Carpenter Street Inn Springfield, Ill

The exterior of the Carpenter Street Hotel in no way prepares you for what you will find inside. The exterior is quite plain and reminiscent of several chain hotels. The lobby is quite small and has an adjacent breakfast room and the elevator is also small. Since the hotel is only three stories, this is not an issue. When you open the door to your room, you are in for a wonderful surprise. It is very boutique like with a pretty patterned neutral carpet and soothing taupe walls.

We had a standard king room, and the bed was done with crisp white bedding and plenty of pillows and one burgundy pillow for a pop of color. Although it was understood that this was a limited service hotel, from what was seen, there are plenty of services.

For one thing, the hotel has a van that will shuttle guests to downtown locations. How convenient is that? Not that the hotel is far from anything, it is only a few blocks from the Old State Capital and the Lincoln Herndon Law Office as well as several area hospitals and plenty of dining. You can certainly walk from here to just about anywhere you want to go.

In addition to the bed, the room had a chair and ottoman, a work desk and ergonomic chair, a microwave, mini-fridge, coffeemaker and a 32-inch flat panel TV. 

The lights on the wall in back of the nightstands include electric plugs, which is very convenient for keeping all the electronics charged. A large padded bench and a full-length mirror are also included. The closet is open and a dresser sits under the TV. Plenty of lights in the room, including one on the desk and a floor lamp next to the chair and ottoman, keep things as bright as you prefer.

The bathroom looks brand new and had a one-piece shower and tub and of course a sink, large mirror and all the things you expect from your bathroom. The water pressure is strong and provided a great shower.

A new gym has been recently added. The entire hotel is smoke-free, Internet access is free and strong, and there is no charge for parking at the hotel. The staff is exceptional friendly and wake-up calls or extra towels are available if needed. This makes you feel very welcome.

Breakfast, which is complimentary, is served from 5:00 a.m. to 9 a.m. It is the basic free buffet that most hotels offer: pastries, juice, yogurt, bagels, boiled eggs, two hot dishes (scrambled eggs with cheese and potatoes when this writer visited) and make-your-own waffles. The breakfast room is pleasant and there are enough tables to accommodate guests.

The hotel originally opened in 1997 to meet the demands of family and patients at the local healthcare facilities. With its new updates and renovations, it has expanded its customer base to include tourists and business people as well. The prices are good, the location is great and the rooms are upscale enough to satisfy everyone. I would not hesitate to recommend The Carpenter Street Hotel to anyone visiting the area and would certainly stay here again myself.