We’ve always urged using local mom-and-pop motels during your Route 66 travels on this site’s Lodging listings.
However, from the earliest days of Route 66 News, we’ve also recommended Hampton Inn if you want a chain motel instead. That’s partly because of Hampton Inn’s Landmarks program, of which several Route 66 properties have benefited. In addition, Hampton Inn sponsored the Route 66 Caravan in 2002, which provided much publicity for the Mother Road.
During business travels in my pre-Route 66 days, Hampton Inns impressed me for offering good amenities (including continental breakfast) at a moderate price. So this recommendation was (and is) honest.
A few weeks ago, a publicist offered two free nights at a Hampton Inn of my choice as a thank-you for the listing on my site. In exchange, I was to provide an “honest” review of those hotels. Because the International Route 66 Festival was coming up in Amarillo, I elected to stay one night each at both Hampton Inns in that city. At least, I figured it would be informative for future Route 66 travelers.
With those disclosures out of the way, here’s what I found:
Hampton Inn, 1700 I-40 East, Amarillo: As expected, we received a clean room, continental breakfast and the customary free Wi-Fi. My spouse commented that she liked the strong water pressure from the shower head, so that she could more efficiently shampoo her hair.
However, the two-story Hampton Inn East in Amarillo contains no elevators. So elderly guests should keep in mind they will have to take the stairs if they’re booked onto the second floor.
Also, it seemed the room’s air conditioner was struggling to keep up. Fortunately, the high temperature that day was a mild 84 degrees. In the wee hours, the A/C unit began pulsating loudly. It obviously was an older unit that had been repaired, and needed more fixing. The next morning, we advised the front desk about the problem, and they promptly filled out a work order.
Hampton Inn, 6901 I-40 West, Amarillo: This three-story Hampton Inn was obviously the newer of the two in Amarillo. It boasted elevators, plus a newer A/C unit with a wall thermostat. So the room where we stayed was clean and comfortable.
One thing we liked was the table-level placement of the room’s electrical outlets, so you could more easily plug in your laptop or portable devices. Also, this Hampton Inn required no access code to tap into its free Wi-Fi (although it did also require an online waiver before surfing).
This hotel was undergoing a major renovation of its breakfast area. Food instead was being served in an adjacent ballroom — a bit cramped, but we did find a sofa where we could sit and eat.
Both hotels were good. But the Hampton Inn on the west side of Amarillo fared better.