Tuesday, August 02, 2011

After Cedar Point, This Is Where You Want To Sleep

Our vacation to Lake Erie and Cedar Point was a two day affair, meaning we had to find somewhere to sleep for the night. I'm usually nervous when it comes to staying at a hotel with my children. Cordy is a poor sleeper, often waking for an hour or more in the middle of the night, while Mira is a light sleeper, waking to any little noise around her. There's a reason why they get their own bedrooms at home.

Cordy can also be very picky about her surroundings, feeling insecure and uneasy if a room doesn't feel "right" to her.

With help from the Lake Erie Shores & Islands group (thank you, Jill!), we were given a complimentary stay at the Best Western Plus Sandusky hotel on Milan Road. Built in 2005, it's one of the newest hotels in Sandusky and a short, easy drive from Cedar Point. It's near a large shopping area with plenty of restaurants to choose from, and several stores that carry whatever essential items you might need.

I've stayed in several Best Western hotels before, but none that had a lobby that looked this nice. I would love to steal this color scheme for my own living room.


All of the rooms are suites, with a microwave and tall mini-fridge, a flat panel TV with premium cable, and a work area that includes a desk, coffee table and sofa. Free wireless internet is also included - a must-have for someone like me!

Our room had two double beds with sheets that were perfectly white. I've seen a lot of hotel rooms, and I judge the quality of a hotel by the sheets. I was genuinely impressed with how new the sheets looked. I also appreciated that there was no giant comforter covering the whole bed - instead it was a thin comforter sandwiched between two sheets. Very warm, and more hygienic!

The whole room looked so clean, crisp and fresh...at least until my two girls jumped on the beds and got comfortable!


The bathroom was larger than I expected, with a beautiful countertop and large mirror.


Speaking of the bathroom, the only issue we had while there was in trying to figure out the shower. Look at this photo and tell me how you think you switch the water from the faucet to the shower:


The secret is pulling down on a ring around the faucet spout. It took a visit to the front desk for us to figure this out. Two higher ed degrees and I still can't figure out a shower! (Signs may be needed for this, in my opinion.)

We were exhausted from our day at Cedar Point, and quickly got ready for bed. Cordy appreciated the variety of TV programs available, and watched a little bit of Nickelodeon to help her feel at home. She liked the room and said the sheets felt so soft. It wasn't long before both girls were asleep. Cordy did wake up in the middle of the night, but other than Cordy's noise, we didn't hear anything from outside our own room. It was blissfully quiet and peaceful, which kept Mira asleep for most of the night.

In the morning, I went down to the breakfast room and was surprised at the large display that greeted me. Cereal, fruit, eggs, toast, waffles, biscuits and sausage gravy, cinnamon rolls and more were all available for us to choose from. We had a fantastic breakfast (try the cinnamon rolls - they're sooo yummy!) before checking out to continue our adventures around Lake Erie.

The Best Western Plus Sandusky is a 100% smoke-free facility with 89 guest rooms. The hotel includes a laundry and a game room. An indoor/outdoor pool is available for use at the adjacent Comfort Inn.

For the weary traveling family, this hotel offers ultimate comfort and style. The four of us had plenty of space in our room, comfortable beds, and the best hotel breakfast I've had in a long time. The next time we visit Lake Erie, we will certainly have this hotel at the top of our list for where to stay!
And the picky kid liked it, too.

Full disclosure: We received a complimentary stay at the Best Western Plus Sandusky in exchange for a review of their hotel. No further compensation was received. All thoughts shared here are my honest opinions, and as always, your mileage may vary.

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