Added a day to my visit after I had booked at Ramada and decided to try the Hilltop Express Inn.
It was very clean and the service was very good. I could not load the wi fi, but the desk clerk helped me. I had a room close to the desk on the first floor.
At night it was not quiet enough. The TV ran constantly in the room next door but on low. I checked channels, but the remote was cumbersome to operate as there were more stations in the list than were actually available. Everything I found was loaded with commercials.
I think the TV was just the bad luck of the draw. The rest of the Inn seemed quiet, especially for Saturday night.
However, I would come to really like the Ramada Inn and I'll go there next trip.
I had not packed my extra speakers for the computer, and I could not well hear the utube shows offered there or I'd have watched a Sherlock Holmes.
The lights are a bit weird, but fiddling with the wall switch by the bed and the light switch there gives overhead light or low light. From my window I can see my car. That is comforting.
I slept well until about 3 AM and then I could not get back to sleep easily. but finally did until about 6.
I moved my computer to the corner and that helped with the rumbling of the TV. I had a fine left over lamb chop breakfast from the Groton Townhouse restaurant. The microwave worked. I used some butter from the restaurant and covered the microwave plate I brought. Very good with good coffee from the lobby. During breakfast I listened to Radio Deluxe and John Pizzarelli. Nice. A bit of Blossom Dearie is a good way to start the day. She reminds me of Kat Edmundson.
I looked at some Sherlock Holmes, but I tired of it. It was a newer version. Not my favorite.
'There was some banging noises. Anything done on the second floor could be heard. I was happy to have stayed just the one night to check the place out. Ramada Inn proved the best spot I've stayed in yet.
Coffee was on time and good.
The GPS in the phone car hookup worked much better, but it still went to a lower volume mode for no reason I could figure. It did not take me off the 395 highway and onto 2A, but that worked to my benefit as I needed a bathroom and found one just down the road. It was the same place I had asked directions last trip and I loved getting to use the bathroom before getting to the casino.
The GPS then took me back a couple miles and off on the exit they had missed. I'll try to remember to go that way every time.
On the way back from the casino I finally got the sense of what I should do. I should skip that confusing turn with the light and stay on the Mohegan Express following it around in a circle and then turning right on Route 12. Easy. I think I have that down.
Once on 12, the traveling is very easy. Keeping highways as a choice avoids that round a bout path down by the water and through the town. That is confusing. 12 is easy.
The one night hotel is farther down 12. I had to turn right on Poquonnock Road.
Along the way I passed the Rolling Tomato and I may stop for pizza as it was recommended in my reading. Also passed a Popeye's and plenty of stores and such.
For supper I drove back to the Groton Townhouse and had fried ravioli and good lamb chops. I like everything except the vegetables that are the standard, bland fare in sun places.
I asked for the chowder to be served hot and it was.
I went early before any supper crowds. Very few people there.
GAMBLING
I wanted to see how the poker tables were on a Saturday afternoon and I got a seat at a new table about noon. My competition was fine. Good players but not wild in betting.
Regardless the cards were against me. A young player went all in when I had the A of diamonds in a flush, but he had the King for a straight flush. I lost a good bit.
And I kept losing. Finally, I quit down $330. I don't think that I won a single pot. My pocket Kings were beat by pocket Aces, but the guy went all-in and I would not call. That saved me some money. Otherwise, it was a disaster.
I went to play VP JOB at the Harvest Moon Bar. That was better. No quads but lots of FH and I played for quite a while. Then it dealt me a straight Flush and I decided to quit up 30$.
So for the day, I was down $300.
I drank two Sam Adams Just the Haze served in a fine frosted glass.
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Well, tomorrow is another day.
SUNDAY
Had a really good morning and was up around $500 but some of that went away so that at the end of the day I was up just one dollar ahead on live poker.
The best morning hand was 5's full of Aces with three other players all in. A guy with a straight had pushed the betting. I narrowly beat 2's full of Aces. Lucky, it was not a hand easily to hold up as one with four all-in opponents.
The VP went well until the end of the day. Then I took losses. Down $60 in total so far for the trip.
Certainly a better day than my first day.
MONDAY
I did not gamble. Meds kept me close to the room. I did go swimming in the pool and had a good supper.
TUESDAY
Today I played poor poker and ended down $165
The video poker did not help. I ended down $150
RAMADA INN
I had GPS issues again, and so it was hard to find the Ramada Inn.
The GPS would not talk to me. The directions I got from a guy at the Super 8 put me on the highway going the wrong way for many miles before I could get off and find a way to get back on and go back to where I started.
I stopped at the Gulf gas station and after talking a bit to me, a man and his girlfriend just told me to follow him and his GPS led him on a roundabout way, but the right way. The trick is to go under the highways on 12 and go farther than necessary, then turn back and catch the entranceway to the road going to the Ramada, route was route 184.
I went to Mirch Marsala (an Indian place right in front of the Ramada) for supper of Tandori chicken and some garlic naan topped with a fancy sauce. It was supposed to all be spicey, but it was really not, just tasty. I told them of waiting an hour last time and they took pains to get me served in record time. I had another mango yogurt drink.
The Indian place was closed on Mondays, but I had leftovers to reheat for lunch.
I went again for lunch on Tuesday, but there was no buffet. It is just on the weekends. I had a nice meal of lamb curry. I asked for it to be spicey and this time it really was. Perhaps I had asked for too much spice, but I really liked the meal and the mango yogurt drink. I took back to the room enough for a small meal on another day.
THE ROOM AT RAMADA
They made a mistake and booked me twice. The fellow in the lobby was very nice. He cancelled one reservation and showed me how to notify Wyndom of the double booking. I called them, and they cleared it up. I had to call and cancel one of the bookings.
The place is just great. It even has a little elevator. It is quiet except for a couple of running kids once or twice from a good way down the hall. One wall of my room is between me and the laundry room. That gets little use, and probably won't get much late at night.
The television is so much easier to use. I listened to a bit of news while unpacking and one Western show the next day. Tombstone I think. It was old but I don't remember it. Some commercials but not too bad.
Unlike the Super 8, there is a phone in the room, so calling the front desk is easy and they do have the wake up service which I need. I set my phone for an alarm, but I'm doing something wrong as it doesn't go off.
The jacuzzi is still broken but the pool was warm enough. It is shallow and small but refreshing.
Bring a towel. Ask for one just down from the pool. I bought the two they gave me back to the room for future swims.
The area around the pool was littered with candy wrappers and such. It is the first area that I have seen here that was not cleaned.
The pool does not open until 1 PM, but it stays open until 9PM. I might take some swims before going to bed.
Coffee in the room, although I used the folding coffee pot and strainer I brought, so I could use my own coffee. Next time I'm going to pack my entire coffee pot and just use that rather than make one cup at a time.
The lighted frame on the mirror was just great. I wish I had one at home. Very nice touch. It reminds me of the old "hallo light" that Sylvania once put around the television screens.
The bathroom switches for light and fan were separate. I like that because I don't want the noise of the fan, especially in th middle of the night.
Unlike the Hilltop Inn there was plenty of electricity here. Also, the wifi was easier to access. No codes.
There was a fine easy chair with ottoman for reading and a good reading lamp.
The sink plunger stuck down, slowing the draining, and I needed a spoon to pry it up again. Then I left it that way and it drained fine.
From my window I could see my car.
Unlike the Super 8 the locks on the outside door access do require a key for entry.
I asked and received a "do not disturb" sign for my door as I like to not have maid service for just a few days. If the maid is in the bathroom with the door shut and the hallway door is propped open, the room is not secure. A fast in and out and there goes my computer.
My room 218 was right next to the guest laundry room, but I could not hear anything in my room even with clothes drying. I did like it that I knew I could play TV anytime and not disturb anyone because the TV was mounted on that wall.
The room was close to the elevator, but again no noise.
It was also easy to access the pool from there.
The microwave had fine controls. I can't always see the settings well, but this was the twist variety and it had a "medium" setting that I used to reheat everything. It did a fine job without overcooking.
They did forget my wake up call and the phone did not give me an alarm either. Next trip I'm taking a windup old fashioned clock. That will work as it did years ago.
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I think the Ramama Inn will be my go-to hotel for future trips.
I met a fellow in the lobby who has been coming every year for a decade and has always been satisfied. He could not understand the negative reviews on one site online.
On Monday I just hung out at the hotel, got organized, took a swim and read a little of Team of Rivals, a book on Lincoln's term as President. My meds made it convenient to be close to a bathroom. My reading was especially interesting in light of Biden's endorsement of Harris. Politics has not changed all that much over the decades.
MONDAY FOOD
Brunch was left over Indian food from yesterday.
Supper was a pizza from Rolling Tomato. This spot had great reviews, but when I finally found it (and the GPS did not help) where I knew I had seen it when I stayed at the Hilltop Inn.
However, it was take out only. I was the only one ordering. The pizza was very good, a ricotta based version. They have a large menu. I brought it back to the hotel with an off diet Polar Black Cherry soda. I have enough for a taste tomorrow.
And I did not mind eating in the room, only that I had been there for most of the day.
I shopped for more seltzer earlier and bought a few snacks, but when I came to pay, I noticed my charge card was not in my wallet. I looked everywhere. I had left it at the Indian restaurant and retrieved it Tuesday morning. Great relief.
Tuesday supper was left over pizza.
Wednesday was my last day of gambling and I was a loser that day as well at both live poker and JOB vp. The only thing I hit was a nickle Ultimate X DDB game I played in nickels. I hit A-2-2-2-2 and the multipier brought me up with a profit. I played it a while longer and again hit the 2's with kicker. Then I quit.
In the end I left down $458.
I was too late to use my comps for Bobby's Burget Palace. The crowds were too thick. Next time.
I did walk down to see the Chihuly. It is a sight, but better from a bit of a distance than up close.
Thursday I just drove home. Some bumper to bumper traffic after a truck caught fire held me up a long, long time.
But I arrived.
