probably driving, so you'll be fine. I did see Asian cuisine in restaurant options, and potentially a Vegetarian restaurant. I did see a Bar, which is always a plus. The Poolside bar looked tempting, though I didn't use it, because I could not figure the pool out (more on that later). Room service [24-hour] is a big plus for late-night cravings.
My Deep Dive into the "Things to Do" and "Ways to Relax" (Which Ended Up Being More Complicated Than Anticipated):
On paper, it looks great! They have a Fitness center (I peeked in – looked standard issue). Swimming pool is offered (see my pool escapades below). They offer Spa/sauna and some Massage options, all mentioned in the promotional material.
The Pool – My Personal Odyssey:
Now, the swimming pool. This is where things became a saga. I swear, the pool was like a mirage. I walked there, expecting a refreshing dip, and… it was closed for maintenance. Then, on the second day, I got all excited, grabbed my suit, and… it was open! I got there, and… the water was freezing. I took one tentative toe dip and immediately retreated. (My fault. Mississippi, you are unpredictable!). So, in the end, my "ways to relax" were pretty limited to a very, very short, and rather cold, dip.
Cleanliness and Safety – A High Priority, Thankfully:
They definitely go the extra mile here! Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer everywhere, Staff trained in safety protocol, and Rooms sanitized between stays. They had Sanitized kitchen and tableware items. I felt safe which is a huge relief, especially in these crazy times.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (A Few Bites and a Lot of Exploring):
While on site not amazing, the Snack bar in the lobby was good for those late-night cravings. The Coffee/tea in restaurant was just okay. A lot of the options near the hotel required leaving, which I did.
Services and Conveniences (More Than You'd Think!):
Okay, I was impressed! Daily housekeeping made my life easier. There's a Convenience store for forgotten essentials. The Concierge was helpful when I needed directions. They offered Laundry service (thank goodness!). There are Meeting/banquet facilities, and Meeting stationery, which is a bit of a surprise for a hotel like this! They even had Business facilities, including a Xerox/fax in business center. Luggage storage: Check. Safety deposit boxes: You betcha!
For the Kids and Family (A Bit of a Mixed Bag):
They say they're Family/child friendly, which is good. They do mention Babysitting service, which is great for parents. So, parents, you're good to go!
Getting Around (You're Gonna Need a Car, Honey):
This isn't exactly a "walkable" area. Car park [free of charge] is crucial. They also offer Airport transfer, Taxi service, and Valet parking.
What About the Quirks? The Honestly Human Stuff:
Okay, here's what you won't get in the perfect travel brochure:
The Coffee Machine's Temperament: One morning, the coffee maker refused to brew. It just blinked menacingly. I think it was judging my early morning grumpiness.
The TV Remote’s Secret Life: The remote had a mind of its own. It would randomly switch channels, often settling on something completely bizarre.
The Friendly (but Slightly Overzealous) Housekeeper: She was lovely! But she always seemed to catch me at my most disheveled.
My Final Unvarnished Verdict?
The Olive Branch Quality Inn isn't going to win any awards for elegance. It's not the Ritz. BUT, and this is a big but, it's clean, safe, and has everything you actually need. The staff are friendly. The location is convenient (as long as you have a car). It's a solid choice for a budget-friendly stay. It is, as they say, a Diamond in the rough.
My Offer (A Deal You Can't Refuse!):
Book Your Stay at the Olive Branch Quality Inn Today and Get:
- 20% Off Your Stay! (Seriously, that's a steal!)
- Free Breakfast Buffet! (Even if the sausage is…questionable.)
- A chance to experience my own personal chaos! (Okay, maybe not that, but you'll get a real, honest stay.)
- Secure and Free Wi-Fi
- A Clean, Safe, and Convenient Stay!
Just use the code "BESTKEPT" when you book! Don't expect perfection, but expect a decent, honest, and (potentially) slightly hilarious stay. You might even find yourself actually enjoying it. And hey, maybe you'll have a better pool experience than I did. Fingers crossed!
North Platte's BEST Kept Secret: Quality Inn Review & Hidden Perks!
Okay, buckle up, buttercup. We're planning a trip to… wait for it… Olive Branch, Mississippi. Quality Inn, baby! This is gonna be epic. (Or at least, as epic as Olive Branch can get. Lord, help us all.)
The Olive Branch Odyssey: A Mostly Honest Itinerary
(Disclaimer: May contain excessive coffee consumption, questionable decisions, and a profound lack of glamour. Proceed with caution.)
Day 1: Arrival and the Crushing Weight of Expectations
- 1:00 PM: Arrive at Memphis International Airport (MEM). Okay, first hurdle: surviving the airport. Every time I fly, I swear I'm going to pack smarter, smoother, friendlier. I fail miserably. This time, I forgot my phone charger. Of course. Anyway, navigating the rental car chaos. Praying I get something that doesn't sound like a dying lawnmower. (Side note: I loathe those "premium" car rental upgrades. Who am I trying to impress? The dusty ghosts of Elvis? No, thank you.)
- 2:00 PM: Commence the holy pilgrimage to the Quality Inn. The drive. The anticipation! Okay fine, it's a quick jaunt down the interstate. But the moment I see that glorious, generic Quality Inn sign, a wave of… well, not excitement exactly. More like… resignation. "This is where it begins," I mutter, probably to myself.
- 2:30 PM: Check-in. Hopefully, my room doesn't smell like stale chlorine and regret. Fingers crossed for a functioning air conditioner. And, please, no bedbugs. I'm not even kidding. I once spent a week in a motel where a bedbug seemingly decided to take up residence in my ear. I still have nightmares. Anyway, I digress. First impressions…well, it's a Quality Inn. The lobby smells vaguely of cleaning products and the faint aroma of lukewarm coffee. Score!
- 3:00 PM: Unpack. Or, more accurately, shove everything haphazardly in the general direction of a closet. The room: Standard. Two queen beds, a desk that looks like it's seen better decades, a TV that probably still works with rabbit ear and a small, almost apologetic window.
- 4:00 PM: Exploratory Recon. Gotta get the lay of the land, eh? Walk to the closest gas station for emergency snacks. (And a coffee, obviously. Decaf, because I'm trying to be reasonable. Ha! Good luck with that.) The cashier already looks like he's seen some things. I flash a friendly smile. He barely reacts. Olive Branch is shaping up to be truly, profoundly normal.
- 5:00 PM: Dinner. Okay, options here are… limited. Maybe some of the local eateries. Not a fan of chains. Always trying to find that tucked away restaurant with the local color.
- 7:00 PM: Back to the room to unwind. Read, watch some TV, scroll through Instagram and feel utterly inadequate.
Day 2: The Search for Meaning in a Suburban Wasteland (Kidding… Mostly.)
- 7:00 AM: Wake up, heart-stopping dread that it's the middle of the night. Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Breakfast at the Quality Inn. (Spoiler alert: it's the free, continental kind. Aka, the kind you're afraid to look at too closely.) I load up on the questionable waffles. A symphony of plastic cutlery scraping against styrofoam.
- 8:00 AM: The "Attraction." I've read up on the local "attractions", the local attractions are…let's just say, not the Louvre. I'm going to try to keep an open mind! Find a coffee shop and read a book. I swear, escaping from my everyday life is the only thing keeping me sane.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch. Okay, more options for lunch. Gotta find something good.
- 2:00 PM: "Activity." Something like visiting the park. Or, let's be honest, mostly wandering around and feeling like a character in a David Lynch film. Except it's Olive Branch, Mississippi, and the surrealism is probably just the humidity.
- 4:00 PM: Back to the Comfort Inn. (Or is it Quality Inn again? Honestly, they all start to blend together.) Some more of that delicious nothingness. Read a book. Contemplate whether or not I should order room service, even though all options sound slightly depressing.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner. Let's hope I've got my wits about me enough to make a good call.
- 7:00 PM: More of that delicious nothingness. If I'm lucky, I will take a nap.
Day 3: The Grand Finale (Or, The Escape)
- 7:00 AM: Breakfast, and an even more intense coffee intake. Waffles, coffee, and a weird sense of accomplishment. Surviving Olive Branch, baby!
- 8:00 AM: Check-out. The sweet, sweet sound of freedom. (Okay fine, maybe it's the sound of a malfunctioning air conditioning unit, but still… freedom!)
- 9:00 AM: One last, desperate attempt at the local coffee shop. Hoping for something… more. A glimpse of artistic soul? A quirky barista? Anything to make Olive Branch feel less… well, Olive Branch-y.
- 10:00 AM: Driving back to the airport. The car ride back is a strange mix of relief and something… else. A tinge of nostalgia? Maybe. Or maybe it's just the lingering scent of stale air freshener from my hotel room. Either way, it's over.
- 11:00 AM - 12 PM: Drop off rental car.
- 1:00 PM: The gate. The boarding pass becomes a golden ticket. Let the adventure begin!
- Depart And on the way, I have a strange sense that I needed all of it. The nothingness, the weirdness, and the lack of sleep.
Important Notes (And Ramblings):
- Pack: Comfortable shoes, a good book, a power adapter (because you just know your phone is going to die), and an open mind (even if you're pretty sure it's going to close itself again).
- Expectations: Lower them. Way low. Olive Branch is unlikely to change your life. But it might give you a good story.
- Food: Embrace the unknown. Order the weirdest thing on the menu. You might be pleasantly surprised. Or, you might end up with a stomach ache. It's a gamble.
- Emotional Well-being: Bring a healthy dose of irony, a willingness to laugh at yourself, and a profound appreciation for the sweet, sweet sound of silence. You'll need it.
- Enjoy the Ride!
Olive Branch's BEST Kept Secret: Quality Inn Review (You Won't Believe This!) - FAQ Edition!
Okay, spill the tea! What *is* the "Best Kept Secret" everyone's yammering about? Is it REALLY the Quality Inn in Olive Branch? Seriously?
Alright, settle down, drama queens! Yes. YES, it is. The Quality Inn in Olive Branch. I know, I know. "Quality Inn?" you scoff. "Groundbreaking!" But hear me out. I stumbled upon this place by accident, late one night after a truly epic road trip involving an unfortunate run-in with a rogue tumbleweed and a near-miss with a grumpy trucker. I was desperate. Exhausted. Ready to sleep on a park bench, honestly. And then... BAM. The seemingly innocuous Quality Inn. And let me tell you, it wasn't just a room. It was... an experience. A *surprisingly* delightful experience.
Is it actually *clean*? Because let's be honest, hotel cleanliness is a make-or-break situation. I'm talking, pristine. Or is it a biohazard zone?
Okay, so, I'm a bit of a neat freak. My partner calls it OCD, I call it... practical living. And honestly? The room was... surprisingly clean. Like, they'd clearly put some elbow grease in. The bathroom? Sparkling. Seriously, I'm not saying it was a sterile operating room, but the toilet wasn't sporting any souvenirs from previous guests, if you catch my drift. The sheets? Crisp and white. No questionable stains. Huge win. One minor thing: there was a tiny, tiny, *tiny* hair in the shower. (I'm probably the only one who would notice.) But honestly? After the day I’d had, I was willing to overlook it.
The Breakfast. Don’t even get me STARTED on the breakfast! Is it the usual sad continental situation? Or... something MORE?
Oh, the breakfast. *This* is where things get... interesting. Okay, so let's be clear: it's not a gourmet brunch buffet. (Don't go expecting Michelin stars.) But it's... good. Really good. They had the usual suspects: waffles (and those were ACTUALLY good - crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside!), instant oatmeal, maybe some sad, shriveled-looking fruit, and the *piece de resistance*... the biscuit gravy. Oh, the gravy. Honestly, I'm not a gravy person normally, but it was heavenly. It was a little... thick? Yes. But it was peppered just right. I may or may not have had three servings. Don't judge me. Hungry road-tripper, remember?
What about the *vibe*? Is it a hotel designed by a committee using beige as the primary color, or does it have... personality? (And by personality, I mean, not depressing.)
Okay, the vibes... are undeniably… Quality Inn. Look, it's not the Four Seasons. It's not trying to be. But it's not depressing! The lobby was... surprisingly cheerful, with some vaguely floral wallpaper (I think? I'm terrible with décor), and the staff were genuinely *nice*. Like, not fake-smile nice, actually friendly. I had a minor issue with the TV remote (it turns out I'm technology illiterate, shocker), and the guy at the front desk didn't just roll his eyes (which, honestly, I deserved). He fixed it, and even offered me a cookie! A FREAKING COOKIE! It was a small thing but it made a big difference. Small kindnesses, people. They matter!
How about the value? Does it break the bank? Are you paying 5-star prices for a 2-star experience?
The value, the value! This is where this whole thing really shines. It’s CHEAP. Ridiculously cheap, actually. I felt like I was practically stealing! (Don't tell them I said that.) But seriously, for what you get – clean room, good breakfast, friendly staff, and a generally pleasant experience – it's an absolute steal. I've paid *way* more for *way* less in my life. Multiple times. Trust me on this.
Tell me more about that Biscuit Gravy. Please. I need specifics.
Okay, fine, you twisted my arm. The biscuit gravy. First off, it was warm. Comforting. Important detail. Second, it had that perfect ratio of sausage to gravy. Not too much grease, not too little flavor. It was... seasoned. Expertly seasoned. I suspected there was a secret ingredient, maybe a whisper of magic. I swear, it tasted like someone’s grandma had made it, and that grandma secretly hated me but still poured a lot of love into the gravy. And the biscuits… oh, the biscuits. Fluffy, buttery, ideal for soaking up that glorious gravy. I am getting emotional just thinking about it. Look, I’m being serious, this biscuit gravy elevated my entire stay, and may have ruined all other breakfast experiences forever. My life will now be measured in the time before and after the Quality Inn biscuit gravy.
Are there any downsides? Any hidden horrors lurking beneath the surface?
Okay, yes. There are *always* downsides. The AC unit was a little loud. Like, not deafening, but it provided a constant white noise situation. Didn't bother me much, honestly, I like white noise. My partner, however, was grumbling about it. Otherwise… hmm. The elevator was a bit slow. And the gym? Well, let's just say it had equipment from a bygone era. And the pool... I didn’t go in it. It *looked* cleanish. But from the outside, I'm not fully convinced it was a place to actually swim. Minor quibbles, though. Seriously. The biggest downside? That I have to leave. And the biscuit gravy… I'm already craving it! Ugh.
Would you go back? Seriously? Or is this a one-time, fluke experience?
Are you kidding me? Absolutely. Without hesitation. I'm already planning my return! Road trip? Olive Branch. Need a quick getaway? Olive Branch. Craving biscuit gravy? You guessed it, Olive Branch! I’m almost scared to rave about it too much in case it changes and they mess with perfection. But, the truth is, I'm going to keep this secret for as long as I can. I'd recommend this place to my enemies. It's that good. Seriously though, the biscuit gravy…
