Richmond Getaway: Unforgettable Stay at Four Points by Sheraton!
Richmond Getaway: Four Points by Sheraton - A Confession, a Confession, and a Good Cup of Coffee. (Plus, a Whole Lotta Laundry)
Alright, folks. Buckle up. Because this isn't your polished, perfectly-formatted travel brochure review. This is me, spilling the tea (or, more accurately, the complimentary coffee from my room), about my recent stay at the Four Points by Sheraton in Richmond. And let's be honest, I’m still recovering. Good, but recovering.
The Good, the Bad, and the Questionable (in no particular order):
First things first, let me be frank: I'm a sucker for a good hotel. I need a comfortable bed. I crave a decent cup of coffee in the morning. And if there's a pool involved, well, consider me mostly sold. This Richmond adventure? Well, it had its moments, let's just say that.
Accessibility & the Blessings of an Elevator:
Okay, a quick shout-out to accessibility. The website boasts about it, and thankfully, the actual experience matched the promises! Everything seemed pretty well sorted for folks with mobility issues. Elevator? Check! Seriously, give me a win right away. I'm happy. Considering the sheer size of this place, the elevator was a lifesaver, not something to be taken for granted! And the fact that it also had facilities for disabled guests mentioned on their marketing, that was another major plus.
Rooms: My Kingdom for a Decent Blackout Curtain!
Okay. Let's dive into my room. The dreaded Air Conditioning was present, which is always a plus, especially in Virginia's summer heat. And you know what I LOVE? Blackout curtains. Honestly, it's like a personal safety guarantee to make time for some much needed sleep. My little slice of sanity in the hustle. Now, about the Internet. Wi-Fi, the ever-present necessity, was Free in all rooms! Hooray! And surprisingly speedy. Internet access – wireless was also a thing, but since I'm a dinosaur, I opted for the Wi-Fi. Anyway, my connection was strong enough to stream my favorite shows without my blood pressure rising, so, yay.
The bed was, blessedly, comfortable. I'm talking sink-into-it-and-disappear comfortable. My back gave it a solid thumbs up after the first night. The Additional toilet, Bathrobes and Slippers? A nice touch. But let's be real, I’m probably the only one who actually wears those robes.
Now, the imperfections… the Daily housekeeping was a little… inconsistent. One day, my bed was perfectly made, the next, it was like a toddler had a pillow fight in there. My dirty towel and the lack of fresh water bottles. Now, that’s annoying.
Food, Glorious Food (and Drink…and the Occasional Hangry Meltdown):
Okay, let’s talk food. Because, let’s be real, it’s a huge part of the hotel experience, right?
- Breakfast: The Buffet was a classic. Pretty standard fare, but with a decent selection (Asian breakfast, Western breakfast both available). I indulged in the Coffee/tea in restaurant, which was essential. The Breakfast service was efficient. The Breakfast takeaway service? A LIFESAVER for my rushed mornings.
- Restaurants: The restaurants themselves looked promising. I did not eat at all of them. The Poolside bar was a welcome respite. Great for a quick snack and a cold drink!
- Snacking/Drinking: The Bar was well-stocked. And they had a Coffee shop, which was open 24/7. I may have frequented it more than I care to admit.
- Room service [24-hour]: Hallelujah! Let's just say there were nights I was grateful for the ability to order a burger at 3 AM.
- Vegetarian Restaurant: Thank goodness for this because your girl likes her greens.
Cleanliness, Safety and The Pandemic Shuffle
Daily disinfection in common areas, Anti-viral cleaning products, Hand sanitizer… the pandemic has, thankfully, made us all a little more hygiene-conscious. The hotel clearly took this seriously (or at least, they said they did). The Staff trained in safety protocol, which was reassuring. There were Safe dining setup.
Things to Do (or, How I Found My Zen):
Okay, the highlight for me? The Pool with view. I spent a shameful amount of time there. The Fitness center was also decent.
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things that Matter
- Laundry Service: I was so thankful for the laundry service. I had to do a quick turnaround, especially since I had been running around all week.
- Concierge: Helpful folks, but I did not use their services much.
- Convenience store: Yes, yes, yes. Needed a quick snack at midnight.
- Cash withdrawal: That was pretty helpful, since no one likes unnecessary fees.
Quirky Observations and Emotional Reactions:
- The view from my room was okay. Not exactly Instagram-worthy, but the blackout curtains more than made up for it.
- I may or may not have accidentally set off the smoke detector opening the window. Oops.
- The staff, for the most part, were pleasant and helpful. A few were exceptionally so, going above and beyond. Those are the people I remember.
What Could Be Better (Because Nothing is Perfect):
- More consistent housekeeping, please! It's the little details that make a big difference.
- Maybe a slightly less generic breakfast buffet. Spice it up!
The Verdict: Would I Go Back?
Yeah, I'd go back. Despite the minor hiccups, it was a comfortable, convenient stay.
Metadata (SEO Fuel!):
- Keywords: Richmond, Virginia, hotel, Four Points by Sheraton, hotel review, accessibility, pool, fitness center, free Wi-Fi, restaurant, bar, room service, clean, safe, comfortable, travel, vacation, staycation, business travel, family friendly.
- Meta Description: Honest review of the Four Points by Sheraton in Richmond, Virginia. Highlights on accessibility, amenities, food, cleanliness & safety during the pandemic, and the overall experience. Is it worth it? Find out!
- Category: Travel, Hotels, Reviews
- Target Audience: Travelers, families, business travelers, anyone looking for a hotel in Richmond, VA.
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's meticulously planned travelogue. This is… life in the hotel. My trip to the Four Points by Sheraton in Richmond, Virginia? Yeah, it's more than a trip, it's a vibe. And buckle up, because the vibe is about to get real.
Day 1: Richmond, Ready or Not! (Mostly Not…)
1:00 PM - Arrival & Initial Panic: Landed in RIC. Smooth flight? HA! Let's just say the guy next to me on the plane spent the entire flight serenading the aisle with his snoring concert. Seriously, it was like a tuba solo with occasional hiccups. The luggage carousel? More like a luggage carnival – everything but my bag. I think it’s still vacationing in Atlanta. Found my way to the hotel via Uber (bless those drivers, truly, they're saints).
The Four Points looks pretty… generic. You know, the safe beige of corporate everything. My room? Clean, which is a win. But the curtains? They're the kind of "almost blackout" curtains that let just enough light in to ensure you wake up in a state of existential dread at 6 am.
2:30 PM - Check-In & Room Reconnaissance: Okay, room check! The bed? Soft, but not "cloud-nine" soft. More like "meh, I've slept on worse" soft. The bathroom? Standard hotel-issue, with those questionable-looking little soaps that always feel like they're from the Stone Age. I swear, I think I found a fossil in the drain.
3:00 PM - The Quest for Coffee & Unnecessary Shopping: Desperate for caffeine. Found a sad little coffee maker in the lobby, which I now dub "The Depression Dispenser." It brewed something… resembling coffee. I chugged it anyway. Fuelled, I ventured out. Mistake number one: a quick stroll down the street. Ended up buying a ridiculously oversized souvenir t-shirt that says "I Heart Virginia!" I'm not even sure I like Virginia yet. But hey, at least I'll be comfy while repenting for my impulsive purchase.
5:00 PM - Dinner Disappointment: Tried a restaurant downtown. Disaster. Overpriced, pretentious food, and the waiter looked utterly bored by my mere existence. I ordered the risotto, which, based on the texture, was likely cooked in a swamp the previous week. Swore I would order takeout from somewhere later.
8:00 PM - The Bar Situation: Back at the hotel. The bar! It was… okay (a recurrent theme). I ordered a gin and tonic and attempted to strike up a conversation with a lone business traveler. That went about as well as you'd expect. I ended up just staring at the TV, watching whatever garbage was on CNN.
10:00 PM - Late-Night Lament & Room Service Realizations: Room service menu: the stuff of hotel legends. I did it! Ordered a burger, fries, and a side of existential dread. The burger? Surprisingly decent. Comfort food is a lifesaver, people. The dread, however, was still on the menu.
Day 2: Civil War & Coffee Guilt
- 7:00 AM - Wake-up & Caffeine Catastrophe: The curtains. The light. The inevitable wake-up call from my own brain. I’m convinced hotel coffee is designed to make you more tired. I’m a coffee snob and I hate myself for it.
- 8:00 AM - Breakfast Barrage: The free breakfast? I braced myself for the worst, and wow, it was… the worst. Rubber eggs, weak bacon, and questionable fruit salad. I choked down a piece of toast slathered in what I think was butter. I'm currently questioning all my life choices.
- 9:00 AM - Historic Richmond: I am going to go see the Civil War Museum. I tried, I wanted to. The museum was… well, it was a lot. I'm not going to lie, I got a little overwhelmed by the historical stuff. So much history! I saw the artifacts, which were oddly compelling. I even got a bit choked up looking at some of the letters and personal belongings. The weight of the past… it's a heavy thing.
- 12:00 PM - Lunch (Takeout Edition): Revenge on bad restaurants! I ordered pizza from a local place. Glorious, cheesy, greasy pizza. I ate it in my hotel room, with a side of guilt.
- 2:00 PM - The Hotel Gym: A Comedy of Errors: I went to the hotel gym. I lasted five minutes. I spent most of the time trying to figure out how the treadmill worked. It ended with me face-planting in a pile of gym towels. No, really. Face. Plant. This is my life now.
- 4:00 PM - Retail Therapy (Again): Needed a pick-me-up. Wandered around a few shops, bought a silly trinket I’ll regret later, and talked myself into buying a book. I need a good book, a very good book.
- 7:00 PM - Dinner (I hate it here): I'm eating at a restaurant I found highly recommended, but I feel that it's pretentious and overrated. It's all white tablecloths and hushed whispers. I swear, I can hear my wallet weeping.
- 9:00 PM - Reflection Time: I went in the lobby and had a gin and tonic. I just sat, just me, the world, the drink. The hotel is starting to feel… familiar. Which is both comforting and slightly terrifying.
Day 3: "Goodbye, Richmond, You Weird & Wonderful Place." (Maybe)
- 7:00 AM - The Great Escape: The curtains! The light! But today, I was ready. I was up! The hotel breakfast was… yeah, still the hotel breakfast. But I ate it. I didn’t hate it. Maybe I'm just broken.
- 8:00 AM - One Last Stroll: Decided to make the place a proper goodbye by revisiting some of the sites. Richmond can be… a lot. A beautiful, complicated, frustrating lot, that is. I ended up buying a hat, which I will probably wear constantly for the next month, regardless of weather.
- 9:30 AM - Hotel Checkout & The Luggage Saga (Part Deux): Checked out. No problems. Which, after this trip, feels unnatural. My luggage had arrived! Victory! (It was also slightly crushed, but whatever.)
- 10:00 AM - Airport Departure: Uber to the airport. The driver was a chatty Cathy. I like chatty Kathys; she helped with all my luggage! The airport was surprisingly pleasant. Got through security without incident.
- 12:00 PM - Goodbye Richmond: Boarded the plane, and buckled up. Richmond, it was… an experience. A messy, imperfect, occasionally delightful experience. I'm exhausted. I'm inspired. I'm going to sleep. And I kind of miss it already.
Final Thoughts:
This trip was a rollercoaster. There were disappointments, moments of pure joy, and way too much coffee. The hotel? It’s a hotel. But Richmond? Richmond, you beautiful, weird, and wonderful place, I'll be back. Maybe. After I recover from the exhaustion… and the breakfast.
Hakodate Park Hotel: Your Unforgettable Japanese Escape Awaits!
So, What Even *Is* This... Thing? (And Should I Care?)
Alright, alright, deep breaths. If you're here, you're probably staring at… well, you're staring at a thing. A concept. A… *situation*. I'm avoiding the actual *name* of the thing because frankly, that whole naming convention feels a bit pretentious, you know? Like naming your cat "Sir Bartholomew Fluffernutter the Third." (Though, admittedly, I *did* once know a cat named that. He was a jerk.)
Anyway, let's just say this "thing" is essentially a set of... rules? Guidelines? Recommendations? Okay, call them *suggestions*. Like, "Hey, maybe try this, it *might* be awesome, or at least better than what you're doing now." It's the kind of thing you might accidentally trip over late at night while Googling "How to make a decent cup of coffee without breaking my Keurig."
And should you care? Look, that's your call! I'm not your mom. But if you're curious, even just a *little* bit, stick around. Because, honestly, sometimes the biggest disasters lead to the best stories (trust me, I've got *plenty* of those).
Okay, I'm (Kind Of) Interested. But What's The *Point*? What's The End Game?
Ah, the burning question! What's the *goal*? To become a guru? To achieve enlightened guru-ness? To sell overpriced kombucha to gullible tourists? Nope, nope, and absolutely nope. (Unless, of course, you *really* enjoy kombucha. I'm not judging.)
The "point," as far as I'm concerned, is to… well, to *figure it out*. To meander. To stumble. To *learn*. It's about navigating the whole mess of this existence and maybe, just maybe, finding a slightly less irritating way to do it.
Honestly, for a while, I was *terrible* at this. Years spent feeling lost, overwhelmed, and wondering if the voices in my head were trying to tell me something insightful or just wanted to know if I was making a sandwich. (Spoiler: I was always making a sandwich.) The point is, give it a try. You might be surprised where it takes you.
Hang On. Is This Gonna Be Complicated? I'm Already Exhausted.
Look, I feel you. Complicated is the default setting for a lot of things in life, including figuring out how to load the dishwasher correctly (still haven't cracked that one). The short answer is... it *could* be. Potentially. It really depends on how deep you want to dive.
But the *goal* isn't to get bogged down in a bunch of jargon and obscure concepts. It's about finding what *resonates* with you. That's key. If something feels like a total drag, ditch it! Seriously. No one's checking your homework.
And if you're already exhausted? Start small. A tiny, little baby step. Maybe just a deep breath. And if even that feels like too much, then skip it and come back when you have more energy. (Believe me, I've spent entire weeks just staring at the ceiling, contemplating the existential dread of laundry. Exhaustion is real.)
So, What *Specifically* Are We *Doing* Here? Give Me Some Damn Concrete Examples!
Alright, alright, let's get down to brass tacks. Concrete examples, you say? Okay. Here's a taste, and I’m trying to keep this simple. The core of this "thing" is about... well, let's say it's about *awareness*. Like, being aware of your thoughts, your feelings, your reactions to the world.
Okay real-world example alert! Last week... Oh, yeah! I was trying to assemble a new bookshelf (because I *clearly* didn't have enough books already). The instructions, let's just say, were written by someone who clearly enjoyed playing a cruel joke on humanity. Screwdrivers were flying, expletives were uttered (mostly by me), and I was *this* close to setting the whole thing on fire for the insurance money (just kidding… mostly).
But then, in a moment of (relative) clarity I thought, "Wait a minute. Why am I SO riled up? Is this about the bookshelf, or is it about… something else?" Turns out, I'd had a rough day at work, and the bookshelf was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Recognizing that shifted my entire perspective on the situation. The shelf still took forever to build, but the rage was contained. (Mostly.) That's the essence. That's the *goal*.
Am I Going to Have to Meditate? Because Honestly, I Can't Sit Still For Five Seconds.
Ugh, meditation. The M-word. Look, I get it. The thought of sitting cross-legged, chanting, and trying to "empty your mind" can feel… well, it can feel like torture. I am the *least* patient person I know. I fidget, I get distracted, and my brain is constantly chattering like a group of gossiping squirrels.
The good news? Meditation isn't a requirement. Yes, it can be SUPER helpful. But if it's not your jam, don't force it. There are a million other ways to cultivate awareness.
I once tried a ten-day silent meditation retreat. Ten days! I lasted, oh, about four hours. Turns out, the silence was *less* relaxing and more… amplifying of my own inner chaos. It was an epic fail. But I learned a ton, and I've since found other methods like walking in nature, journaling, or even just listening to a really, really good song that bring me into a meditative state. And don’t get me started on the time I tried to meditate on a crowded train, I was so annoyed by all this noises, ahhh never again.
What if I Mess Up? Am I Going to Fail? (Because, Honestly, I'm Good at Failing.)
Oh, honey. Messing up? Failing? That's practically a prerequisite! If I had a dollar for every time I failed… well, I'd probably still be broke, because I'd spend it all on ridiculously expensive coffee and fancy pens.
The beauty (and the messiness) of all of this is that there's no actual "success" or "failure." It's a journey, not a destination. You'reBook Hotels Now
