You know that point when you start to experience mom burnout? Where if you just don’t get away soon, you are liable to be bald from pulling out your own hair in frustration?
Well, like mostly every other mom on the planet, I reached that point.
Luckily for me, I live in the great state of Florida and can take an impromptu trip when it is sorely needed. My sister-in-law Maria, friend Mary Kay and I spent 3 wonderful days getting away from mom burnout by exploring some of what Sarasota has to offer.
It was great, let me tell ya!
Of course, being a blogger, our trip ALWAYS starts online. Gotta read those reviews!
That’s how we found this gem of a hotel. The reviews were looking good and the price, at under $70 a night, was terrific. So reservations were made, sight unseen, and off we went.
By the way, there is a BIG difference between North and South! ( In case you didn’t already know this! LOL) So after spending an extra – oh half or so – headed in the wrong direction. We finally arrived at our destination.
Lantern Inn and Suites
They are at 7251 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243 (with an emphasis on the N!)
I was bit worried when we pulled in because not only are they undergoing renovations, but it is on a busy road and a new gas station is being built next door. I was a bit skeptical of what the noise level was going to be like.
I have to say that the room was surprisingly quiet. Added to the potential noise level is the fact that the airport is less than 5 miles away. And while we did hear the planes flying overhead, they were few and far between and not really loud.
The room that we stayed in had 2 queen beds. They were brand new and extremely comfortable. Even though we wanted to get an early start, we couldn’t help but sleep in. They were so soft.
The rooms also come with a kitchenette which includes a coffee maker (a necessity!), a sink, microwave and a large refrigerator. I don’t know about you, but I hate it when you have to request a fridge and then they bring you one of those dinky little dorm fridges. What am I going to be able to put in that?
The staff was extremely friendly and willing to help in any way that we needed. They were very accommodating with our need for extra coffee and towels. (You know us bloggers and our need for LOTS of coffee)
The pool was beautiful but I couldn’t tell you about the water temperature or anything. We went down at sat in the pool area but I wasn’t about to squeeze all of me into a bathing suit at the end of a day out on the town. (What can I say? I was a bit lazy)
They also had a very nice covered area with picnic tables so that you can eat outside and the grounds around the building seemed well-maintained.
The negatives? (cause you know there is some)
There were some minor attention to detail issues here but being a lower cost hotel, it is easily overlooked. The sprinkler head in our kitchenette area still had painters tape on it. The dresser was missing a handle on one of the drawers and had a screw sticking out. (fine for adults but could have been an issue for kids). They should replace the door stops and toilet paper holders because they are covered in paint drip marks. Lots of minor issues existed like this. But nothing major that I noticed.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this hotel for a weekend getaway. (or even a week!) I will stay here again next time I head to Sarasota. I hope you do too!
Wanna know what we did while we in Sarasota? Stay tuned…
