Escape to Wausau: Your Dream Holiday Inn Express Awaits!
Escape to Wausau: Your Dream Holiday Inn Express Awaits! (Or Does It?) - A Deep Dive
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because we’re about to dive headfirst into the Holiday Inn Express in Wausau. Forget polished brochures and predictable reviews. This is real life, folks. This is me, after a long drive, caffeine withdrawal setting in, and ready to dissect every nook and cranny of this… well, let's just say it, venerable establishment.
First Impressions & Accessibility (and my own clumsy ass):
Right off the bat, the accessibility situation seems pretty decent. Wheelchair accessible signs are plentiful, which always gets a gold star from this reviewer (even if I don’t personally need them, I appreciate the inclusivity!). Elevator? Yep, got one. And a car park [free of charge]? Score! That's a win for my wallet, especially after the gas prices on the way here had me gasping for air. Facilities for disabled guests are listed, so that covers the basics. But you know what I was really hoping for? More charging stations for my electric scooter. Guess I'll have to stick with the good ol' legs.
Rooms! Oh, the Rooms! (And my inner neat freak):
Alright, let's get down to the nitty-gritty: the room. I'm a sucker for a clean space, and, whew, the Daily housekeeping seemed on the ball. Everything was… functional. Air conditioning? Check, and it’s a godsend after that Wisconsin humidity. Blackout curtains? Absolutely essential for my sleep schedule, which is basically "whenever I can find a free minute." Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Thank the tech gods! Because, honestly, in this day and age, that’s not a luxury, it's a right.
The Bed? Comfy enough. I had to ask for some extra pillows, but hey, they're good with that. The In-room safe box? Nice touch, although I usually trust my instincts when it comes to stuff like this. I mean, who robs a Holiday Inn Express? (Don’t answer that). TV with a decent selection of channels, plus in-room movies? Good for a rainy day, which, let's be honest, is most days here.
Now, the Bathroom… was… a bathroom. Standard. Hair dryer, toiletries – the usual suspects. Nothing to write home about, but perfectly serviceable. And the separate shower/bathtub was a plus. My inner child loves baths.
Okay, I have to be honest, the carpeting felt a little… loved. A few stains here and there. But hey, it's a Holiday Inn Express – not the Ritz. No, no, no. I just feel like, maybe, the cleaning products aren't all 'anti-viral', but hey, I am not the germaphobe in this situation.
Food, Glorious Food (and the eternal struggle for breakfast):
Okay, breakfast. This is where things get… interesting. Buffet in restaurant? Indeed. Breakfast [buffet, Asian breakfast, Western breakfast]. A good selection overall - it was a bit messy, but I'm not hating on it. There was a coffee machine, a Coffee/tea in restaurant, that could make you a better cup. The Breakfast takeaway service is a lifesaver if you're in a hurry. Unfortunately, there were no breakfast in room options during my visit which would have been nice.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (and my midnight snack cravings):
Okay, so it seemed the bar was closed, but the Snack bar was open. So, I went down and got myself a midnight snack. Not exactly the romantic dinner, but what can you expect from a Holiday Inn Express? Just a few quick bites before bed. No big deal.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax (or attempt to):
Okay, now we're getting to the good stuff, even if it's just a little bit good. They have a fitness center! Which I did not use, I'm not gonna lie. It looked… gym-y. And a swimming pool [outdoor]. Okay, the pool was not bad, not great, but the view of the surrounding area was pretty decent. I spent a whole entire hour just staring at the snow covered plains, which was lovely.
Now, this is where it gets… complicated. The brochure talked about Sauna, Steamroom, Spa, and even a Spa/sauna. But… crickets. Couldn’t find those, I could only find the gym/fitness. Maybe next time, I'll hit up a spa. Maybe.
Cleanliness and Safety (because COVID still exists, sadly):
Honestly, I was impressed. Cleanliness and safety seem to be taken seriously, they had Hand sanitizer everywhere, the staff seemed on edge, and there were signs about Physical distancing of at least 1 meter. I couldn't help but notice all the extra sanitizing products. Anti-viral cleaning products, Professional-grade sanitizing services, and Rooms sanitized between stays made me feel a little more at ease. And the Staff trained in safety protocol. All in all, it seemed like they were taking it seriously.
Services and Conveniences (the good, the bad, and the ugly):
Cashless payment service? Sweet! No fumbling with cash. Daily housekeeping? Always a plus. They also offered Laundry service and Ironing service for those of you who like to iron, which is not me. Contactless check-in/out? Smooth and efficient.
Business facilities are available, including Xerox/fax in business center and meeting/banquet facilities, if you're looking for a place to conduct some work or host an event. Audio-visual equipment for special events and Wi-Fi for special events are also available. But where was the Concierge? I could have used some help with some local tips.
For the Kids (because families need a break too):
Family/child friendly is a definite yes. Babysitting service? Potentially, but I didn't use them, not the target demographic. Kids meal? Probably not. They had a pool, and a pretty great outdoor space.
Getting Around (because Wausau isn't exactly Manhattan):
They offer Airport transfer and Taxi service, which is convenient. Free car park [free of charge] is a massive win. If you’re feeling adventurous, they have Bicycle parking.
The Not-So-Great: Nitpicks and the Humdrum Stuff
- The Internet access – LAN was unavailable during my stay.
- No Doctor/nurse on call.
- No pets allowed.
- The Room decorations where bland.
The Verdict (and my overall feeling):
Okay, so… Is the Holiday Inn Express in Wausau a luxurious, life-altering experience? Nope. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But it is a solid, reliable, and comfortable place to rest your weary head after a long day. As a business traveler, I'm not necessarily looking for a five-star experience. I'm looking for convenience.
Ultimately, it’s the little things that make this place alright. The friendliness of the staff, the cleanliness of the rooms, and the convenience of various amenities.
The Stream-of-Consciousness Offer You Didn't Know You Needed (and why you should book now!)
Listen, planning a trip can be stressful. You want a place that's easy, comfortable, and doesn’t make you feel like you've walked into a horror movie. The Holiday Inn Express in Wausau delivers on that, even if it's not glamorous.
My Quirky Observation about the Holiday Inn Express in Wausau:
I had a little moment. You know, when you're in a hotel room, and you notice things. The way the light hits the dust motes floating in the air. The subtle creak of the floorboards. Well, I looked at the window and I realized that the window was open. Not all the way open, but it was open. I got this small feeling of peace. I could hear the wind, and the slight sound of the busy street. It was relaxing. Okay, it wasn't relaxing, it was probably a little loud. But I liked for a short time.
So here's the deal: You can't experience that feeling unless you book!
Escape to Wausau: Your Dream Holiday Inn Express Awaits!
- Convenient Location: Close to the best attractions (and a quick drive to get some food.)
- Comfortable Rooms: Free Wi-Fi, Blackout Curtains, and the convenience.
- Eat, Drink, and be Merrier. Enjoy the breakfast buffet, or hit up the snack bar when you are in need of a midnight snack.
- Accessibility for All: Wheelchair accessible, and plenty of other amenities. *
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's meticulously planned travel itinerary. This is a rambling, slightly chaotic, and hopefully hilarious account of my adventure in Wausau, Wisconsin, centered around the hallowed halls of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites (by IHG, because points are points, people!).
The Un-Plan (aka, My "Itinerary")
Day 1: Arrival and the Case of the Questionable Pool Hours
1:00 PM - Arrive at the Holiday Inn Express (HIE) in Wausau. Okay, first impressions: it's… a Holiday Inn Express. Clean, slightly generic smell of lemon-scented everything. My usual reaction? A sigh of relief that at least there's a working elevator. Seriously, I travel with a suitcase the size of a small car.
1:30 PM - Check-in Debacle. The front desk clerk (bless her patient soul) was clearly mid-training. I SWEAR I saw her frantically searching for my reservation like it was the lost Ark of the Covenant. Finally, success! Keycard acquired. I promptly dropped it. Twice. This is setting the tone.
2:00 PM - Room Reconnaissance and the Quest for Coffee. The room is fine! Standard issue. Queen bed (bless), tiny desk (good for pretending I'm productive), and a view of… the parking lot. Hey, it's a view! The real emergency: discovering the in-room coffee situation. The machine is… off. My caffeine addiction nearly sent me into a full-blown panic. This is a crisis. I stumble down to the lobby, where miraculously, coffee exists. Victory. (Insert dramatic music here).
2:30 PM - Attempted Pool Visit (and Failure). The pool! This was a crucial part of my "relaxation" plan. I envisioned myself, effortlessly gliding through the crystal-clear waters, a vision of tranquility. The sign on the pool door, however, said "Pool Closed for Maintenance." Maintenance?! On a Friday afternoon? This is Wausau, Wisconsin, not the goddamn Riviera! My dreams of aquatic serenity dashed against the cold, hard tile of reality. I may have muttered some unkind words under my breath.
3:00 PM - Scouring the Neighborhood for Happiness. Okay, Plan B. Gotta shake this feeling of aquatic disappointment. I venture out. Wausau isn't exactly a bustling metropolis, but hey, charm exists in unexpected places. I pass by a (closed) antique shop, a (closed) bakery (the aroma was heavenly though), and a (closed) art gallery. I guess I came on a day of closure. I settle for a large iced coffee from a car coffee shop. Caffeine and a bit of people-watching from a bench is what I need here.
6:00 PM - Dinner and the Unexpected Pizza Revelation. Found a local pizza place - "Dopp's Pizza". I'm not kidding. DOPP'S PIZZA. Sounds shady. But! It was amazing! Like, world-class, I may have to write a letter to this restaurant amazing. Crispy crust, perfect cheese pull. And, best of all, they delivered! I devoured the entire pizza in my hotel room, like a ravenous, travel-worn beast. No regrets.
8:00 PM - The Inevitable TV Marathon and Bedtime. Channel surfing led to a terrible, but strangely compelling, true crime documentary about a missing badger. Badgers, man. Who knew? Then, boom. Bed. The hotel bed is comfy and I actually sleep for an entire 7 hours. Which is rare for me.
Day 2: The Grand Adventure of Granite Peak (and the Aftermath)
8:00 AM - The Complimentary Breakfast Battle. The breakfast buffet. Ah, the cornerstone of any HIE experience. Waffles! Cereal! Soggy scrambled eggs! So much plastic ware. I opted for the waffle, because, come on. The waffle machine is where dreams are made. I may or may not have accidentally taken two. And, more coffee, naturally.
9:00 AM - The Granite Peak Ascendancy. Today, I was going to attempt climbing a mountain. Well, go up a mountain. Granite Peak! I’m not the outdoorsy type. I’m more of a “watch Netflix in sweatpants while eating pizza” kind of gal. But, I am here in the middle of winter. So let's brave the cold and try snowboarding, I thought. I barely made it down the first slope without eating the snow.
10:00 AM - The Slope Debacle. Oh, the slopes. The cold. The WIND. Did I mention the wind? I, a novice snowboarder, found myself facing down a mountain that seemed intent on swallowing me whole. I took a lesson (thank god!), but still ended up face-planting into the snow approximately 173 times. I swear, I spent more time horizontal than upright. My dignity? Gone. My bottom? Sore. Worth it? Maybe…
12:00 PM - Hot Chocolate and Humble Pie. Crawled into the lodge, a shivering, snow-covered mess. Hot chocolate and a giant chocolate chip cookie were my lifeline. I watched the more graceful skiers and snowboarders glide effortlessly down the slopes, a mixture of awe and envy bubbling inside me. I was humbled.
1:00 PM - The Recovery Feast. Burger and fries! I needed fuel, and comfort food.
4:00 PM - The Pool Re-Opening. And the Glorious Soak. Praise be! The pool was open! I cautiously dipped a toe into the icy water and actually enjoyed it. A swim, a hot tub soak…finally, some relaxation. I emerged, feeling refreshed, but also faintly chlorinated.
7:00 PM - Local Brewery and Beer-Induced Laughter. A local brewery! A nice respite from the ski slopes. Good beer and good company is always a win.
9:00 PM - Back to the Room, with Regrets. I'm exhausted. I did too much. I should have stayed home.
Day 3: Departure and the Lingering Scent of Waffles
8:00 AM - The Farewell Breakfast. The waffles again. Maybe I'll miss this place.
10:00 AM - Check Out and the Sad Shuffle. Goodbye, Holiday Inn Express. Goodbye, Wausau. I had a good time, I think. Or at least, a memorable one. The drive back feels like a long one.
The lasting Impression: I left the HIE a little bit more tired, a little more sun-kissed, and with a lingering scent of chlorine and pizza. And maybe, just maybe, I'll come back. But next time, I'm bringing a better snowboard and a stronger resolve. And maybe a spare pair of underwear… just in case.
Escape to Wausau: Your Dream Holiday Inn Express Awaits! ...Maybe? Let's See! (FAQs & Ramblings)
Okay, so... Wausau? Really? What's *in* Wausau? Is it... boring?
Alright, listen. Wausau. Wisconsin. Not exactly Vegas, okay? My first thought? "Oh boy, another small Wisconsin town." But, and this is a big but, I ended up actually digging it! Especially the *idea* of getting away *to* a place like Wausau. You know, the whole "get away from it all" vibe? It can be pretty chill. There's Granite Peak for skiing (apparently it's decent!), the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum which sounds fancy (I didn’t go, I was too busy…well, you'll see), plenty of parks... But also, I'm not gonna lie, some random strip malls. It's got that whole "Midwest charm" thing going on. Which, for some, is code for "mildly depressing." For me? Sometimes it's exactly what I need. It depends on the day, the mood, and how much coffee I've had. Generally, a good place to do... not a lot. And that's a *good* thing sometimes.
The Holiday Inn Express... is it actually *dreamy*? Like, *dream holiday* dreamy?
Dreamy? Heh. Well, compared to some of the dives I've stayed in... yes. It's clean (mostly – more on that in a sec), the staff *seemed* friendly (I say *seemed* because everyone acts friendly until something *goes* wrong and then the veneer cracks), and the free breakfast…well, we'll get to that. The room was…standard. Two beds, a TV that actually *worked* (a miracle!), and a bathroom. It's not the Four Seasons people, but hey, it's a Holiday Inn Express. Expect low expectations. The *dream* part comes in when you're *so* tired you'd happily sleep on a bed of nails, and *that* bed feels like heaven. That or a fluffy cloud, depending on how many beers you've had
Free Breakfast: Hit or Miss? Is it *actually* free? Because everyone knows, nothing's *truly* free...
Oh, the breakfast. The *breakfast*. Okay, so "free breakfast" is usually a euphemism for "a buffet of questionable quality." And this Holiday Inn Express? Nailed it. I mean, they *try*. Scrambled eggs that look suspiciously like yellow rubber, pre-made waffles, the cereal that’s been there since the Pleistocene era... I’m pretty sure I saw the same box of Frosted Mini-Wheats with *the exact same dent* from my last trip. Coffee – potentially carcinogenic, but necessary. The juice? Probably from some questionable source. The fruit? *Maybe* fresh, if you’re lucky AND early. But you know what? Deep in my heart, I am a sucker for free breakfast, especially the *idea* of it being free. No extra charges, no hidden fees, just, seemingly, a huge buffet of "food." Was it good? Not really. Did I eat it? Absolutely. Twice. Don't judge me. And yes, the "free" part... it's built into your room rate, of course. Nothing's truly free. Except maybe the crippling disappointment of the artificial orange juice. (Insert eye-roll emoji here).
Okay, let's talk about the *actual* experience. What went wrong? Because something *always* goes wrong, right?
Alright, let's go there. The inevitable "something went wrong" moment. So, picture this: I'm exhausted from the drive, *dying* for a shower, and I get to my room. I pull back the covers… and there's a *massive* stain on the bedspread. Like, the kind that makes you wonder about the life choices of previous guests. I won't go into detail... but it wasn't pretty. I called the front desk, and the poor girl on the phone sounded about as thrilled as I was. They changed the bedspread. Problem solved, right? Well, not quite. Later, while waiting for the *lift* to the second floor, I found a discarded sandwich in the elevator! I mean, come on people. I love a good sandwich, but not like this! It was all a little…underwhelming. I mean, clean the elevator! It really got to me, and I was slightly perturbed, which, if you know me, is the understatement of the year. But you know what? I got over it. It happens. I moved on.
What's the pool situation? Does it have a slide? 'Cause that's important.
Pool. Okay, the pool. No slide. Strike one. Small, indoor, and…well, it had the distinct aroma of chlorine. Which, you know, is the point. There were a few kids splashing around, having the time of their lives, and, look, good for them. I, however, am a grown adult who prefers my water slightly less… chemically enhanced. The pool area wasn't exactly a tropical paradise. More like a slightly humid, echo-y room with a pool in it. It did the job, I suppose. Got me wet. Though I did see a few rogue plasters and a suspicious looking clump of hair floating around. I gave it a miss and went for an early morning shower.
Would you go back? Be honest!
Hmm. Would I go *back* to the Holiday Inn Express in Wausau? Well, if I *had* to? Sure. It's functional. It exists. It's better than camping. Honestly, the best part? The potential for *stories*. The stain on the bedspread became a legendary tale I'll tell for years. The questionable breakfast… fodder for my own amusement. Will I *specifically* plan a return trip? Probably not. But as a base camp for exploring the surprisingly decent small town of Wausau, it works. And who knows? Maybe next time, I'll *finally* try the waffles. And be pleasantly surprised! Or at least, have another story. That's the charm, isn't it? The messy, imperfect, occasionally disappointing charm of, well, life. And the Holiday Inn Express in Wausau.
Anything else you want to add? Any sage advice for the intrepid Wausau traveler?
Pack snacks. Seriously. And maybe some Clorox wipes. Lower your expectations. And hey, bring a book. Because in the case of a power outage, you're going to be bored. And if you are bored you might get more out of the trip. Enjoy the stillness of the town. Do not forget earplugs if you are a light sleeper, (the walls *are* paper thin), and if the scrambled eggs are off, just head straightTrip Hotel Hub
