Oklahoma...

Road trip to Woodward, Oklahoma
Hotel: Northwest Inn, Fairfield Inn-Norman
Purpose: Funeral

Not too much to say about this trip. I had no idea how far in the middle of nowhere Woodward, Oklahoma was. We attended a funeral and got caught in the winter snowstorm. The Holiday Inn Express was booked days before we made the trip, so we ended up at the Northwest Inn, which was recommended by Holiday Inn staff. Review is below. I was disappointed at how rude some of the locals were in Woodward, particularly at a diner we had breakfast at. We decided to drive to Norman after the funeral, which was halfway home. Stayed at the Fairfield and had dinner at Charleston's. Tasty food, HUGE portions. Definitely split if you end up there.

Northwest Inn

We came to Woodward for a family funeral. The Holiday Inn Express across the street was sold out, which seems to be a regular event. They recommended this hotel over the other chains (Super 8, Days Inn). The rooms are outside entry, and many of the doors are scuffed and look like they have seen better days. The check-in desk was friendly, but they never asked to see my ID nor the credit card I made the reservation with. The rooms have been updated with new beds, furniture. The beds are relatively comfortable, though the entire room does look dated. The bathrooms are TINY, about the size of the door, so I'm not sure how one is supposed to close the door without standing in the tub. The water was hot though, and the water pressure was good. Paint was chipped, faded, and there are cracks in the walls. The cleaning job seemed to be cursory and a surface job, as we found corks and little bits of stuff throughout the room. There is a computer in the lobby area, though I just used the free wireless. We tried to get a late check out, and they allowed us to stay until 1:00. The door never closed properly, you had to really work to get it to close tightly. The road noise didn't bother us at night.

Overall, not a horrendous experience... there were many seedier looking motels on down the road, but you would think Marriott or Hilton could come in and put one of their budget hotels (Courtyard, Fairfield, Hampton?) in Woodward.

Fairfield Inn -- Norman

Weather turned bad on the drive home, so we decided we would drive halfway and stop in Norman. Chose the Fairfield for the Marriott name and the price was right. We arrived around 7:00pm, and both rooms reserved were ready. Rooms were very clean and standard Fairfield issue. Beds aren't as comfortable as some Marriott properties, but they were warm and comfortable enough. Staff was friendly. Pool area looked clean, but we didn't try it out. There is a restaurant or two within walking distance, which was nice after being in the car all afternoon. Breakfast was served from 6-10. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it was free muffins, pastries, juices, coffee, fruit, cereal, etc. Wireless internet was free, and there was a computer for guest use in the lobby. The only downside was that they are replacing the carpet, which means there is a lot of noise starting early in the morning and working until around 6:00pm. We had trouble navigating the hallway with our suitcases as they had all the furniture out of the rooms. Over all, not a bad place to spend the night though.