Canter Bridge

Although a handful of stays in a given chain’s hotels—like a single robin and the anticipated Spring—does not a success story make, it at least points in the right direction. During a recent overnight in the Merrillville, Indiana, variant of the Country Inn and Suites, I was reminded that my experience with this brand has been consistently positive. Given the extreme variation that sometimes marks different franchises of the same corporation, this is worth noting.

At a subjective level, I warm quickly to the Carlson product. They have large, homey, inviting entrance areas and often have rocking chairs outside near the front door. Though I haven’t done so, it’s not hard to imagine chilling with a magazine for an hour when the weather and the traffic suits.

The Country Inns and Suites are perhaps a cut above the Hampton Inn—arguably the most predictable mid-range hotel chain—in terms of spaciousness. I don’t know the vintage of the Carlson itself, but the locations in which I’ve stayed have a fresh, new-ish feel to them. One, in Duluth, MN, had popcorn available for the inroom microwave at no additional cost and staff so warm and chatty you wondered for a moment whether they were your long-lost cousins.

Service has been routinely upbeat and attentive and the locations are typically near food and freeways.

The price point is respectable and seasonal deals abound. So far, I’m a fan.