Unbelievable Buffalo Stay: Residence Inn Downtown Review!
Okay, buckle up, because this "Unbelievable Buffalo Stay: Residence Inn Downtown Review!" ain't gonna be your typical, cookie-cutter hotel review. This is going to be a messy, honest, and hopefully, hilarious plunge into the inner workings of my stay, a symphony of "Oh, wow's" and "Ugh, really's," all nestled within the Residence Inn Downtown Buffalo. Let's get this show on the road!
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Meta Description: My unfiltered take on the Residence Inn Downtown Buffalo! From the dazzling Wi-Fi to the slightly underwhelming pool view, join me as I dissect the good, the bad, and the utterly meh of this Buffalo stay. Accessibility, cleanliness, dining – we cover it all (and I mean all). Prepare for some laughs (and maybe a few eye-rolls).
Alright, Let's Dive In! Unfiltered & Unapologetic.
My adventure began… well, it began with a frantic Google search. Buffalo, NY. Business trip from HELL – or, you know, just a normal one - and I needed a place. Location was key. Downtown was a must. Residence Inn popped up, with its promises of… well, everything on that HUGE list above. Let's break it down:
First Impressions & Getting Around… (The Pre-Check-In Panic!)
- Accessibility: Okay, HUGE plus here. I’m not mobility-impaired myself, but I always look for this. They REALLY seem to have this nailed. Elevators? Check. Wheelchair accessible rooms? Check (though I didn’t see one specifically, I'm trusting the listings). This is HUGE because so many places botch this. You’ve got the “Facilities for disabled guests” and all that jazz. Seriously, kudos, Residence Inn. This is a massive win.
- Getting Around: Airport transfer? Nope, didn't use it, but it was listed. Valet parking? Didn’t do it (too boujee for my budget!), but available. Free Parking, though!? Major score. Car park [on-site]? Yep, and crucially Car park [free of charge]! Whew. Crisis averted, and the whole "getting around" thing started off with a solid win.
- Check-in/out [express]: Not quite “express,” but not a slog either. The front desk staff was decent, which, honestly, is all you need.
- Exterior corridor: nope, which is usually a good thing.
- Front desk [24-hour]: Bless. Because, jet lag.
- Concierge: Nope. Not that fancy apparently!
Rooms, Glorious & Mostly Functional Rooms:
- Available in all rooms, [etc. all the features listed!] – I’m overwhelmed by the amount of stuff, but mostly delighted!
- Air conditioning: Thank GOD. Buffalo can get hot in the summer.
- Blackout curtains: YES! Slept like a baby (after I adjusted to the time zone).
- Coffee/tea maker: Essential, obviously. My lifeblood.
- Desk, Laptop workspace: Perfect for my “work from anywhere” charade.
- Internet access – wireless: (that would be Wi-Fi [free]… yes, it worked like a dream, super fast too! [the SEO gods are smiling on me])
- Ironing facilities: I ironed one shirt. Because I'm classy.
- Mini bar: Nope. Boo. But I survived.
- Non-smoking: YES! (No smoke detector triggered during my stay)
- Refrigerator: Useful for snacks (and the shame-inducing leftovers from the restaurant).
- Satellite/cable channels: I may or may not have watched a LOT of HGTV. Don't judge.
- Separate shower/bathtub: I'm a shower person mainly so, yay for me!
- Soundproofing: Pretty decent, all things considered. No loud neighbors blasting polka music at 3 am.
- Soundproof rooms: Yes, I felt I could sleep there.
- Wake-up service: Tried it. Worked. (I usually wake up anyway, but whatever).
- Umbrella: It rained, so thank GOODNESS, YES.
The Whole "Cleanliness & Safety" Thing (The COVID Edition)
This part, I really paid attention to. Look, the world is a bit… germy right now. So, how did the Residence Inn handle it?
- Anti-viral cleaning products: I assumed so. Didn't exactly run around licking surfaces (tempting though it can be after a few drinks at the bar).
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Seemed legit.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere! I was practically swimming in the stuff. (I'm not complaining, mind you).
- Individually-wrapped food options: Yes, at the breakfast buffet (see below).
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Mostly followed. People were trying, at least.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: Hard to say, but the room felt clean.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Confirmed.
- Safe dining setup: Yeah, felt pretty good overall.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Seemed to know the drill. Masks, hand-washing, all that jazz.
- Sterilizing equipment: I didn’t see it, but I’m not an expert.
Dining, Drinking, & Snacking (The Fueling of a Business Trip)
- Breakfast [buffet]: Okay, here’s where things get interesting. It was the standard stuff: eggs, (slightly rubbery) bacon, pastries, and… well, you get the picture. The "International cuisine in restaurant" wasn't much in evidence, but the "Western breakfast" was present. The coffee, now that's a story… it was… adequate. Not the best, not the worst. Just… there.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yes. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee.
- Restaurants: There IS a restaurant, but I didn't venture in, mainly 'cause it looked a little empty.
- Happy hour: YES! The bar (Poolside bar, technically, but not open in cooler weather) was a welcome sight after a day of grueling meetings. Affordable-ish drinks, and good company.
- Snack bar: Yes, because, you know, late-night cravings.
- Room service [24-hour]: Yes, the food was pretty good, and being able to order in was fantastic - I didn't have to dress to go out and look at the street food.
Relaxation & Other Fun Stuff (Or, Lack Thereof)
- Fitness center: Okay, the gym… it was there. Basic equipment, clean enough. I did attempt to work out, but… well, let's just say my willpower deserted me after the second day.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: Closed. Because, Buffalo winter. Sad face. (Pool with view? Not right now!)
- Spa/sauna: Nope. (But did I expect one at the Residence Inn? Not really.)
Services & Conveniences (The Little Things That Matter)
- Cash withdrawal: I was able to get some cash. Yay!
- Convenience store: YES! Perfect for grabbing snacks and drinks.
- Daily housekeeping: They kept my room fresh and tidy.
- Elevator: Essential.
- Ironing service: Yup. Did I use it? Already mentioned above.
- Laundry service: Did not use, but appreciate that it was there.
Business & Tech Stuff (The "Actually Here For Work" Part)
- Air conditioning in public area, Wi-Fi for special events, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery (I think these are ALL of them…): Yes, all these things existed, because, well, it’s a hotel designed for business travelers.
- Internet Access – Yes. Free! Thank goodness!
- Invoice provided: Yup. Accountant happy.
For the Kids & Couples (Because… Everyone Deserves a Vacation)
- Okay, I don’t have kids, so the "For the kids" section is lost on me. But the "Family/child friendly" is present. So. Good for you!
- Proposal spot: Okay, I’m assuming you COULD propose here… you know, if you wanted to.
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to dive headfirst into my slightly chaotic Buffalo adventure. Forget those pristine, perfectly-polished itineraries. This is the raw, the unfiltered, the likely-to-involve-a-questionable-food-truck-at-some-point version. We're staying at the Residence Inn Buffalo Downtown, bless its heart, so let's see what kind of beautiful mess we can make.
Day 1: Arrival and the Buffalo Wind Symphony (Oh, the Humanity…and the Humidity!)
- 1:00 PM: Arrive at Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF). Okay, the landing? Smooth as butter. Until I remembered my carry-on was not the "I'm-on-a-romantic-getaway" type, but the "I'm-prepared-for-the-zombie-apocalypse-and-maybe-a-light-snack" type. Navigating that behemoth through the airport felt like herding grumpy cats.
- 2:00 PM: Check in at Residence Inn Downtown. First impressions? Clean. Functional. Beige. (Don't get me wrong, I like beige - it's a safe space for the anxious traveler. But sometimes, a little spice would be nice. Maybe a rogue pillow with a giraffe on it?) Anyway, room is good, a mini kitchen is amazing (I foresee microwave nachos in my future), and I'm already plotting my escape route to the nearest coffee shop.
- 2:30 PM: Errands and acclimatization (I think.) I'd thought ahead and immediately drove to Wegman's to get the essentials, but I underestimated the humidity. Good Lord is it humid, and the AC is failing. I barely made it through the grocery store before I started questioning every life choice that led me to this point.
- 4:00 PM: The promised land: The Buffalo Wind Symphony. My friend, bless her heart, is obsessed. She talks about French horns and clarinets like I talk about chocolate. Sigh. I'm going in.
- The Event: Okay. I'll admit it. It was…intriguing. There was a piece about the Erie Canal. I learned something! And the conductor had hair. Truly magical, yet it made me question if I was really ready to face a symphony performance after a 9AM flight.
- The Emotion: I think it made me happy to see older people smiling and enjoying something new. I did feel bad and did a double take, noticing an old lady dozing off. The best part? My friend's unbridled joy. Watching someone else's passion is a gift, even if the passion in question involves melodious brass.
- 6:30 PM: Dinner. After the show we went to a random pizza place. Not bad, but I had no idea what to expect. My friend was talking way too loudly and the people next to us heard everything. It was still a blast.
- 8:00 PM: Back to the hotel. Exhausted in the best possible way. I am already looking forward to tomorrow.
Day 2: A River Runs (Mostly) Through It and a Deep Dive into…Chicken Wings!
- 8:00 AM: Wake up. Coffee situation: critical. I need to figure out where the hell the REAL coffee is around here because the in-room stuff is…well, let's just say it's not going to fuel any creative endeavors.
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. It's free, so I'm not complaining. Waffles. Always waffles.
- 10:00 AM: Erie Canal Harbor. Ah, the historic heart of Buffalo! I attempt to channel some "historical appreciation," and maybe actually learn something. I will also take pictures.
- The Experience: Wandering around the harbor, breathing in that river air, and trying to imagine the bustling activity of yesteryear. I have no idea how to capture the essence of a river in a picture, I hope.
- The Realization: Water is wet. History is long. And I'm already plotting how to sneak back to the hotel for a nap.
- 12:00 PM: The Chicken Wing Pilgrimage: Anchor Bar. This is it. The moment I've prepared for. The reason I left the comfort of my own couch. The holy grail. We're going all in, ordering a plate of originals, a plate of something spicy (I'm a sucker for punishment), and a plate of… well, let's just say I'm leaving the decision to my friend.
- The Wing Judgement: Okay, truth time. The wings? Phenomenal. The crisp, the sauce, the sheer glory of it all. My fingers were a sticky, sauce-covered testament to their deliciousness. I ate until my stomach threatened mutiny. Zero regrets.
- The Overreaction: I’m fairly certain I achieved wing-induced nirvana.
- 1:30 PM: A short walk after the Anchor Bar. Honestly, the Anchor Bar was SO good.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner: Pizza again? Maybe. I'm open to suggestions, but I can already taste those wings, and I can already feel the carb coma approaching.
- 8:00 PM: Rest and relax. Time To pass out, maybe read a book, or watch TV and recharge.
Day 3: Art, Architecture, and Departures (and the lingering scent of Buffalo wings)
- 9:00 AM: Wake up (a little later this time!). The aftermath of the wings is still present, in the best way.
- 9:30 AM: Breakfast. Again. You know, just in case I forgot.
- 10:30 AM: Art Gallery! Some fancy art exhibition. I'm not a huge art person, but I respect the effort, and this gallery is surprisingly beautiful. I try to look artsy.
- 12:30 PM: Lunch. Light this time. Salad and water. And maybe a single, lonely chicken wing.
- 2:00 PM: Check out of the hotel. Time to head home.
- 3:00 PM: Airport. The flight. I'm ready to be home.
Final Thoughts (and a lot of messy feelings)
Buffalo, you were a delicious, confusing, and sometimes wonderfully chaotic mess. The Residence Inn, bless your beige heart, was a perfectly adequate base camp for all the adventures. I learned things about rivers, chicken wings, French horns, and myself. And hey, that's a pretty good trip, right?
Would I go back? Absolutely. Just maybe with a slightly more realistic (read: lower) expectation of my own ability to plan and execute a flawless itinerary. And definitely armed with a bigger bottle of hot sauce.
Until next time, Buffalo! You're a weird and wonderful place, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Hyatt Place Vadodara: Your Luxurious Gujarat Getaway Awaits!
Unbelievable Buffalo Stay: Residence Inn Downtown Review! (Seriously, Though...)
Okay, spill the beans! Was this Residence Inn in Downtown Buffalo actually... good?
Alright, buckle up, Buttercup. "Good" is a loaded word. Let's just say it was... an experience. It wasn't the kind of experience where you emerge feeling like you've been cloaked in luxury. More like you've survived a Buffalo blizzard and lived to tell the tale. The location? Excellent. Right in the thick of things. The hotel itself? Well, let's just say it's got... character. Think slightly-worn-but-trying-its-best.
The Room: What's the deal? Was it a cramped shoebox? A palatial suite?
Okay, room size. Here's where things get interesting. My room... it was what you'd expect from a Residence Inn, which is to say, a suite. *Emphasis on the SUITE*. Sort of. It wasn’t exactly Versailles, but it was bigger than my New York City apartment, which, admittedly, isn't saying much. There was a separate living area with a (slightly-tired) sofa, a TV that actually worked (miracle!), and a kitchenette. The kitchenette... bless it. It had a fridge, a microwave, and... well, that's about it. Don't expect to whip up a gourmet meal, unless "microwaved leftovers" counts as gourmet. Oh, and the bed? Comfortable enough. I slept. That's the main thing, right? I remember being *very* excited to see if they had the “magic” hotel pillows. They did. 😬
Tell me about the breakfast! The make-or-break moment, usually.
*Deep breath.* The breakfast. Okay. It *was* free. And that's a major plus, let's be honest. They had the usual suspects: scrambled eggs (suspiciously yellow-looking), what appeared to be sausage patties, some questionable fruit, and a waffle maker that, bless its little plastic heart, *tried*. I swear I saw a guy fighting the waffle maker for a solid five minutes. It was… a scene. Honestly, I stuck to the bagels and coffee. Bagels are hard to mess up, even at 6 AM. Coffee was… coffee. It got the engine running.
What about the service? Polite robots or actual humans?
The staff… they were… trying. Let's put it that way. There were a few hiccups, but nothing truly disastrous. They were polite, generally, and they seemed like they genuinely wanted to help, even when they were clearly swamped. I remember one morning, the elevator was out of order. No big deal, right? Well, I was on the *seventh* floor. Let me tell you, that became a cardio workout real quick. I saw one guy, who looked like he'd just gotten out of bed, practically sprinting up the stairs. He wasn't happy. But the front desk lady, bless her, apologized profusely and even offered him a complimentary breakfast (which, given the breakfast, might've been a punishment). Point is, they were human. And that's something, in this day and age.
The Location! Inquiring minds want to know: Was it actually *Downtown*?
YES. Absolutely. It's right there in the heart of the action. You can walk to restaurants, bars, and a few of the attractions. And let me tell you, that's a *huge* plus in Buffalo, especially in the winter. Getting around in a snowstorm? Not fun. Being able to stumble (safely, of course!) back to your hotel after a few beers? Priceless. I walked to a Bills game. Okay, I took a very *brisk* walk. But I did it! And I survived! (The game. And the walk.)
The Gym: Did it even exist? Was it a closet with a treadmill?
Okay, okay. The gym. I *intended* to use the gym. Really, I did. I even packed my workout clothes. But, uh... well, let's just say, after battling the elevator, scaling seven flights of stairs, and surviving the breakfast, the gym slipped down the priority list. But, yes, it existed. I peeked in. It looked like a relatively small room with some cardio equipment and weights. Probably functional. I can't personally vouch for it, but judging by the equipment, it was a step above "closet with a treadmill." (Although, to be fair, I have seen some scary hotel gyms in my time...)
Any specific incidents? The one thing you'll *never* forget?
*Coughs dramatically.* Okay, there's one thing. One *specific* incident that sticks with me. The first night, there was a particularly loud, and I mean *LOUD*, party going on in the hallway. Yelling, laughter, the whole shebang. I'm talking, like, all-night extravaganza of revelry. And it went on for *hours*. I seriously considered calling the front desk, but I figured, after tackling the elevator, the breakfast, and my seven-story climb, I didn't have the energy. So, I did what any logical person would do: I channeled my inner zen master and put in earplugs. The next morning, I saw the culprit – a bunch of college students, looking sheepish. Moral of the story? Pack earplugs. And maybe bring a weapon to the hallway. (Kidding! Mostly.)
Would you go back? Be honest!
Honestly? Probably. For the location alone, it's a solid option. It's not a fancy hotel, it's not the Ritz. But it's clean enough, it's convenient, and it's a perfectly acceptable place to crash after a long day of exploring Buffalo. Plus, the free breakfast, even with its flaws, is hard to argue with. And hey, maybe next time, I'll actually *use* the gym. (Don't hold your breath.) So, yeah, considering the price and the accessibility of it all, I'd do it again. Just with a renewed appreciation for earplugs and a pre-emptive strike on that waffle maker. Wish me luck.
