Check in took forever. Don't try to pay with cash. A credit card was required for "incidentals". What incidentials? Phone calls? Although the "GM" was friendly, she was overly friendly.
Questions into my plans were almost invasive. I originally picked this property because it was "pet friendly". I didn't bring the pets after all. Being near the airport was not a perk, being near places I wanted to go was. The room was in need of refurbishing. The shower head dripped all night although the morning shower was a pleasure! Lots of Hot water after figuring out the 2 step on/off hot/cold dials and wonderful water pressure. The toilet handle had to be jiggled for the toilet to shut off. The grout was discolored and old. I choose a ground floor room with 2 beds because of the microwave and refrigerator. It overlooked the pool which was pretty. No one was using the pool because it was cold outside, but noise & lack of privacy could be an issue in warmer weather. The person in the next room was either deaf or liked the tv on high volume all night It finally went off at 5 a.m. I can't say I had a good night's sleep. Breakfast caters to the business traveler. I love fresh brewed coffee but could not make myself get dressed after being up much of the night. No breakfast after 9 am. The in room coffee was barely passable. The price is right but I'd rather pay a bit more for a newer, modern facility.

Stayed here for a week while my husband was in town for work. The room was clean and service was very good. Front desk employees were very friendly (Linda was especially nice) and offered suggestions on where to go and what to see. Location is great - close to airport, downtown, and the Keys. The breakfast was fine. I have seen other reviewers complain but I thought it was great considering the price of the hotel. It was nice and quiet in room, never noticed the airport across the road. Free wi-fi was also nice. Overall, I would recommend this hotel if you want a reasonable priced hotel that is simple and clean.

We had a great time. The staff was very helpful with locations of attractions and restaurants. We bought our hotel stay at www.floridavacationauction.com at a great price. We did like making our own belium waffles in the morning.

Question: When is a national chain mid-priced hotel a desirable accommodation destination? Answer: When you’re flying into the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport on the gulf coast of Florida. The SLEEP INN is located across from the entrance to the airport on a winding tree-lined cul-de-sac in the neighborhood of several other high-end hotels.

Even the most generalized reading in the area of urban and comprehensive planning reveals quickly that there are ardent advocates (and some detractors too) for these roadway anomalies known as cul-de-sac’s. Depending on your language of choice, a cul-de-sac can be among other things a “blind alley”, an “end of the road”, a “no exit” or a “dead-end street”. Following WWII, cul-de-sacs were engineering breakaways from the monotonous grid planning and streetscapes so prevalent in cities and municipalities at that time.

Road maintenance and snow removal seem to top the list of disadvantages for cul-de-sac’s in some communities. The latter municipal concern is an unlikelihood in Florida. It is, however, the overall quiet and lack of through traffic noise and congestion which make cul-de-sacs sought after housing by many.

What SLEEP INN at the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport offers is affordability (room rates are priced in the mid $60 to $70 plus range generally and might fluctuate with the season) and convenient proximity to many of the area’s attractions, cultural sites, superb gulf front beaches, restaurants and shopping, health centers, and educational institutions. Located somewhat equidistant between Sarasota to the south and Bradenton to the north, the SLEEP INN is literally minutes away from these area destinations.

Touch down on the airport runway, claim your baggage quickly in a most attractive smaller airport, and presto -- within moments it seems, you’re checking into your room. How many other places can you say that of? Have you ever hiked a country mile to the baggage claim area, waited at length at crowded rental car counters or for the hotel shuttle, and arrived exhausted at your hotel much later than planned? SLEEP INN is the antidote to such travel frustration.

SLEEP INN is not so unlike other hotel and motel chains throughout the country that cater to budget, recreational and business travelers. The hotel property provides adequate well-lit parking within footsteps of the front entrance, has a port cochere for inclement weather unloading and loading, and features a business center with a personal computer to check emails and the like should one be without a laptop. The lobby elevator is conveniently located steps from the front desk and is located alongside a manageable flight of stairs leading to the second floor. Meeting and banquet facilities, free Wi-Fi and an outdoor pool are some of the other hotel features. The breakfast room offers an ample continental breakfast between 6 and 9 am each morning in a cozy dining area. In short, SLEEP INN has many or all of the same amenties that today’s travelers have come to expect from these mid-range hostelries.

The attractive but not ostentatious physical plant seems to be well maintained. The rooms are not fancy but comfortable, clean and equipped with a coffee maker, hair dryer, microwave, mini-fridge, and television with remote. The bed in my room was exceptionally comfortable. The step-in shower was very commodious and provided plenty of pressure controlled hot water on demand. There is daily maid service. In keeping with energy conversation, guests are offered a choice of having their linens changed daily or not.

However, it’s the location (if you haven’t guessed yet) that really prompts this review. The SLEEP INN is most definitively well positioned geographically. The cul-de-sac buffers noise. Nearby highway traffic on University Parkway is almost non-existent. Only in the early dawn hours did this traveler hear any indication of plane traffic from the airport and even then such sounds from a single flight or two were muted and short-lived.

The next time you are planning a trip to the Sarasota-Bradenton area, consider the advantages of staying at the SLEEP INN. This was my second visit to the SLEEP INN this calendar year. On each occasion, the staff greeted me courteously and treated me pleasantly. While sitting at the computer adjacent to the front desk on this trip, I observed front desk personnel spending time occasionally helping guests in various and sundry ways.

The SLEEP INN in my estimation is well worth the visit for those who don’t mind foregoing the obvious glitz of some of the larger and pricier hotels in the area. The savings on lodging alone can be re-invested for example in unavoidable gasoline and rental car costs. The SLEEP INN is a win-win situation all around.

Cul-de-sac’s are generally good places to live and when sited with a hotel are excellent overnight options for the budget-minded traveler. In this regard, the SLEEP INN at Sarasota-Bradenton Airport is one allure of the Florida tropics.

Robert from Indiana
“Hoosiergadabout”
Dates of stay: October 22-26