Columbus Escape: Reynoldsburg's Best-Kept Secret Hotel (Holiday Inn Express)
Columbus Escape: Reynoldsburg's Best-Kept Secret Hotel (Holiday Inn Express) - A Deep Dive! (And Yes, the Wi-Fi is Actually Good!)
Alright, folks, let's be real: finding a decent hotel in Reynoldsburg, Ohio can feel like searching for a four-leaf clover in a haystack. But I'm here to tell you, I've found it. And it's… well, it's the Columbus Escape: Reynoldsburg's Best-Kept Secret Hotel (Holiday Inn Express). Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it? But trust me, the name belies something pretty darn decent. Let's dive in, shall we? Because I'm not the kind of reviewer who sugarcoats things. I'm gonna get real.
First Impressions & the Basics (Because We Gotta):
Okay, so it's a Holiday Inn Express. Let's just put that out there. You know what you're getting: a clean, functional, reliable place to crash. But this one? It's better than "just a Holiday Inn Express." The lobby is bright, the staff is friendly (and, crucially, not robotic!). Check-in/out is a breeze – contactless is a HUGE win these days, and they totally nailed it. They also have the whole "24-hour Front desk" deal nailed down too, which makes a difference when you're arriving late. You also get a Doorman, Elevator and the facilities for disabled guests.
Accessibility – A Big Win for Some, But Needs Improvement:
Now, I'm not personally in a wheelchair, but I made a point of really looking at the accessibility features. The rooms have everything you'd expect in terms of wheelchair access, with wider doorways a plus. The bathrooms, as far as I could see, are well-equipped. My biggest gripe is that it would make sense to have more CCTV in common areas for safety, but it does have an exterior corridor.
Cleanliness & Safety – Feeling Safe, At Last!
Look, the world is a weird place right now. Cleanliness is, understandably, a top priority. And Columbus Escape nails it. The rooms are sparkling. They use Anti-viral cleaning products, and the Daily disinfection in common areas, along with Room sanitization between stays is evident. I did not opt-out but the option is there, which is a nice touch. They also have staff trained specifically in safety protocol and have a doctor/nurse on call.. Makes you feel pretty secure, doesn't it? And yes, there's Hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE.
Rooms – Comfy & Connected (Thank God for that Wi-Fi!)
Right, the room. My room was super comfortable. The bed? Ahh, the bed. That's where I usually fall first and foremost when I book a hotel. It makes a real difference. Extra long bed? Check. Blackout curtains? Check. The internet is excellent. Seriously, I'm a digital nomad at heart, and crappy hotel Wi-Fi is my nemesis. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! It's not just a marketing gimmick.** I was streaming movies, working on some very important spreadsheets (ahem), and video-calling my mom, all without a single glitch. The additional toilet was much appreciated, as were the super comfy bathrobes. They even supplied complimentary tea! These are the little details that you appreciate.
Dining, Drinking & Snacking – A Mixed Bag, But Mostly Good Vibes:
Okay, let's be honest, the dining options here aren't exactly Michelin-star material. There's Breakfast included (buffet), with both Western and Asian options. It's the standard Holiday Inn Express breakfast – eggs, sausage, pastries, yogurt, the works. But it's Breakfast takeaway service which is good. There's a Coffee shop and Coffee/tea in restaurant which is perfect for early risers. There's restaurants on site, and a Snack bar and a Poolside bar.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax – Mostly Poolside Fun, Less Spa Glamour:
This is where I was a little let down. No Spa, Sauna or Steamroom. There is a Swimming pool [outdoor] and a Pool with view, which is nice; I did enjoy a few laps. They also have a Fitness center, Gym/fitness which I regrettably didn't use.
Services & Conveniences – Packing a Punch:
The Columbus Escape is loaded with nice-to-haves. Cash withdrawal, facilities for disabled guests, Daily housekeeping. I particularly enjoyed the Luggage storage and Laundry service. They have a Convenience store so you can grab a few snacks.
Now, for the Juicy Stuff – My Personal Experience…
Okay, so I had a slight hiccup on my first night. I'd been traveling all day, exhausted, and just wanted to crash. Got to my room, ready for sleep…and bam! The air conditioning was busted. I called down to the front desk, fully expecting a nightmare. But the staff? Absolutely amazing. They apologized profusely, immediately offered to move me to another room, and even gave me a complimentary bottle of wine (hey, I'm not complaining!). The new room was perfect and the whole situation was handled with such professionalism and genuine care. That's the kind of thing that makes a difference. It proves they care about the guests.
And the Quirks? Oh, the Quirks…
Okay, so the "Reynoldsburg's Best-Kept Secret" thing? A little… ambitious, perhaps? Let's just say Reynoldsburg isn't exactly the flashiest destination. (Although, I did stumble upon a fantastic local diner called "Hole in the Wall" – unrelated to the hotel, but worth mentioning!).
But ultimately, the Holiday Inn Express offers great value for your money.
Final Verdict & The "Book Now" Blitz!
Overall: A solid 4 out of 5 stars.
The Columbus Escape: Reynoldsburg's Best-Kept Secret Hotel (Holiday Inn Express) is a winner. A clean, comfortable, and surprisingly well-equipped hotel with a fantastic, genuinely caring staff. Is it perfect? No. But is it a great place to stay? Absolutely.
Here's the deal for you:
Stop searching! Book Now!
(Note: I am not affiliated with the hotel, just a genuinely impressed guest!)
(Bonus: the location is super close to all sorts of shops)
Escape to Aiken's Charm: Your Perfect Country Inn & Suites Getaway
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's perfectly-formatted travel itinerary. This is the real deal, the messy, glorious, slightly-hangover-fueled adventure of a Columbus, Ohio stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Reynoldsburg. Prepare yourselves…
The Officially Unofficial Holiday Inn Express Columbus East-Reynoldsburg Survival Guide & Itinerary (aka "Surviving Columbus, One Sausage McMuffin at a Time")
Day 1: Arrival and the Cult of the Continental Breakfast (and Existential Brunch Crisis)
1:00 PM: Arrived at the hotel. Actually, let's rewind. Finding the hotel. GPS? More like "G.P.S. - Guessing Problems, Seriously." Reynoldsburg is nestled somewhere between "suburbia" and "slightly-less-suburbia," which means I spent a solid 15 minutes circling a strip mall wondering if I'd accidentally entered a time warp. But, hey, finally made it, checked in. Lobby: Clean, efficient, and smelling vaguely of chlorine and… ambition? (Maybe I’m projecting). The desk clerk, bless her soul, looked like she'd seen things. And by "things," I mean a LOT of early-morning check-ins. Offered me a free cookie. Score! I'm easily bribed.
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM: Unpacked (ish). Mostly flung clothes onto the bed and vowed to deal with it later. The room… adequate. Cleanish. Definitely a bed. Crucial element. The view? Parking lot. Romantic. Time to face the music, or rather, the room. My internal narrator screams “At least it looks cleaner than my apartment.”
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: The Search for Coffee. Holy moly, the coffee situation. I need caffeine. Found a slightly-above-average gas station a few blocks down the road. This will be the fuel of this trip, I can feel it.
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Exploring Reynoldsburg? Ha! More like, "Avoiding Feeling Overwhelmed by Suburban Sprawl." Drove around, got a vague sense of the area. Spotted a Starbucks. (Thank. God.) Made a mental note to hit it tomorrow, perhaps for emotional preparation. My quest to find a non-chain restaurant for dinner went down in flames. Settled for Pizza Hut. The pizza was fine. The feeling of defeat? Priceless. Pizza and YouTube. Comfort.
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Couch time (aka "Pre-Bedtime Existential Dread"). Watched a random movie on TV. Questioned all my life choices. Thought, "Is the Holiday Inn Express a metaphor for my existence?" Probably.
9:00 PM: Bed. Exhausted. Dream of… the continental breakfast. It’s our destiny.
Day 2: The Continental Breakfast Apocalypse (and the Columbus Zoo: The Redemption Arc)
6:00 AM: Woke up to the sound of someone (probably me) snoring. Also, the faint, delicious aroma of… waffle. The Continental Breakfast beckoned.
**6:30 AM - 7:30 AM: **The Continental Breakfast EXPERIENCE. This is the moment we've all been waiting for. Let's be honest: the continental breakfast is either a beautiful beacon of convenience or a gateway to disappointment. Today? BOTH. The waffle maker? Genius. The “eggs”? Questionable, pre-formed pucks of… something. The juice? Possibly watered-down. The coffee? Strong enough to raise the dead. Scored a seat near the window. Witnessed an elderly couple get into a heated debate about the optimal pancake-syrup-to-waffle ratio. Inspirational. Ate three waffles. Zero regrets. *This* is what life is all about, people. Fuel.
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM: Post-breakfast soul-searching. Contemplated whether the "exercise room" (a room with a treadmill and a weight machine that looks like it's from the 80s) was worth the effort. Decided, decisively, "no."
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM: Shower. Attempted to look presentable. Failed. Embraced the chaos.
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM: Plan. The plan. Ok, the plan is… the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM: The Columbus Zoo! YES. It was…surprisingly amazing. The polar bears were majestic. The gorillas looked perpetually bored (relatable). The penguins were adorable (and surprisingly loud!). I also had a moment of profound awe in front of the elephant exhibit. Seeing those gentle giants, those creatures of such size and wisdom… it was a much-needed dose of “perspective." The Columbus Zoo might just be the redemption arc of this trip.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Post-Zoo Refueling. Needed carbs. Found a burger joint near the zoo. Ate way too much. Don't regret it, though…
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Post-lunch Nap. Hotel naps are mandatory.
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Attempted to find a non-chain restaurant again. Failed. Pizza Hut, round two.
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM: TV and hotel room chill. Found an alright documentary on nature, so that was cool.
10:00 PM: Head to bed, after a solid 2 days, I am pooped. Continental breakfast tomorrow!
Day 3: Departure and (More) Continental Breakfast Bliss (and a final, philosophical waffle)
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: THE BREAKFAST. It's even better the second time! Same waffles, same oddly appealing "eggs". The couple who were debating syrup ratios was back and somehow even more intense. I salute their dedication.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Packing. (More like, cramming everything back into my suitcase). Questioning whether or not I should sneak a waffle to go. Decided against it. (Regret it now).
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Last-minute room sweep. Did I leave anything? Found a stray sock. Successfully avoided an unscheduled run-in with the cleaning crew.
9:30 AM: Check-out. Said goodbye to the desk clerk, who probably already forgot my name. (Fair).
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM: Final coffee run. (See, told you.)
10:30 AM: Back on the road. Columbus, you were… an experience. The Holiday Inn Express, a temporary home with a surprisingly charming heart.
Final Thoughts:
This trip? Not perfect. Messy. Full of questionable food choices. But good, in its own way. Would I recommend the Holiday Inn Express Columbus East-Reynoldsburg? Absolutely. The people were pleasant, the room was clean, and the waffles… well, the waffles were transcendent. Would I come back? Probably. Maybe I'll even try the exercise room next time… (spoiler: I probably won't). Goodbye, Columbus, for now!
Waxahachie Getaway: Comfort Suites Dallas - Unbeatable Deals!
Okay, Seriously... What *is* "Columbus Escape: Reynoldsburg's Best-Kept Secret"? I Keep Seeing Ads. Is it Actually Good? Like, Really Good?
Alright, picture this: you're scrolling, right? Suddenly, BAM! "Reynoldsburg's BEST KEPT SECRET!" That's the Holiday Inn Express, basically. And yes, I've been there. My initial thought? "Reynoldsburg? Best kept secret? That's like saying your socks are the best kept secret of your outfit." But, fine, curiosity, y'know? So, I checked it out. And… look, it's not the Ritz. Let's be honest. But for the price? And the fact that it's in Reynoldsburg? Surprisingly decent! It's clean, the staff *mostly* seemed to know what they were doing (had one encounter where the front desk clerk seemed to think "breakfast" was a mythical beast… more on that later), and hey, the beds were comfy. I survived. And for a weary traveler? That's a win. I'd give it a solid 7/10. Which, for a Reynoldsburg hotel, is basically a gold medal.
Is the Breakfast as Bad as Hotel Breakfasts Usually Are? Please, Be Honest!
Ugh. Okay, the breakfast. Here's the truth. It’s… hotel breakfast. You know the drill: lukewarm scrambled eggs, rubbery sausage, pastries that have the structural integrity of wet tissue paper. BUT – and this is a BIG but - they *did* have a waffle maker. And the waffles? Surprisingly… good. I mean, they weren’t Michelin-star worthy, but hot, fresh waffles? They’re a lifesaver. So yeah, navigate the usual suspects with caution, hit that waffle maker HARD, and you'll probably be okay. Don't go in expecting a gourmet experience and you'll be fine. Especially after a night of, y'know, exploring Reynoldsburg (or, if you're like me, collapsing after a long drive).
What's the Deal with the Pool? Is it… Swimmable?
Okay, the pool. Here's where things get... interesting. I'm a pool person, I love a good dip. The pictures online are inviting, right? Sparkling water, smiling people… the reality? Well... let's just say it's *functional*. It's not the fanciest pool in the world (I swear, I saw a rogue rubber ducky bobbing about), the chlorine levels might be slightly higher than optimal (my hair felt like straw for days), and sometimes, you could *swear* you saw a rogue band-aid floating around. But! It's indoors (yay for not freezing!), and if you need to cool off after a day of… well, whatever one does in Reynoldsburg… it's a welcome reprieve. Just… maybe close your eyes when you go underwater, okay? Just a suggestion.
The Location—Is it Convenient? What's There to DO in Reynoldsburg, Besides, y'know, stay at the Hotel?
Okay, location. It's Reynoldsburg. Let's call it what it is: *conveniently located*. Convenient to… well, things. Plenty of chain restaurants nearby. A grocery store. Gas stations. The necessities. As for things to *do* in Reynoldsburg… okay, this is where it gets tricky. Let’s just say it's not exactly a hotbed of excitement. But, and this is important, it’s close to Columbus! That's the real win. Short drive to the city, and voila! You have museums, concerts, amazing food… you name it. Plus, the hotel's proximity to major highways makes it a good base for exploring the broader area. Honestly? I used it as a launchpad. Slept there, visited Columbus, came back. Rinse, repeat. Worked for me.
What About the Staff? Are They…Friendly? Or Do They Seem Miserable?
Alright, the staff. This is where things get a bit more…variable. Some are SUPER friendly. Like, genuinely lovely. Others... well, you get the feeling they've seen some things. There was this one time, during my aforementioned breakfast escapade, where I asked the woman behind the counter if there were any scrambled eggs. She looked at me, deadpan, and said, "Scrambled eggs? Honey, you're in Reynoldsburg." I almost choked on my waffle. But then she smiled a little – and actually, miraculously, there WERE scrambled eggs! And it was a surprisingly decent experience. So, it's a mixed bag, but for the most part, they're okay. They're not going to be your best friends, but they're helpful. Mostly.
Alright, spill the tea. What was the worst thing that happened to you there? Dish.
Okay, okay, you want the real dirt? Fine. It wasn't necessarily *bad*, but it was…memorable. I'd arrived late, tired, and starving. Check-in was smooth enough, but I went to the "grab and go" (which, honestly, was just a sad little shelf) for a snack. No problem. I went back to my room, collapsed on the bed, and realized… I’d forgotten my phone charger. Ugh. Okay, fine. I trekked back down to the front desk. It was the same clerk, and she was…let’s say, clearly not in the mood. I asked if they had any spare chargers. She sighed dramatically, rummaged around, and produced…a tangled mess of wires that looked like it had been fished out of the Marianas Trench. “Try that,” she grumbled. I tried it. NOPE. Nothing. Completely dead. Okay, I thanked her, went back to my room… and realized I’d left my book charger in the car. So, I went back. She *glared* at me. I swear, I thought she might actually spontaneously combust. I quietly grabbed the charger and slinked back to my room. Lesson learned? Reynoldsburg: bring your own chargers, people. And maybe your own survival kit.
Would You Actually Recommend Staying There? Be Brutally Honest.
Look, if you're looking for a five-star experience, this ain't it. BUT, if you need a clean, comfortable place to crash that's close to Columbus, and you're not expecting miracles? Yeah, I'd recommend it. It's perfectly… adequate. And sometimes, adequate is exactly what you need. Just lower your expectations a smidge, pack your own charger, and maybe bring a good book (because, honestly, you’ll have some downtime). And hey, maybe you'll even survive the breakfast. Maybe. Ultimately? I'd probably go back. Because sometimes, comfort and waffles are all you really need, even in Reynoldsburg."
