Room Service: La Quinta Inn Rochester North (Rochester, New York)

La Quinta Inn Rochester North
Rochester, New York

Close to the centre of Rochester and its sprawling airport, the La Quinta Inn Rochester North is in the immediate vicinity of a highway that eventually links you to the New York State Thruway. It's a little off the beaten track to be lodging on long journeys between cities, but if you choose to visit this mostly quiet city by the lake, this property is geographically a good option.

The property is actually a little behind the street front sandwiched between two other commercial buildings, so it's a bit tricky to manoeuvre around the right lot. Thankfully since there is a lack of curbs between the properties, it's easy to correct and adjust. It's a hotel that's close enough to the highway, but far enough not to be affected by noise from traffic.

Guest registration was a bit of a hassle - the hotel chain this property belonged to had an option to credit hotel stays in airline miles or in their own points. The clerk that managed reception and her co-worker were unaware that their procedure required for the frequent flier account number to be quoted during registration, and I had to wait until the next morning to sort things out with a manger before that was settled (understandable since it was rare to want airline miles). The service was otherwise very cordial and friendly, though my travelling companion almost missed out on a room key since the clerk forgot our reservation (which was for a party of two). Not a fail at interaction, but service could be smoother with a little more intuition.

Our room was in a mostly quiet floor, though once in a while we had canine company in the form of two Labrador dogs who were well behaved apart from the occasional bark or two. The hallways had lower ceilings compared to other hotels but that wasn't out of the blue, unless you are seven feet tall. The decor inside the room was relatively new and save for a little scruff mark on one wall was kept impeccably clean.

A cheerful layout for a hotel room, with a creamy orange on one wall that was indicative of a setting sun. The fixtures were definitely new with plenty of power outlets for various electronics we brought with us. The beds were firm yet comfortable, while elements of the sheets to the curtains and the bathroom were in earthy pastel shades.

Included technology: A flat screen television with a smorgasbord of channels, a mini-fridge and microwave that provides useful for leftovers and refreshments, and wireless internet that was occasionally slow. Still, despite the classy furniture, it would have been a more functional space if there was more than one chair in the room (a second chair or a sofa would add a noticeable degree of comfort for its intentional maximum occupancy of more than one) and the bathroom supplies were a little inconsistent (four towels for two people, but no shampoo and one bar of soap). Housekeeping did a very good job keeping the room clean.

Other amenities that this property provided: A small workout room which includes equipment that exercises the upper body (which my travelling companion especially admired) and a computer with printer (although pens and pads of paper would provide useful for jotting down information). Breakfast includes hot items, and even bacon! From the postcards to the free cookies, this property even with the hiccups was quite the place to relax in.