Galveston--LaQuinta East or West?

[recyclelady]

I think that the prices are just about the same for both LaQuintas on Galveston. I also am assuming that the 6 of us will just get a couple of cabs in the morning to take us to our Princess cruise. So I am trying to decide between these two facilities.

 

So here are my questions:

 

1. We will not have a car. Is there a place walkable from either of them to buy Coke and wine for the cruise?

 

2. Will the cab fare be sort of reasonable from either of them to the cruise port?

 

3. Any other pros and cons that might weigh my decision before I suggest that all three couples make their reservations?

 

Thanks!!!

[helicopter]

La Quinta East has much more around it, closer to port. We have been to Galveston many times and I prefer the East area better. Cab fare will run around 20.00 to port. This Saturday will be our first time to stay at this particular hotel, but known the area:)

[recyclelady]

La Quinta East has much more around it, closer to port. We have been to Galveston many times and I prefer the East area better. Cab fare will run around 20.00 to port. This Saturday will be our first time to stay at this particular hotel, but known the area:)

Thank you!

 

Maps didn't reallly help me. I'm not really picky about my hotel---but I have to have Diet Coke before I can board the ship! (Just this addiction I have to feed:D) Knowing that there is more around the East location helps!

[ssb]

Thank you!

 

Maps didn't reallly help me. I'm not really picky about my hotel---but I have to have Diet Coke before I can board the ship! (Just this addiction I have to feed:D) Knowing that there is more around the East location helps!

 

East has more around you and a better beach!!

There is an Arlans Grocery Store near by 513 Market St @ 6th

 

14th Street

Original Mexican

Sunflower

Mosquito/Patticakes

 

Seawall

Saltgrass

New York Pizza

Benos

ShyKatZ Deli & Bakery 1528 Ave L (Breakfast All Day) Near Broadway

Post Office St - Downtown

Rudi and Pacos

Saltwater Grill

Olympia Grill

Gumbos

Houston Map PDF

Download Houston-area map in PDF Format:

Houston Metro

 

Galveston Island Map PDF

Download Galveston-area map in PDF Format (note: this is a large, 11' wide, print-quality map, so please be patient):

Galveston (B&W)

 

 

 

[recyclelady]

East has more around you and a better beach!!

There is an Arlans Grocery Store near by 513 Market St @ 6th

 

14th Street

Original Mexican

Sunflower

Mosquito/Patticakes

 

Seawall

Saltgrass

New York Pizza

Benos

ShyKatZ Deli & Bakery1528 Ave L (Breakfast All Day) Near Broadway

 

Post Office St - Downtown

Rudi and Pacos

Saltwater Grill

Olympia Grill

Gumbos

 

Houston Map PDF

Download Houston-area map in PDF Format:

Houston Metro

 

Galveston Island Map PDF

Download Galveston-area map in PDF Format (note: this is a large, 11' wide, print-quality map, so please be patient):

Galveston (B&W)

 

 

 

Thank you, SSB! I just printed your suggestions and the Galveston map you sent along. Also made my reservation at LaQuinta East. Now I have to wait until March!!!

[ssb]

Besides the popular Spot on Seawall

There is a new beach bar at 700 Seawall near your motel

Beach Hut Bar with music at 5. a happy hour.

 

Happy hours at Spot upstairs Rum Shack,

Olympia on port , and Saltwater on post office all good.

Monday thru Friday

Ask for hh menu at Olympia!

[jewd]

When I stayed at the LaQuinta [East] I noticed that it was closer

to the port and that there were more stores close by.

[helicopter]

Just returned from the Magic and stayed at the LaQuinta East. I don't tink you will be disappointed for the price. Captain Jack's Bar within walking distance (shack type where you are looking out at ocean). Shops within walking distance.

[recyclelady]

Just returned from the Magic and stayed at the LaQuinta East. I don't tink you will be disappointed for the price. Captain Jack's Bar within walking distance (shack type where you are looking out at ocean). Shops within walking distance.

Thanks for the heads-up!

[cl00686]

(dont know if you cruised yet but maybe this will help someone else)

 

We Stayed at West last year, its a dump, elevators didnt work, had a balcony room which I couldnt open the door. Called the front desk they were suppose to send a guy to fix it, never did. Never got any money back on it either.

 

Overall its a ran down dump. I'd avoid the west like the plauge.

[ssb]

(dont know if you cruised yet but maybe this will help someone else)

 

We Stayed at West last year, its a dump, elevators didnt work, had a balcony room which I couldnt open the door. Called the front desk they were suppose to send a guy to fix it, never did. Never got any money back on it either.

 

Overall its a ran down dump. I'd avoid the west like the plauge.

 

Thanks for info

We live in Galveston and good to know

[rjackieb]

We had a recent stay at La Quinta East that was not a pleasant one. We've been to Galveston many times, and love the area and the people, but this time we couldn't stay at our usual motel.

While I hope others can learn from our experience, I need to ask what we could have done differently. I know in my frustration I did a couple of things I should have done differently, but what would others have done?

 

The office was quite busy when we checked in, but the male employee was able to get it done quickly, with a few confusions. Our first problem was taking my mother to her handicapped room only to find there was no way to park near her room. That was also when we discovered that our rooms were quite a distance apart, even though I had spoken with staff on site when making the reservations, and was assured our rooms would be adjoining. That problem could not be fixed, so we settled into the rooms we were given, and then went out for dinner.

Upon returning to the hotel, we found we couldn't even drive through the parking lot because a large number of people were there, drinking alcohol while standing in groups and also sitting in lawn chairs. We had to stop our vehicle in the middle of the driveway to get my mother into her wheelchair and walk her through the "party" to her room. My husband and I then sat in our truck in the driveway for about 30 minutes while hoping a parking spot would become available. During this time we were harassed, and I was called a profanity, by the groups in the parking lot, who had brought out coolers of alcohol and loud portable radios. I went to my mother's room to call the office and ask what we should do to park and was told there was nothing that could be done as there were not as many spots as rooms. I went back to our vehicle to wait again for a parking spot, but only for a few minutes because the group was getting louder in their taunts to us.

At this point I went to the office to speak with the female employee, Kathy, about concerns for our safety and the lack of security. I was told that the group outside had already been a problem the night before our arrival, that we could park on the dark, public street behind the motel, and that a security guard would be on duty within 30 minutes. Her suggestion of public parking was unacceptable to us, so I was again back in our vehicle to wait for a parking spot, where we started hearing people in the group making comments about knowing what vehicle we drove and the location of our rooms. I went back to the office again, and while speaking to the female employee, the security guard, Tim, arrived. He tried calling those guests' rooms but no one answered, so he did go outside to see the problem. He came back into the office and I was told again that there had been a problem with the group the night before. He said that they were having a problem determining which people were actually guests of the hotel, and that he had no authority over the ones who weren't guests.

Since it was getting late, nearly 10:30 pm, I stated that we were starting to greatly fear our safety and were prepared to check out to find another motel. The female employee called the police, and they arrived shortly. They told the group that non-guests needed to leave, and that they had to break up the parking lot party. This group of approximately two dozen all went to stand outside two rooms on the second floor, continuing to drink and play loud music.

Since we still had not found a place to park our vehicle, the female employee told us to park in the driveway right outside of the office door, meaning that we now had to carry our luggage all the way around the building to our rooms.

During this time, the security guard went to speak with the group on the second floor balcony and we went to my mother's room with her luggage. The security guard came to her room to speak with us, and while there a person from the group confronted us about our complaints. As the discussion got heated, I told the other guest that if we had any more problems with them, we would call the police directly. The guest told me he would lie to the police, tell them I had threatened to "rape" him, and the security guard would confirm his story. I asked the guard if he would really lie for the other guest, and was told that he was not employed by the hotel, and that he had no affiliation with the hotel whatsoever. I just shut the door on the two of them, knowing that we were on our own for our stay. They continued the conversation outside of my mother's room for 5-10 minutes, and once we were sure they had moved on, we went to our room to try to sleep.

In the morning, I went to the office to speak with an employee about the names of the staff from the previous night. I spoke with Sharon, who I believe was a manager. At this point, let me stress that Sharon is a true asset to La Quinta. She was very concerned about my recount of our stay, apologized profusely and insisted that there would be no charge to us for our experience. She made me feel like I would consider staying at La Quinta again, but it will never be this location.

[recyclelady]

We had a recent stay at La Quinta East that was not a pleasant one. We've been to Galveston many times, and love the area and the people, but this time we couldn't stay at our usual motel.

While I hope others can learn from our experience, I need to ask what we could have done differently. I know in my frustration I did a couple of things I should have done differently, but what would others have done?

 

The office was quite busy when we checked in, but the male employee was able to get it done quickly, with a few confusions. Our first problem was taking my mother to her handicapped room only to find there was no way to park near her room. That was also when we discovered that our rooms were quite a distance apart, even though I had spoken with staff on site when making the reservations, and was assured our rooms would be adjoining. That problem could not be fixed, so we settled into the rooms we were given, and then went out for dinner.

Upon returning to the hotel, we found we couldn't even drive through the parking lot because a large number of people were there, drinking alcohol while standing in groups and also sitting in lawn chairs. We had to stop our vehicle in the middle of the driveway to get my mother into her wheelchair and walk her through the "party" to her room. My husband and I then sat in our truck in the driveway for about 30 minutes while hoping a parking spot would become available. During this time we were harassed, and I was called a profanity, by the groups in the parking lot, who had brought out coolers of alcohol and loud portable radios. I went to my mother's room to call the office and ask what we should do to park and was told there was nothing that could be done as there were not as many spots as rooms. I went back to our vehicle to wait again for a parking spot, but only for a few minutes because the group was getting louder in their taunts to us.

At this point I went to the office to speak with the female employee, Kathy, about concerns for our safety and the lack of security. I was told that the group outside had already been a problem the night before our arrival, that we could park on the dark, public street behind the motel, and that a security guard would be on duty within 30 minutes. Her suggestion of public parking was unacceptable to us, so I was again back in our vehicle to wait for a parking spot, where we started hearing people in the group making comments about knowing what vehicle we drove and the location of our rooms. I went back to the office again, and while speaking to the female employee, the security guard, Tim, arrived. He tried calling those guests' rooms but no one answered, so he did go outside to see the problem. He came back into the office and I was told again that there had been a problem with the group the night before. He said that they were having a problem determining which people were actually guests of the hotel, and that he had no authority over the ones who weren't guests.

Since it was getting late, nearly 10:30 pm, I stated that we were starting to greatly fear our safety and were prepared to check out to find another motel. The female employee called the police, and they arrived shortly. They told the group that non-guests needed to leave, and that they had to break up the parking lot party. This group of approximately two dozen all went to stand outside two rooms on the second floor, continuing to drink and play loud music.

Since we still had not found a place to park our vehicle, the female employee told us to park in the driveway right outside of the office door, meaning that we now had to carry our luggage all the way around the building to our rooms.

During this time, the security guard went to speak with the group on the second floor balcony and we went to my mother's room with her luggage. The security guard came to her room to speak with us, and while there a person from the group confronted us about our complaints. As the discussion got heated, I told the other guest that if we had any more problems with them, we would call the police directly. The guest told me he would lie to the police, tell them I had threatened to "rape" him, and the security guard would confirm his story. I asked the guard if he would really lie for the other guest, and was told that he was not employed by the hotel, and that he had no affiliation with the hotel whatsoever. I just shut the door on the two of them, knowing that we were on our own for our stay. They continued the conversation outside of my mother's room for 5-10 minutes, and once we were sure they had moved on, we went to our room to try to sleep.

In the morning, I went to the office to speak with an employee about the names of the staff from the previous night. I spoke with Sharon, who I believe was a manager. At this point, let me stress that Sharon is a true asset to La Quinta. She was very concerned about my recount of our stay, apologized profusely and insisted that there would be no charge to us for our experience. She made me feel like I would consider staying at La Quinta again, but it will never be this location.

Geez! That was a horrible story!

 

We are staying there (3 rooms) on the night of March 1. I certainly hope this was a one-time bad occurence!

[rjackieb]

Geez! That was a horrible story!

 

We are staying there (3 rooms) on the night of March 1. I certainly hope this was a one-time bad occurence!

 

This was the first time we'd had any problem like this staying on the island, including the time we were stuck there between the tropical storm and hurricane Ike.

Best suggestion -- If you're driving, park by late afternoon/early evening and walk to nearby restaurants and shops. The beach is just across the street and there's even a Denny's adjoining the hotel. Parking was a problem for a number of guests that night. The hotel itself was quite nice, the room was clean and the beds were comfortable. Trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, it's easy to think maybe the staff were inexperienced or overwhelmed with rowdy guests.

[zlacruising]

Geez! That was a horrible story!

 

We are staying there (3 rooms) on the night of March 1. I certainly hope this was a one-time bad occurence!

 

I always check tripadvisor when I'm not sure of a hotel or cruise critic.:)