Ramada BWI Airport Arundel Mills, Hanover

I recently embarked on my first trip to America to visit some friends, and booked this hotel through Expedia, using a secret-hotel service, which basically meant that there were cheaper rates available, but the identity of the hotel was secret until you paid the booking fee. I was convinced that the 'secret hotel' was in fact a different, more expensive one, so I booked it and was disappointed initially to find out that I'd actually booked the Ramada BWI. The process was non-refundable, so I was stuck with my choice.

However, upon finally arriving in Baltimore, I was pleasantly impressed with the look of the hotel and the quality of both the service and facilities therein. The reception staff were friendly and explained the rules regarding breakfast and check-out and told us where to find our rooms. They also explained that the Parkstone Grille, the in-house restaurant on the ground floor, would be closed on Sundays, but they could help us order in food from a nearby take-away, if needed.

We found the room to be spacious, with a luxurious double-bed in the center. There was a large, old-style television that occupied most of the table space, opposite the bed, which once switched on showcased a lot of American TV channels, from ABC to some of the cable channels (no HBO however)

The bathroom was moderately sized and the shower was easy to operate and worked really well, with a powerful jet of water streaming out at you in a good temperature. Not all hotel showers can manage this, with either a stream of icy cold water or a pathetic dribble of warm water. This was a pleasure to use and never involved lots of fiddling about to get the optimum temperature. One problem was that we seemed to run out of toilet paper frequently, and had to ask at the reception for more rolls. Whether this was because we had the maids clean the room on alternate days, or because they were tight with the toilet paper, I can't say.

The bed was very comfy, which was proved by the number of times we'd overslept and missed alarms. In fact, one day, my girlfriend became ill and we spent the whole day in bed watching TV and it was probably one of the most enjoyable days of the holiday (for me, at least - she was ill, after all)

We visited the Parkstone Grille on the first night, and service was prompt and friendly. They did ID us for alcohol, resulting in a quick dash back to the hotel room to grab our licences, but besides that, it was a fun late-night dinner. The entertainment for the night was Karaoke, but it didn't impeach on our romantic first night's meal.

The mornings (when we woke up in time) had a complimentary breakfast, which was located in the lobby, which was rather small and awkward, so we often took our food back to the room. It would have been easier if this was in the actual Parkstone Grille, or if seating there could be used, but perhaps the restaurant was not able to be used before a certain time.

The breakfast consisted of pastries, some microwave breakfast rolls, fruit juices, porridges, small boxes of cereals and the best bit of it all, a waffle maker. I loved this waffle maker and through the week, I would get better at making the yummiest pancake waffles there were, and coat them in a thick maple syrup goo.

The lobby also housed a computer for guests to access emails and print out boarding passes and other tickets. We made good use of this function, and printed off tickets for the local theme park, Six Flags, as well as my boarding pass back home.

I really enjoyed my time at the hotel, and in America in general, and fully intend to revisit it again soon. I would happily return to the Ramada, although the location was somewhat irritating since we constantly travelled to Baltimore City Center, which was about 30 mins drive away. Whilst the hotel was ideal for those wanting to travel to the airport, and I think most of their traffic is from people doing short stays before a bigger trip, it was a little inconvenient for anyone without a car, since it is located in a business park, off the free-way. there is a handy 24/7 airport shuttle bus, but since my girlfriend drove me about everywhere, I didn't get to use this facility.

I would stay again, but I think for my next visit, I would pick a location closer to the City Center, rather than closer to the airport.