Room Service: Rodeway Inn Rochester Airport (Rochester, New York)

Rodeway Inn Rochester Airport
Rochester, New York

Editor's Note: During our stay, this property was named the Quality Inn Rochester Airport. Services and experience may have changed since the time of review.

Let's be honest. Rochester is not the destination of choice on everyone's bucket list. There's highly popular, highly celebrated destinations found elsewhere in this state, but I bet somehow while you are driving on the New York Thruway, you will somehow stop around this city for something that is just slightly different.

Rochester is blessed with a number of different kinds of accommodation, and the Rodeway Inn Rochester Airport is one of those choices linked efficiently to freeways and byways.

My travelling companion and I were driving the county roads of Western New York, ducking past the US border early in the morning to glance in awe at the fall colours awaiting us. Unfortunately, due to the particularly abnormal temperatures that week, all the fields were in a shocking emerald hue, and we were treated to a little extended summer. Contrary to most drivers we avoided the Interstate (and New York State Thruway) completely.

It was early afternoon by the time we reached this property, wanting to wash off the morning grit and awkward visit with border patrol officers.

We were greeted at the door with a friendly employee, in front of the low-rise hotel with an aged exterior. Reception was adorned with high cathedral ceilings and new chic, entwined with older furniture and clean, vacuumed carpets. Unfortunately the pleasantries of the first employee were completely countered by a grunting, unsatisfied worker who met us at reception, announcing with poise that no rooms were available at the moment and we had to wait "fifteen... maybe twenty minutes" before we could check in.

In the forty minutes of waiting, not "fifteen or twenty", we were witnesses to some dinner theatre within premises. The hardworking housekeeper, slowly unravelling power cables, vacuumed with such cordial grace each mat and carpet around the sofas we sat in. A guest, who declared she was just in this hotel last week, haggling with the grumpy clerk on a $50 difference in room rates between last week and today. My associate and I wondered why she needed a hotel so often, without clear guesses.

Eventually, after overhearing the front desk clerk watch two online videos from his computer (with advertisements included), he suddenly announced our room was ready.

And ready our room was! Two very comfortable new beds, with associated headboards that remind you of the classic material made to create school uniforms. The walls were freshly painted, but looks aged due to the stucco effect that was probably from a different renovation.

Despite the age of aspects like decor, there was an impressive number of power outlets that would charge every device of ours under the sun. This was a section of renovations that worked extremely well.

Our wifi at times was efficient, but there were many video calls we made that were of unacceptable quality, and speed had varied quite a bit during our stay. The washroom had everything but the sink, which was located outside, beside the door of the room. This was a good separation of amenities since two people can wash up or take a shower without inconveniencing each other.

Other services include a fitness room with weights and medicine ball, although the tendency of Americans actually using this equipment to its fullest was pretty inconsistent.

Breakfast was a weird moment as my companion of travelling choice ate so little, despite the nice variety and good assortment plus protein. In case you're in Rochester, this is a candidate for your bucket list.