Omaha's BEST Staybridge Suites? 80th & Dodge Luxury Revealed!
Omaha's Best Staybridge Suites (80th & Dodge): Does Luxury REALLY Bite? A Messy, Honest Review.
Alright, let's be real. Hotel reviews are usually as exciting as watching paint dry. But I'm here to shake things up, because my recent stay at the Staybridge Suites on 80th & Dodge in Omaha? Well, it was a ride. And a messy one, at that. Buckle up, buttercups. This isn't your grandma's sanitized travelogue.
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First things first: Accessibility. They claim to be accessible, and yeah, there are ramps and elevators. But… (cue dramatic pause) … navigating with a wheelchair felt a bit like a treasure hunt. Some doors seemed determined to slam shut on me, and the hallways felt a smidge tight. Not a deal-breaker, but definitely room for improvement, folks. I'll give it a solid B- for effort.
Rooms and Amenities (the good, the bad, and the… well, kinda meh).
My room? Spacious. Really spacious. Think "apartment with a soul-crushing hotel price tag." I’m talking a full kitchen (complete with… well, it had appliances, let's just say that), a separate living area, and a ridiculously comfy bed. The details? Let’s go category by category:
Available in all rooms: Air conditioning (thank GOD, Omaha summers are brutal!), alarm clock (useless, who uses those anymore?), bathrobes (soft!), bathroom phone (seriously?), bathtub (yes!), blackout curtains (essential for sleeping in!), carpeting (clean, thankfully!), closet (plenty of space!), coffee/tea maker (yay caffeine!), complimentary tea (nice touch!), daily housekeeping (spotty, see below…), desk (functional), extra long bed (crucial for a perpetually restless sleeper like me), free bottled water (appreciated!), hair dryer (works!), high floor (loved the view!), in-room safe box (unused), interconnecting rooms (didn't need it, but good to know), internet access – LAN (who uses this?), internet access – wireless (thank you, sweet Wi-Fi gods!), ironing facilities (wrinkle-free life!), laptop workspace (productive-ish), linens (fresh, comfy), mini bar (not stocked, oddly), mirror (lots of them!), non-smoking (YES!), on-demand movies (eh, selection could be better), private bathroom (always a plus!), reading light (bliss!), refrigerator (small!), satellite/cable channels (a million channels, yet nothing to watch), scale (judging me), seating area (plenty!), separate shower/bathtub (nice!), shower (good water pressure!), slippers (didn't use them), smoke detector (good!), socket near the bed (Hallelujah!), sofa (comfy for napping!), soundproofing (yes!), telephone (vintage!), toiletries (basic, but fine), towels (fluffy!), umbrella (didn't need), visual alarm (didn't need), wake-up service (unused), Wi-Fi free, window that opens (appreciated!).
Cleanliness and Safety: Alright, let’s talk about the elephant (or the sanitizer dispenser) in the room. COVID times. And the Staybridge Suites tried. Anti-viral cleaning products and daily disinfection in common areas were touted. They offered room sanitization opt-out available. They had Hand sanitizer stations everywhere. And the staff, bless their hearts, looked genuinely invested in the Staff trained in safety protocol. However, I got the distinct impression that the "daily housekeeping" was a bit of a… suggestion. One day, my coffee mugs from the previous morning remained untouched, staring at me accusingly. And the bathroom… let's just say I wouldn't have eaten off the floor. I mean, it was cleanish, but definitely not the sparkling, germ-free paradise I expected. They also had First aid kit. Sterilizing equipment that might have been employed. Hygiene certification. Rooms sanitized between stays. This needed more work. Grade: C+ (for effort and the good intent).
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (the Breakfast Saga): This is where things got… chaotic. Breakfast. Oh, the breakfast. The Breakfast [buffet] was… adequate. Think lukewarm scrambled eggs, sad-looking sausage, and a waffle maker that seemed to be actively plotting my demise. They also had Breakfast service and a Breakfast takeaway service, but the lines were LONG. The Coffee/tea in restaurant was passable, but nothing to write home about. The Coffee shop, and Poolside bar looked promising.. I didn't venture into any of the Restaurants, but I heard the Snack bar carried the weight for the day. They did offer Bottle of water, and Essential condiments. They had Asian breakfast and Western breakfast! I wished I'd tried them. They had a Happy hour. Also, they had a Buffet in restaurant. There were a few Desserts in restaurant. They had A la carte in restaurant, Asian cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western cuisine in restaurant. They had Soup in restaurant. They also offered Alternative meal arrangement. The Room service [24-hour] was a lifesaver… mostly because I was trapped in my room, trying to scrub the sticky residue off the waffle maker from my memory. The Salad in restaurant could have been a lifesaver as well. They are probably trying in this space. Honestly, I'd pay extra for a truly good breakfast. Grade: C-.
Services and Conveniences: The Air conditioning in public area was a MUST. The Audio-visual equipment for special events was probably nice. The Business facilities, were there. The Cash withdrawal was a convenient service. The Concierge was helpful. The Contactless check-in/out was great. The Convenience store was fine. The Currency exchange was helpful for people who might not have a bank account. Daily housekeeping (when it showed up!), Doorman was nice. The Dry cleaning was a great service. The Elevator was essential. The Facilities for disabled guests were… there. Food delivery was readily available. Gift/souvenir shop was overpriced. The Indoor venue for special events sounds exciting. Invoice provided was great. The Ironing service was a great service. The Laundry service was a nice service. The Luggage storage was essential. The Meeting/banquet facilities. The Meetings, and Meeting stationery was all there. On-site event hosting was nice. The Outdoor venue for special events was wonderful. The Projector/LED display was there. The Safety deposit boxes were a must. The Seminars were not for me. The Shrine was not for me. The Smoking area was there. Terrace, was nice. The Wi-Fi for special events was a great service. The Xerox/fax in business center was there.
For the Kids: The pool was a massive hit with the little ones (more on that later). I didn’t utilize the Babysitting service, or Kids facilities, but they seemed decent. The Family/child friendly vibe was strong. They even had Kids meal.
Getting Around: Airport transfer was available. There was Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking.
Wellness and Relaxation (The Pool, The Sauna, and My Existential Crisis in a Towel): They have a Fitness center, a Gym/fitness, a Massage, Spa and Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor]. The Pool with view was…well, it was a pool. A nice, clean, outdoor pool. It saved my sanity, honestly. I spent a good portion of my stay floating around, contemplating the meaning of life (or at least, how to make my coffee stronger). They had Sauna, Spa/sauna, and Steamroom which i skipped. The Foot bath, Body scrub, and Body wrap were not available.
So, the pool? Absolutely lovely. A definite highlight. But the "spa" experience? Let's just say it wasn't quite the zen escape I was hoping for. It was more like a slightly damp room with a flickering lightbulb. And the sauna? Looked a bit sad and lonely.
- Things to Do: Beyond the pool, there's not a ton of *on-
Okay, buckle up buttercup, 'cause we're about to dive headfirst into my totally not perfect Omaha adventure, centered around the Staybridge Suites on 80th and Dodge. This isn't your average "smooth sailing" itinerary, more like a… slightly capsized kayak ride down a rapid of caffeine and questionable decisions.
My Omaha Mishap: A Staybridge Suites Odyssey (AKA: Pray For My Sanity)
Day 1: Arrival & Existential Dread in the Parking Lot
1 PM: Land at Eppley Airfield. Sigh. Flying. The romance is lost on me. I’m basically a human burrito wrapped in a metal tube, hoping the pilot remembered to show up today.
1:30 PM: Grab the rental car. (Pray for a car with working AC. Omaha in July… a furnace, trust me.) The attendant’s way too chipper. Is this a Nebraska thing? I'm getting suspicious.
2:30 PM: Arrive at Staybridge Suites. Okay, first impressions: it looks decent. Definitely saw better, definitely saw worse. The problem is…it's the start of the Omaha adventure. I just need a good room, clean and a working AC is a plus.
3 PM: Room check-in. Success! Except…the remote doesn’t work. Great. The gods (or at least the hotel staff) have decided to test my patience early.
3:30 PM: Mandatory unpacking. I'm not gonna lie, I overpacked. I always do. Who needs four pairs of jeans in JULY? Me, apparently. This unpacking situation is a metaphor for my life: a tangled mess of good intentions and a severe lack of organizational skills.
4 PM: Struggle with the TV remote. Resort to furiously mashing buttons. Found the local news. Apparently, someone stole a… lawn gnome? Omaha, you keep me guessing.
5 PM: Decide I need sustenance (aka, food). Found a pizza place nearby, the name escapes me now, but it smelled wonderful.
6 PM: Post-pizza stroll. Okay, maybe I'll get into the Omaha vibe. Saw a cute dog. Everything is alright again.
7 PM: Back to the room. Found the AC working finally! I think I can make it another day.
8 PM: Start working. No one said this was a relaxing vacation.
9 PM: Ordering take-out. The menu looks good.
10 PM: Back to work. I always say I'll take a vacation.
11 PM: Fall asleep.
Day 2: The Henry Doorly Zoo & a Deep Dive into My Own Insanity
- 8 AM: Wake up. Coffee! (Bless the hotel kitchen. Free coffee is a gift from the gods. Or, you know, IHG. Same thing.)
- 9 AM: Realize I forgot to set an alarm for the zoo. Damn it. I always do this.
- 9:30 AM: Quick breakfast. Still good.
- 10 AM: Head to the Henry Doorly Zoo. This is IT. Everyone keeps telling me it's amazing. My expectations are higher than the giraffe's neck.
- 10:30 AM: The zoo. It's huge. I’m immediately overwhelmed. Like, lost-in-the-Amazon overwhelmed.
- 11 AM: The Desert Dome. Whoa. Seriously. Whoa. It's hot. Like, Sahara-Desert-in-July hot. The lizards are judging me. I'm starting to melt. But… it's incredible. The scale. The detail. I stand there for a good 20 minutes just staring. This is the zoo moment everyone talked about.
- 12 PM: Back in AC. Wow! Time to walk around more.
- 1 PM: Lunch at the Zoo. Food coma setting in.
- 2 PM: Walk around. The aquarium. Mesmerizing. The gorillas are just chilling. I’m envious.
- 3 PM: The cat complex. Okay. These are the animals that I want to take home.
- 4 PM: Feel a mix of awe and exhaustion. My feet are screaming. My brain is fried. I'm starting to question my life choices. But… the zoo won. It's truly spectacular.
- 5 PM: Drive back to the hotel. Stop for ice cream. Needed.
- 6 PM: Actual work, I guess.
- 7 PM: I found a bar nearby. It was an excellent discovery.
- 8 PM: Back to the hotel. Work.
- 9 PM: Sleepy.
- 10 PM: Sleep.
Day 3: Departure & the lingering scent of… zoo?
- 8 AM: Wake up. One last coffee.
- 8:30 AM: Pack. (Mostly. Let's be honest, I'll probably leave something behind.)
- 9 AM: Check out. The front desk lady is still way too chipper. Is this a cult?
- 9:30 AM: Head to the airport.
- 10:30 AM: Airport. Getting back to my real life.
- 11 AM: Flight.
This itinerary is a work in progress, just like me. It’s chaotic, it’s likely to go off the rails at any moment, and it’s probably a little bit too honest for its own good. But isn’t that what travel is all about? Embracing the mess, finding the beauty in the unexpected, and maybe, just maybe, ending up with a few good stories (and a faint smell of zoo) to tell.
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Staybridge Suites Omaha - 80th & Dodge: The Truth (and Some Rambles)
Okay, fine, is this place *actually* luxury? Like, REAL luxury?
Luxury? Oh, honey, let's just say the *website* is feeling ambitious. Let me tell you, I walked in expecting a marble lobby and a butler named Jeeves. What I *got* was...well, it's nice. Like, "above average" nice. The rooms are spacious, the furniture isn’t IKEA-grade particle board, and the kitchenettes are genuinely useful (essential for a cheapskate like me! – more on that later). But marble and Jeeves? Nope. More like "nicely appointed and perfectly acceptable after a 12-hour road trip." It's comfortable, sure. Maybe not *ballroom-worthy* luxury, but definitely a step up from your average roadside motel. Think "comfortably upper-middle-class," rather than "Royalty on vacation." I had a *moment* when I walked in… I was instantly thinking, "Okay, I want to write about this. I want to tell everyone what I found."
What's the deal with the breakfast? Is it worth waking up for? And are the waffles good? (Important questions!)
Breakfast... ah, the breakfast. Okay, deep breath. The waffles. The *waffles*. They have those self-serve waffle makers. You know the ones. The key is to not overfill it, trust me. (I learned that the hard way. Picture a burnt, batter explosion.) They've got the usual suspects: eggs (sometimes scrambled, sometimes…questionable), sausage, cereal, fruit (mostly sad-looking melon triangles, be warned). But the *waffles*... if you get those waffle just right, they provide a moment of absolute joy! It’s not a gourmet brunch buffet, mind you. But hey, free breakfast? I’m in. And it's *definitely* worth waking up for, especially if you’re hungover (speaking from experience, cough, cough). Pro-tip: hit it right when it opens to avoid the breakfast stampede. Because, let's be honest, there is a stampede. People *love* a free breakfast.
The Rooms: Are they Loud? Clean? Do the beds SUCK?
Alright, let's get real about the rooms. **Noise:** Not terrible. I mean, you're not going to hear the guy next door snoozing (unless he's a total banshee). The occasional door slam, the distant rumble of traffic on Dodge, but nothing that kept me from sleep (and I'm a light sleeper!). **Cleanliness:** Generally good. I'm a bit of a germaphobe, I'll admit, and I found it to be clean, but, you know, I always give it the initial once over. I'm talking checking the remotes (the WORST!), the light switches, the little nooks and crannies. No horror stories to report, thankfully. **The Beds:** Okay. The beds are... adequate. Not the cloud-like, sink-you-right-in fantasy of a five-star hotel, but perfectly serviceable. Firm, but not *rock hard*. I slept well. Honestly, after a long day, you could put me on a concrete slab, and I'd sleep. So, yeah, the beds are fine. Maybe bring your own pillow if you're picky. Seriously, I am bringing my own pillow to this place next time.
Tell me about the "extra amenities." What's actually USEFUL?
Amenities. Ah, the *things*. They have a pool. Which, honestly, I didn't use. I'm more of a "stay in my pajamas and watch TV" kind of person. There's also a fitness center. Which, if you're into that sort of self-punishment, go for it. I peered in once. Looked… sweaty. The free Wi-Fi? Crucial. Absolutely essential. I needed it to, you know, *work* (and by "work," I mean "watch cat videos"). The kitchenettes are the real MVP though. Microwave, fridge, stovetop… perfect for heating up leftovers, making late-night snacks. This is where it excels. The complimentary beverages in the lobby throughout the day are a life-saver for a caffeine addict like myself!
I’m travelling with kids. Is this place kid-friendly? Or will I be judged for having a toddler meltdown at breakfast?
Kid-friendly… hmmm. Okay, here's the deal. It *is* a suite hotel. So, you've got space. Space is KEY with kids! That separate living area? Genius. You can put the kids to bed and still have a place to, you know, *breathe*. The pool is a draw, for sure. And honestly, the breakfast is set up perfectly for kids. Cereal, waffles, things they'll actually eat without complaining (usually). Will you be judged for a toddler meltdown? Maybe. But you'll be judged *everywhere* with a toddler. Embrace the chaos. I saw a few families there when I visited, and no one seemed to bat an eye at the inevitable spills and shrieks. The staff seemed pretty used to it all. They get it. They've likely been there, done that.
What's the location like? Anything good nearby? I don't want to be trapped in a hotel vortex!
Location? Okay, 80th and Dodge. It's... central-ish. That's the polite way of putting it. You're not exactly *walking distance* to the Old Market, but it's a reasonable drive. You're near... well, *stuff*. Restaurants, shops, the usual highway-adjacent suspects. (Don't get me started on chain restaurants, though. Ugh.) There's a grocery store nearby, which is clutch if you're using that kitchenette. It's not the most *charming* location, but it's practical. You're not going to be bored. It's Omaha. There's always something to do, and the hotel's location makes a good launching pad. I mean...I went to a really good Mexican place a few minutes away. That was a win. And, honestly, after driving for hours, you just want to grab a quick bite. Convenient!
Okay, spill the tea. What was the *worst* part? (Besides the inevitable burnt waffle)
The worst part...? Hmm. Let me think... Okay, the *worst* part was probably the parking situation during the weekend. It got a little tight. I actually had to park a little further out one night. Not a huge deal, but a minor annoyance. And maybe the elevator was a *little* slow. Okay, okay, I *did* getSerene Getaways
