Again, this stop was kind of means to an end. The drive was amazing. Sunny, blue skies, traffic wasn't bad except through the larger cities. There were plenty of rest stops and gas stations along my 4.5 hour trip. Now, on to the Orland Inn.
The Vibe
This is an older motel, motor inn type stop. It definitely has retro vibes. It has draw string curtains, a chain lock on the door...and though it's older, it is well kept. The carpet and wallpaper look great. The room was spacious, with a large vanity area and closet. The shower/toilet area was small, but you don't need much, right? There wasn't a full length mirror, but the two mirrors in the room were huge and sufficed. There was paper. No pen, but a pad of paper, which if you've read me before, is a dying luxury. They warn you that they do a room check at 9 am (must host a bunch of early birds) so if you don't want the knock, put out your "Do Not Disturb" sign. It looked like there were some long term tenants, but times are tough, and we gotta do what we gotta do to get by.
Cleanliness
Both the room and the grounds were super clean. Very little dog poop, no garbage flying around. I have no complaints there.
Amenities
There weren't many. They did have an outdoor pool. There were two soda/water vending machines. There was a covered barbecue area a seen in the photo. This was adjacent to the grassy dog area, which offered a sanitation station. There was still a little poop on the grass, but I've seen more. Always blows my mind though that you are literally a few feet from a bag and garbage and you refuse to pick up your dog's shit? Oy.
The room had a microwave and fridge. Did I mention the paper? No coffee maker though, which in this day and age, at least for me, is a necessity. They did offer coffee and packaged pastries in the lobby, but who wants to get dressed and go to the lobby first thing in the morning? Not this girl. There was a large dresser and table and chairs. No desk, but the table and chairs were enough for me. Kind of small, but it worked.
Staff
Super helpful and nice. Her name was Amy and she gave me advice on where to eat (though I ended up with a salad from Grocery Outlet). She brought an extra blankie to my room because I was freezing. The guy in the lobby this morning was very welcoming. Greeted me immediately.
Location
The Inn is conveniently located to a gas station, Grocery Outlet, Dollar Tree, and two restaurants, a noodle house and a deli. So if you're there just for the night, like I was, there's no reason to go anywhere else. It's also right off the highway. In fact, if you blink you might miss it like I did. Although it's off the highway, I could not hear road sounds at all.
I didn't venture further into town, but apparently Orland is the Queen Bee Capital of North America, They host bee related festivals and such throughout the year such as their Queen Bee festival in June and OctoBEEfest. You can also visit the Honeybee Discovery Center. Other than that, I'm not sure what goes on in Orland. It was a good, quick overnight stop though.
Flaws
I suppose age may be a factor, though it didn't trouble me any. The heat/cooling system worked, but when I got there I was freezing and had to turn the thing up to 78 degrees to find my happy medium. Again, I prefer a coffee maker in my room. At 3:40 am some guests decided it was a timem to have a party in the parking lot. Not the fault of the Inn, but I'm sure it's a place that at times might attract some sketchy characters.
Verdict
I rather enjoyed the retro vibe, the location was convenient and the amenities satisfied (again, except coffee). So I'm giving the Orland Inn in Orland, California 8.4 hotel keys.
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