Jando S.
Yelp
Despite feeling a bit like a rebranded Motel 6 (#1), Aiden by Best Western perfectly embodies the gentrification that Austin is experiencing now. Take something dated and worn out, make it hipster kitschy, and then put out to the masses for big dollars. It's not a bad place to stay for location's sake, but almost everything else falls short.
We'll start with the positives:
:: There is free breakfast. It's not fancy, but always a good bonus.
:: There are chargers for electric vehicles here. If that's not Austin AF, I don't know what is.
:: WiFi is fabulous. Streaming HD while I was uploading documents left and right without batting an eye is a win.
:: Fitness room is a thumbs up. Equipment is new'ish and it's relatively clean.
:: Pool are is good for groups and even has a vintage feel with the courtyard location (i.e. where many folks can view the pool from their rooms) and even a separate jacuzzi / mini pool area.
Then the not so great stuff:
:: Those walls are incredibly thin. I heard some interesting noises. I hope they enjoyed me playing The Tokens at full volume from my computer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlByoPdG6c
:: Due to my location in the courtyard, people walking around outside was also incredibly audible. Those doors aren't exactly blocking out any sound. Plus it was swinging open a little *too* easily, resulting a sudden bang into the wall almost every time.
:: The parking, while plentiful, was a bit tight for drive-thru traffic. Be aware of oncoming cars, along with fitting into the spaces for oversized vehicles.
:: The place is a bit of a labyrinth. Depending on where the assigned rooms are, it's not exactly easy for folks to get around with the uneven stairs, long hallways, and super cramped elevators.
:: Food at the connecting restaurant, Opal Divine's (#2) was no bueno. That's another review, but eating there three times was a mistake each time.
:: The rooms were very dated, even with the renovations. Despite being in a double queen room, it felt cramped and the bathrooms / beds were incredibly mediocre given the pricetag ($195/night). Went to a nicer suite room and it was still pretty disappointing with a smokey odor and non-working fridge.
:: Staff was underwhelming. By underwhelming, I mean not exactly present with phone calls from the room or being available at the front desk. The only time I got to interact with someone was during afternoon check-in.
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(#1) But was in fact, a Clarion Inn and eventually became a Best Western Plus.
(#2) https://www.yelp.com/biz/opal-divines-austin-grill-austin