Ambassador Inn

 

1

16

Danielle M.

Fremont, CA

7/20/2008

The bottom line: This is a simple motel but goes beyond the basics with several nice touches and super-friendly staff.

If you want more details: I decided to book a two-night stay at the Ambassador Inn in St. George after reading several great reviews on http://TripAdvisor.com. My husband and I weren't disappointed. I know a 4-star review might seem more in line with a posh resort or a 5-star hotel, but for the money you'll pay, this little place merits a great review. (I'd give it 5 if it were in a better location or offered views of the gorgeous scenery surrounding St. George.)

A breakfast buffet is included and offers a good selection: scrambled eggs, grits (at least I think that's what they were--not my thing!), french toast, bread, rolls, biscuits, mini muffins, pastries, doughnuts (I thought the last two looked pretty mediocre, though), Yoplait yogurt, instant oatmeal, a selection of cold cereals, and a basket of fruit. Beverages are a selection of teas (Tazo herbals as well as Earl Gray, etc.), good coffee, and fruit juices. The  buffet hours are 6:00 am to 10:00 am--it's nice not to have to rush if you want to sleep in a little.

The complimentary toiletries (shampoo, conditioner and body lotion) are the Bath and Body Works brand in a nice lime/coconut scent. If you are not accustomed to the southern Utah summer climate (we visited in July), you will appreciate having decent conditioner and lotion on hand! I had to keep rubbing conditioner into my (dry) hair WITHOUT rinsing it out.

There are a microwave and small fridge in-room; these really came in handy when we had plenty of leftovers one night from a local restaurant and didn't want to waste them.

They offer additional towels at the front desk for the pool. The pool is tiny, but it was also very clean and wonderfully warmed by the desert sun. (There's a jacuzzi as well, which also was clean.) Plus, one benefit to its small size is that I now can finally brag about swimming 20 "laps."

There are free copies of USA Today and the local daily paper--which I thought was surprisingly decent and gave some nice insights into local life--available in the lobby (though for some reason on the day we checked out there was only the previous day's USA Today available--maybe they get a late delivery).

There are also the usual basics any decent motel should have, like a hair dryer, iron and ironing board, basic cable, etc.

Finally, all of the staff were extremely friendly and helpful--even Arlene, the lady who sets up the breakfast buffet. They aren't fake friendly but rather genuinely friendly and courteous in a low-key way. Amy, who managed the front desk in the evenings, even printed our boarding passes free of charge the night before we left.

The only small flaw I noticed was that our bathroom sink had hot running water (which initially ran very cold for several seconds), but the cold tap had only warm water. Maybe that's just as cold as you're going to get water in Utah in the summer, though.

The only reason I would not return here is that St. George is not as close to Zion or Bryce National Parks as some other towns such as Springdale, etc. We hadn't realized that when we planned our trip; we stayed in St. George based on my dad's recommendation. However, if I ever have a reason to return to St. George, I'll stay at the Ambassador Inn in a heartbeat. It's well worth checking out if you plan to stay in the area.

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