Idaho Falls – You’re Building A Hotel Where?
Is there any rhyme or reason to the planning that goes into Idaho Falls Hotels?
With the exception of a few locations I haven’t been able to figure out if there is any logic that goes into where the hotel locations develop.
The area of the Shilo and the Marriott by WalMart, those I get. Close to a freeway exit – ready to catch the Yellowstone traveler passing by visitors coming to town. But what about all the hotel development that has taken place around the Grand Teton Mall? Do enough people really come and spend the night to go to the mall?
The sad part of it all is with how they are kept up (or not kept up) it doesn’t seem like any hotel in Idaho Falls is doing exceptionally well. Many of the hotels are in desperate need for repairs and upgrades.
Maybe with the new nuclear business we have coming to town some of the hotels will finally be able to make the upgrades needed. Please feel free to review or comment on any hotels you are aware of that need repairs/upgrades or any truly great hotels you know of. Or please shed any light on what you think these developers were thinking when planning some of these locations.
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The hotels out close to the mall, my understanding were that they catered to the medically serviced crowd…either those coming to visit loved ones in the hospital, or those who needed to have a close area to stay while getting medical care, etc.
I suppose they’d also be useful if you were from a rural area and did some massive shopping here once in awhile.
I don’t stay in local hotels (hee hee) so I don’t know about their quality.
Just as with restaurants, we seem to have an abundance of hotels in this area.
The hotels near the mall, as Nemesis correctly points out, were originally built to accomodate patients, families and professionals for the Idaho Falls medical community. It is still a concept some struggle with that patients from 100s of miles away have care at EIRMC and can’t be discharged directly to their rural home.
Additionally, with EIRMC holding the MEDCOR contract with YNP, any companions/relatives accompanying someone who is injured or becomes ill while at YNP will need a place to stay.
The bigger problem from my perspective, is when no rooms are available.
Their popularity and need has expanded to include those coming to Idaho Falls who want to have a shopping/multiple movie/fun time in Idaho Falls from wherever home is for those travelers. Additionally, many families who have married children or extended family, frankly find it easier to book a room or two for some and add additional beds, bathroom and a swimming pool for a family get together.
I’ve stayed in all 3 of the current hotels near the mall. Without a doubt, I have my favorite for business travel.
IF you look up the rankings per travelers, one of the three consistantly lands as the #1 hotel in Idaho Falls, given the family atmosphere. I’ve had my fair share of soccer and baseball players (and their families) from MT, WY western ID etc. dominate elevators and lobbies of two of the hotels (which is one reason I prefer the third).
Joe Eagle, do you know anything about the addition to one of the three hotels last summer, or why Ball Ventures almost built a 4th in the area?
I think it would be wise to remember, sometimes local corporations are limited by what the “chain” will allow. Unless one, or a very close family member/collegue etc., has truly been inside all of them as a guest, talked with management, experienced the European crowd at one, the kid/family crowd at another and the business/medical crowd (along with some tourists) at the third, I would be guarded to express opinions without potentially knowing more facts.
Just for fun, try to book one online and see the cost but limited availability. Most reps who travel to the area prefer to stay in Idaho Falls, both because of the airport and what is easily accessible to their hotels, instead of Pocatello. That is a plus for Idaho Falls and why some companies have located permanent positions in Idaho Falls instead of Pocatello.
Let me know what you learn. I know the reality as I book one monthly.
From my perspective, these hotels and others to be eventually built in the area are a real plus for Idaho Falls. It shows that some people are thinking about what other facilities/opportunities really brings people to town, besides being a stop on the way to YNP or Jackson Hole etc.
Is it just me, or is anyone else having trouble understanding what OK4Now was saying. Everything was very vague. Why not name the motels/hotels. It might help some of the rest of us out.
MEDCOR??? I think YNP means Yellowstone National Park, but could be wrong, so am guessing that MEDCOR has something to do with that.
I recently had family staying at the Shiloh. They were extremely pleased with their accomodations, price and other amenities (such as full breakfast every morning and the swimming pool). They travel and stay in motels quite frequently and they said the Shiloh was one of the best yet for their family (2 adults and 3 small children — all under the age of 3).
Le ritz is remodeling and upgrading rooms 1 wing at a time,I was told hotels operate at less than 30% occupancy.Chistmas, 4th july,are big
Is the police dept. moving to snake river landing
if so does judiciary impact hotel usage?
I got the impression that OK4Now was deliberately not naming names, in a bid to be fair. I could be wrong.
Since I’m not going to stay at any of the hotels by the mall, and since I don’t live close by there so wouldn’t have my family stay there, either, it wasn’t a big deal to me to have this information stay vague.
OK4Now, you’ve sparked some interest with your comments. Would you feel comfortable naming names? If nothing else, you could give the name of the place that you prefer, as that would be a positive comment.
Idaho Native, I also had family stay at the Shilo recently and they were quite pleased, too. I have out of town business associates who stay at the AmeriTel and they are happy to be there.
Idaho Native said, “Is it just me, or is anyone else having trouble understanding what OK4Now was saying.”
Many of us often times have a hard time understanding what Ok4Now is talking about. Sometimes she goes all over the place and the longer her comments get, they they can end up very long, the weirder. Still, she’s fun having around once in a while if only for a laugh.
Anonymous…..The police department is not moving anywhere, the mayor and council decided not to have a bond for a new building at this time. Maybe in a few years. In the mean time, they are thinking about pumping money into the old building in an effort to make things fit. I dont know how they are going to do this, I dont think the structure has grown any in the last 30 years.
I think Nemesis is correct about Ok4Now. At least that is how I read his earlier comments. Some people are comfortable naming businesses for various reasons and some are not. So what.
Does this site just focus on trying to dissect people who post here? Or does anyone other than Ok4Now actually have hard data on hotels in the area? He’s shared a lot on the Marriott thread.
Does anyone know how many times have there been drug busts at Le Ritz? It seems like a nice place, but I’m not sure about the multiple times drugs have been reported there. I’d like to recommend it to those traveling here for business, but read the police reports.
Perhaps the Le Ritz staff is the only hotel paying attention to its guests. Many of these drug dealers move around from hotel to hotel so as to not stay in any one place for a long period of time. This extends their odds of getting caught. I commend the staff at the Le Ritz for paying attention and making sure this sort of activity doesn’t happen at their hotel.
The LeRitz is a locally owned hotel and because it is not a chain you may find some of the “shaddy” characters coming here. I have personally been inside this hotel (not for the drug stuff) but for meetings, and have found this to be one of the nicest hotels in Idaho Falls. I think it happens at other hotels, but maybe it comes back to the great staff that is very observant. Hats off to the LeRitz for having an observant staff.