This past weekend I took a little road trip outside of Toronto to Barrie, Ontario. I have been to Barrie a few times over the years for shows (on tour with the band/bands). We would drive back to the city because it’s only over an hour away depending on traffic. It was nice to stay in Barrie this time. It reminds me of London Ontario, where I grew up. I remember when my family and I first moved to Canada we stayed at an Inn before we found our first home. It felt a bit nostalgic staying at the Comfort Inn. It reminded me of that time in my life many moons ago.
Believe or not, before large hotels were the norm, it was all about the inn. A little hideaway or resting place away from home where you could stay while you travelled. Inns were also places for the community gather. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Comfort Inn’s warm and friendly staff. I immediately noticed the lobby’s clean modern decor. Complimentary iced lemon water in a beautiful glass canteen was a nice touch along with a coffee bar.
On the way to my room, I noticed the breakfast area with bright red chairs paired with black tables. The Comfort Inn offers complimentary breakfast for all guests. If the waffle machines don’t make you want to wake-up early (breakfast is served from 8am to 10am) I am not sure what will! It seriously felt like a home away from home and I can see why it’s a popular destination for families.
Comfort Inn is part of the Choice Hotels family. Choice Hotels offers an amazing rewards program for guests! Their rewards program puts them right on trend with larger hotels. Reward programs aren’t normally something one would think is available for boutique hotels or inns. It’s nice to know that whenever you stay at a Comfort Inn or any hotel part of the Choice Hotels family that you can earn rewards. Not only does Choice Hotels pride themselves in affordable prices and great service, their hotels are modern and offer many of the same amenities as larger chain hotels. There’s also a lot more privacy for those who want to skip out on the noise and traffic. Believe it or not, a lot of musicians favour inns or boutique hotels because they offer a lot more privacy. Most inns are also located right along travel routes. This is a bonus when traveling to and from venues and the airport.
What Does The Choice Reward Program Offer?
- You will redeem free nights at over 6,000 Choice Privileges locations worldwide (no blackout dates)
- Redeem a free nights stay at a luxury hotel partner
- Redeem for Airline Rewards
- Gift Card to popular Canadian retailers – what’s not to love about that.
- Dining rewards
- In-hotel benefits
- Rewards can be redeemed for gift cards, travel rewards, dining rewards!
How To Earn Points?
This is something I always wonder when I sign up for a rewards program. So I thought I would help you out so you can get the full benefits of this awesome rewards program. You have a lot of opportunities to get as many points as possible with 5,500 Choice Privileges worldwide.
- Refer-a-Friend because friends help friends right?!
- Shop at the Choice Privileges online mall, you may as well earn some points while you shop
- After 10 nights, you earn Elite Status! This is one of my favourite features. How many times have you stayed at a hotel and it’s taken forever to get the points you deserve given the amount of money spent? You should be rewarded.
- Airline miles
- Purchase up to 50,000 Choice Privilege points
I mentioned a few weeks back that I visited McMichael Canadian Art Collection, a great place to visit if you are heading to the Barrie area. It’s close by and you can take an art class! We also stopped by a local favourite Flapjacks in Innisfil Ont, a 15-minute drive from our hotel. Due to its location, I stayed at the Comfort Inn on 75 Hart drive, I was able to get to the places I needed to get to without too much traffic. It’s close enough to downtown Barrie and situated close to major highways. I went to the Boots and Hearts Music Festival while I was there, it was about a 15-minute drive to the festival grounds.
Overall, I had a really good experience. The rooms were clean, cozy and modern. I would definitely stay here again and recommend it to friends who are planning to take advantage of some of Ontario’s outdoor adventures. Waterparks, beaches, horseback riding trails, hiking trails and farms are just minutes away. It’s nice to know that you can always find a little bit of home and absolute comfort. We often forget that Canada has a lot to offer. A fun-filled weekend getaway doesn’t have to take place outside of Ontario. There is so much to see and do right here in Ontario. In my opinion, inns are back in style because good things should never go out of style.
