Baton Rouge's BEST Hotel? Super 8 I-12 Review! (You Won't Believe This)
Baton Rouge's BEST Hotel? Super 8 I-12 Review! (You Won't Believe This… Seriously.)
Okay, people, listen up. You want the truth about hotels? Forget the polished brochure BS. You want real Baton Rouge hotel reviews? Here it is, warts and all, for the legendary (in its own mind, at least) Super 8 I-12. I’ve stayed there. I’ve lived there, practically, for a few hectic days. And I’m here to tell you… well, you're in for something.
First Impressions: Accessible (mostly. And I needed that.)
Let's get the serious stuff out of the way first. Accessibility. Look, I'm not in a wheelchair, but I do appreciate a smooth entry and easy navigation. The Super 8 on I-12 mostly delivers. Ramps? Check. Elevators? Check. Clear signage? Mostly check. (But, and this is a big but, that automatic door sometimes jammed. A minor inconvenience, but for someone who needs it, that's a major potential headache. Fix that, Super 8!) They get points for trying, though.
Accessibility Breakdown:
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes, mostly.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Yep, they seem to be around.
- Elevator: Absolutely. Important.
- Exterior corridor: Check. (Which, honestly, I prefer – less stuffy hotel smell.)
Okay, let's go deeper: The Good, the Bad, and the Surprisingly Spicy Breakfast.
Rooms, Rooms, Glorious Rooms.
My room (I’m not going to lie, I went for whatever was available) was… well, it was a room. It had a bed. A pretty standard bed. It had a TV (Satellite/cable channels, folks! Don't you worry!). It had that slightly-too-strong air conditioning that hotels seem to love. Basic, but functional.
Available in all rooms:
- Additional toilet: Nope. (Thankfully, I didn't need it)
- Air conditioning: Yup. Blast those vents!
- Alarm clock: Ding ding ding!
- Bathrobes: Uh… no.
- Bathroom phone: Thankfully, no. Who’s calling at 3 am?!
- Bathtub: Yep (and a separate shower!).
- Blackout curtains: YES! God bless blackout curtains. Sleep. Glorious sleep.
- Carpeting: Yes, and it looked like it had been cleaned, but you can't be 100% sure, can you?
- Closet: Check.
- Coffee/tea maker: Hallelujah! Caffeine is essential in hotel life.
- Complimentary tea: Nice touch.
- Daily housekeeping: They REALLY delivered here. I'm easily messy and it felt pristine by the end of the day.
- Desk: Check (and it was actually a decent size, which is a HUGE win for working travelers).
- Extra long bed: Nope. Standard.
- Free bottled water: Two whole bottles!
- Hair dryer: Present and accounted for.
- High floor: Wasn't. Lowkey wanted a view.
- In-room safe box: Yes! I'm always paranoid about my laptop.
- Interconnecting room(s) available: Didn't check.
- Internet access – LAN: I think so… I mostly used Wi-Fi.
- Internet access – wireless: Yep. FREE Wi-Fi in all rooms! (This is a HUGE selling point!)
- Ironing facilities: Iron and board? Check.
- Laptop workspace: The desk, yes!
- Linens: Clean! Important!
- Mini bar: Nope.
- Mirror: Yes (and well-lit, which is clutch for, you know, actually seeing your face).
- Non-smoking: Absolutely!
- On-demand movies: Eh, didn't bother.
- Private bathroom: Yes.
- Reading light: Hmmm, could have been better, to be honest.
- Refrigerator: Yes (I needed that to keep my snacks cold).
- Safety/security feature: Smoke detectors (of course!), deadbolt locks, and a peep hole.
- Satellite/cable channels: Yep.
- Scale: Not in my room.
- Seating area: Small, but present.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Yes! Big plus.
- Shower: Fine. Pressure was okay.
- Slippers: Nope.
- Smoke detector: Naturally.
- Socket near the bed: Yes! Game changer!
- Sofa: No, but it's a smaller room, so I don't miss one.
- Soundproofing: So-so. Heard the hallway a little.
- Telephone: Standard.
- Toiletries: Basic. Bring your own fancy stuff.
- Towels: Soft and clean. Crucial.
- Umbrella: Nope.
- Visual alarm: Didn't see one.
- Wake-up service: Available.
- Wi-Fi [free]: Hallelujah!
- Window that opens: Yes! Fresh air!!!
The Internet Abyss: Still A Thing in 2024, Apparently.
Okay, let's get real about the internet.
- Internet: It works, but it’s not the fastest. I'm talking dial-up speed sometimes.
- Internet [LAN]: Didn’t use it.
- Internet services: Okay, fine. Check.
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! YES! (But see above. Needs improvement.)
- Wi-Fi in public areas: Okay. But I was mostly stuck in my room.
The Breakfast Debacle (and a Tiny Triumph).
Ah, breakfast. The hotel breakfast. It's a gamble. The Super 8 I-12… did not disappoint (in a bad way). It was your standard continental fare:
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yup. The buffet.
- Breakfast service: Yes.
- Asian breakfast: Nope.
- Breakfast takeaway service: Yes, if you’re in a real rush.
- Western breakfast: The only breakfast they have!
The coffee? Weak. The pastries? Questionable. Cereal? Standard. BUT! And this is a big but. There was a waffle maker. And let me tell you, that little waffle maker was the MVP! Crispy waffles. Lots of syrup. A small win in a sea of mediocrity. Waffle maker is a 10/10. The rest? Meh. Don't expect gourmet dining.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking – (Or, What to Do When You're Trapped).
The Super 8, as far as I could tell, doesn't have its own restaurant, bar, or even a proper convenience store. So, you are on your own. This is a bummer.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Not in the Super 8, no.
- Restaurants: Not within the actual hotel sadly.
- Poolside bar: Not here.
- Bar: Nope.
- Happy hour: Nope.
- Room service [24-hour]: Hahaha. No.
- Snack bar: I wish.
Things to Do (Or, The Eternal Search for Amusement).
Okay, this is where the Super 8 falls a little flat. Outside of the room and the (nonexistent) on-site amenities, you're on your own.
- Things to do: Walk around and enjoy the scenery… (Not much, but it's Baton Rouge!)
- Sauna: Not here.
- Spa: Forget it.
- Spa/sauna: No.
- Pool with view: Please.
- Swimming pool: The outdoor pool was a little murky.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: There's one, but I didn't get a chance to go in this time.
- Fitness center: I didn't see one, sadly.
- Gym/fitness: No.
- Massage: Nope.
- Body scrub: Wouldn't bet on it!
- Body wrap: Hahaha, no.
- Foot bath: Still dreaming.
Cleanliness and Safety: The Germ-Free Zone (ish).
In the current climate, cleanliness is paramount. The Super 8 did a decent job here, using anti-viral cleaning products.
- Cleanliness and safety: Okay
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Yes!
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Seems like it.
- **
Okay, buckle up buttercup, because this ain't your grandma's perfectly-formatted itinerary. This is a Super 8 Baton Rouge adventure, and trust me, it's gonna be… something.
Subject: OPERATION: Baton Rouge… We Might Actually Survive! (Maybe)
Hotel: Super 8 by Wyndham Baton Rouge/I-12 (Let's be honest, it's probably seen things…)
Day 1: Arrival & the Unholy Trinity of Baton Rouge Hospitality
- 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Arrive at BTR (Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport). Okay, the airport's… functional. No shimmering fountains, but the baggage claim did have surprisingly efficient conveyor belts. Already a win! Grab a rental car – a compact. They gave us the "surprise upgrade" to a slightly-less-compact. (Cue internal monologue: "Am I officially adulting? Is this what happens?")
- 2:30 PM: Check into the Super 8. Alright, let's be real. The lobby smells vaguely of bleach and regret. But, hey, the AC blasts, and I'm pretty sure I saw a vending machine with actual decent candy! Small victories. Unpack. Immediately realize I forgot my toothbrush. (Facepalm. Classic.)
- 3:30 PM: The Great Food Search Begins! Drive to Louie's Cafe (Recommended.) I'm starving. Pray for a good burger. (Update: The burger was a solid 7/10, but the bread was so good, it might have bumped it higher.)
- 4:30 PM: Drive to BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo. Oh. My. God. The flamingos! They look like they're plotting something. Maybe world domination? It's unnerving. I spent a questionable amount of time watching some squirrel trying to steal french fries from a toddler. (Honestly, I related.) Honestly, this zoo is good. I thought the bears were especially adorable. (One of them was giving me the stink eye.)
- 6:00 PM: Drive back to the hotel. Shower. Notice a mysteriously stained towel. (Deep breath… it happens.)
- 7:00 PM: Dinner - Walk to a local crawfish restaurant, I forgot its name…but I'm hungry and this place smells good.
- 8:00 PM: Back to the hotel. Catching up on some emails. I'm also not above a little hotel room channel surfing. (Spoiler alert: There are a lot of commercials for lawyers.)
- 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM: Attempt sleep. (Prepare for the symphony of I-12 traffic and the distant hum of the vending machine…wish me luck)
Day 2: History, Humidity, and Hard Decisions
- 8:00 AM: Wake up. That vending machine did call to me at 3 AM. Grabbed a questionable blueberry muffin. Regret.
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the Hotel - "Continental breakfast." I am fairly certain the coffee is older than I am. Still, the waffles are free, and who am I to judge?
- 10:00 AM: Visit the Louisiana State Capitol. Okay, this is actually kinda cool. The building is pretty impressive, and the views from the top are worth the climb. (The humidity, though… it's a living, breathing creature here.)
- 11:30 AM: Explore the USS Kidd. This is a destroyer. Pretty awesome, and the history is super interesting. It's also very hot and a little claustrophobic. I spent way too long imagining what it would have been like to be on a ship doing battle during World War II. (It was terrifying, and I have newfound respect for the men and women who served.)
- 1:00 PM: Lunch at a restaurant. (I told you, I'm hungry).
- 2:30 PM: Drive to a local art gallery/shop. There's a weird painting there. I can't stop staring at it. It's vaguely unsettling, but I kind of love it.
- 4:00 PM: Consider getting ice cream. Weather is making me question my life choices.
- 5:00 PM: The Great Hotel Room Hangout! (More TV, contemplating the meaning of life, and trying not to think about that stained towel.)
- 7:00 PM: Dinner.
- 8:30 PM: Stare up at the ceiling. Thinking if the motel is haunted.
- 9:30 PM - 11:30 PM: Attempt sleep (Again. The road is calling. The vending machine is lurking. Wish me luck again.)
Day 3: Farewell, Baton Rouge! (We Survived!)
- 8:00 AM: Wake up. Seriously considering therapy after this trip.
- 9:00 AM: Hotel breakfast. Force down more coffee.
- 10:00 AM: Check out of the Super 8. I swear, I can still smell the bleach and regret. This place is officially etched in my memory.
- 10:30 AM: Drive to the airport. Return the rental car.
- 12:00 PM: Depart BTR.
Stuff that Happened (That Didn't Fit Anywhere Else)
- Random Observation: Baton Rouge has a lot of fast-food restaurants. Seriously, it's like every other building.
- Emotional Reaction: I'm going away from here feeling both slightly better and slightly worse. It's a weird mix.
- Imperfection: I got a tiny paper cut from a map. It bled. (The drama!)
- Spontaneous Purchase: A sticker from the USS Kidd. (I'm a history buff now, apparently).
Final Thoughts: Baton Rouge, you were… something. You were hot, at times bewildering, and, surprisingly, kinda charming. I'll never forget the stained towel, the plotting flamingos, or the questionable blueberry muffin. And hey, I survived. That's a win, right? Onward, to whatever the next adventure may hold! (And maybe a new toothbrush…)
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Alright, Spill It: Is Super 8 I-12 Really THAT Bad? The "You Won't Believe This" Thing Makes Me Nervous.
Okay, okay, deep breaths. "You won't believe this" is mostly clickbait, right? But… let's just say, the Super 8 I-12 is an *experience*. It's like a box of chocolates, Forrest Gump style. You *might* get a delicious one. Or you might find yourself wishing you'd brought Clorox wipes and a hazmat suit. My first stay? Legend. I still have nightmares about the smell. And that was AFTER they renovated. Yeah, renovated. Makes you wonder what was BEFORE.
Look, it's budget. Manage those expectations. You're not getting the Ritz. Think more... Motel 6 with a slight chance of unexpected adventure.
The Room. Let's Talk About The Room. What's the Vibe?
The Vibe? Well, if "slightly-used," "maybe-haunted," and "surprisingly-spacious-considering-the-price" were all genres of music, that would be the soundtrack. Some rooms are surprisingly decent. Cleanish. Beds that don't actively try to swallow you whole. Others? Oh, honey. *Others*. I once found a… a *thing*… a little plastic figurine, under the bed. Still don't know where it came from, or why. But it's a conversation starter, right?
Expect worn carpet, questionable lighting, and furniture that has clearly seen better decades. But hey, at least the AC *usually* works. Usually. And sometimes there's a mini-fridge! Gold. Pure gold (if it works).
What About Cleanliness? Because, You Know... Germs.
This is where things get a little… uneven. See that’s polite. I’ve stayed once with a visible stain on the comforter big enough to be its own constellation. I should have taken a picture... I didn't. I just... stared at it. Then I covered it with the extra sheet. It’s the luck of the draw, honestly. Some rooms are, to my surprise, perfectly fine. Others… let's just say packing your own Lysol wipes might be a wise move. The bathrooms are, on occasion, a bit… *rustic*. Bring your own air freshener. Seriously. Trust me on this.
Is the Breakfast Really as Terrible as They Say?
Ah, the breakfast. It's a Super 8 staple. The cornerstone of our hotel adventure! Honestly, the continental breakfast situation is one of life’s great mysteries. The juice always has the same distinct flavor... whatever THAT flavor is. The bread? It’s bread. The cereal? Well, it’s there. There are always things like pre-packaged muffins that probably survived the dinosaurs. Sometimes there are waffles! And those, my friends, are a gift from the hotel gods. But get there early. Because the buffet… it goes fast. Oh, and the coffee? Let’s just say it *exists*. It's hot-ish. And you might want to bring your own creamer. Or maybe just skip breakfast altogether. Think of it as a pre-emptive diet plan.
Location, Location, Location: How Convenient is It?
Okay, the location? Actually, not too shabby. It's right off I-12, hence the name. Pretty easy to get to. Plenty of restaurants and shops nearby. So, you're not stranded in the middle of nowhere. That’s a definite plus. Especially if you're starving after a long drive and looking for, say... a decent burger. Or, you know, anything edible. BUT…. the proximity to I-12 also means traffic noise. So, if you're a light sleeper, request a room away from the highway. And maybe invest in some earplugs. You've been warned.
The Amenities? Don't Tell Me They Have a Pool...
Oh, they DO have a pool. And in Baton Rouge heat? You'd think it’d be the highlight. The thing is, it's always… *questionable*. I mean, it's there. It *looks* like a pool. But I wouldn’t dive in without a tetanus shot. I think the whole thing may have been visited by a family of raccoons and their pet goldfish. Consider it a decorative feature, not a swimming hole. Other amenities? Free Wi-Fi! Which kinda works. The TV? Well, it has channels! The gym? Let's move on...
The Staff... Are They Actually Alive? And Helpful?
The staff... oh, the staff. Look, they're usually there. That's a win. Some are incredibly helpful, bless their hearts. Others… well, let's just say that they probably handle several things a day, and they're usually pretty good. Sometimes they're exhausted. Sometimes they're learning English. But they're usually trying. Be nice. They're working, and they're probably as tired as you are. The key is patience and a sense of humor. A hearty "Good Morning!" and a smile go a long way.
So, Bottom Line: Would You Stay There Again?
Okay, the million-dollar question. Here's the deal. If I'm on a budget, and I *absolutely* need a bed, and I'm prepared to embrace the slightly-unhinged nature of the place... yeah, probably. It's not the worst. It's certainly… memorable. But, I would pack extra toiletries. And maybe a hazmat suit. Just kidding... mostly. I’d also set the alarm before heading down to the breakfast. Seriously. But don’t expect luxury. Expect an adventure. Expect something slightly imperfect. And mostly, expect you get what you pay for. But hey, at least you have a story to tell, right? You might even find a little plastic figurine under the bed. And then you’re REALLY living it.
