Views of our city from outsiders

[Patrick]

I happened to read these comments from traveladvisor.com. On this site, treavelers to various cities rate their stay. I've actually rated a few places myself.

Anyways, I thought there were some interesting comments posted on that site about our city. Like I said, these are the views from vacationers and people that responded to them. Unfortunately, some of these comments show that we're still having a hard time shaking out backwards, redneck label. Also, it's interesting to hear the opinions of people that actually live here. It sounds to me that is' actually people that live here that put down this city more than outsiders.

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I lived in Oklahoma City for 15 years (1982 - 1997). It was an okay place to live. (I moved to Wichita, KS seven years ago.) If you are politically conservative, you will fit right in. If you are a more enlightened thinker, you will not enjoy the Oklahoma City newspaper at all. My experience in the 1980's and 90's was that housing prices were very, very reasonable in OKC. Employment opportunities were pretty stable, weathering economic downturns pretty nicely. The people were mostly very friendly; but be warned that there is a certain "redneck" quality about the town. The University of Oklahoma is just down the road about 10 miles from OKC, and it is a better than average university.
I prefer living in Wichita and would prefer not to live in OKC again. But I could go back there if I had to.
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I find the comments about OKC interesting. The decision to move to OKC is at hand for me as well and I need a lot more info about OKC. Moving there from Houston, Tx will be a very big change, one of which I wonder if I can handle. Please do share your experiences, and in advance, thanks.
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I am considering relocating to OKC, however, I am concerned with career opportunities and housing. If there is anyone with a wealth of knowledge that cares to share please do, it can only be of benefit to many that just might give OKC a chance, and in return bring some diversity that may make a difference to the area.
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I was born in Oklahoma City and have lived here my entire life. I think it is a great place to raise a family and can recommend which parts of town are desirable to live. Housing is very affordable and traffic is never a problem. Oklahoma City is very conservative and there are tons of churches if this appeals to you. Not much nightlife and attractions are ho-hum but my friends who are married with children are very happy here.
What can I say about our weather?! Summer can be very hot and humid but this past summer was pleasantly mild! We do have tornaodes but I have never been affected by one personally. We get our share of rain and wind. And thunderstorms. Winters are usually okay. Couple of snowy days here and there. Had a couple of ice storms within the last 5 years and people don't know how to drive very well on the ice here. Weather is gorgeous this time of year.
Many people are OU Sooner football fanatics. OKC is a 20-30 minute drive from the University of Oklahoma which is in Norman. Oklahoma State University in Stillwater is an hour drive and their football team is currently 5-0. OSU and OU are usually decent in basketball and baseball too. We have minor league hockey and baseball.
Lots of restaurants but many are chains. (chili's, applebee's, don pablo's, olive garden, etc) Oklahomans love to eat and you will see this if you visit. Lots of overweight people. This is a city where you must use your car to go anywhere.
Will answer any ??'s you might have. Oklahoma City is not fast paced and it may not be exciting but it is very affordable and there are many nice neighborhoods.

And of course I know a realtor if you are interested in buying a home.
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I can maybe help if you give me some more specific questions about Oklahoma. I have lived here my whole life. One general thing though about Oklahoma is that the houses are much cheaper than many other states. That's my favorite part about it. Oklahoma is a good place to live and to raise a family.

[Patrick]

Here are some comments on our hotels:

Renaissance:

This one actually had mostly decent comments.

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The friendly service started when we pulled up and continued until we left. The room and facilities were excellent but the customer service sets them apart from many other OKC hotels. Would highly recommend.
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My wife and I had a great time during our recent stay at the Renaissance Hotel in Oklahoma City. When one of the staff learned we were celebrating my wife's birthday, she went out of her way to make the stay even better--including upgrading our suite and sending to our room a complimentary fruit and cracker tray that evening.

While this one staff member was the most accomodating, every staff person at the hotel we encountered was professional, prompt, and attentive. For example, when we called the front desk (after midnight) to request some more shampoo, it was delivered to our room in less than a minute.

The lobby is very nice, as was the hotel restaurant. Check-in and check-out went very smoothly. Parking is convenient (we didn't use the valet parking, but instead, self-parked in a nearby lot. The lot is connected to the hotel via walk-ways).

The location can't be beat for entertainment in downtown Oklahoma City. We were a short walk from the Convention Center and Bricktown.

This was one of our best hotel stays we've had. After coming to expect nothing more than mediocre service from hotels, the Renaissance Hotel in Oklahoma City is definitely a cut above the rest.
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Nice Embassy Suites like atrium interior, with basic Marriott rooms.

Ordered room service and received black wilted lettuce in my salad, and a missing order. The error was fixed quickly.

The next day I left my room at 9:30am and returned after 10:30pm to an uncleaned room (concierge level).

Basically, it's an average hotel with a bigtime name. I gave the high marks in my ratings because of the location. You could do worse, but it wasn't what I expected from Renaissance or Marriott.
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Stayed at the hotel for a business trip. The staff is friendly and the rooms are excellent. The restaurant and lobby are also well done. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone stopping by in OKC.
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This hotel is one of the best I've experienced, in or out of the country. The lobby is beautiful with foliage and waterfalls. The hotel has glass elevators so that you can admire the lobby as you go to your room. The rooms are very clean and comfortable. The bathrooms are very clean, (which many hotels have a hard time doing). We had a request, so we called down to the front desk; the bellman was knocking on our door before we even hung the phone. I would definately recommend this hotel to anyone planning to stay in Oklahoma City.
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My wife and I have stayed there twice and loved it both times. We wanted to stay there for an upcoming trip to OK City but it was booked.
Now my wife doesn't even want to go. Last stay they gave us a comp upgrade to a Jr. Suite.
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My husbands company had a party at the Renaissance and we found it to be be a very nice stay. The rooms were beautiful , not a typical hotel lacking in atmoshpere. We didn't have any problems with staff and loved the location in Bricktown very close to everything. Am planning a stay there shortly.
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We stayed here on our family vacation this past summer. We found the hotel not to be very family friendly and very over priced. It seemeed every time we turned around with a employee with thier hand out. I would not have thought that this place would have been so expensive.
The food on the breakfast buffet was horrible and cold to say the least and not to mention hard and rubbery. We ended up staying one night and that was one night to many in our opinion we moved to the Holiday Inn.

[Patrick]

Westin/Sheraton:

These comments were absolutely horrible for the most part.

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Contrary to the earlier review, this hotel has not improved. There were severe paint fumes when you stepped off the elevator. Our group was on different floors and all complained about hammering and noise. I called at 9 PM to complain about construction noise coming from the floor above me. The furniture is stained and dirty and the halls are dark and dingy. While the beds are decent, and the bathroom is clean, this is not of high enough quality to charge the prices they are asking. If you're thinking of staying there, ask when the renovations will be done and wait until then.
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Okay is a stretch. Their quality beds leave something to be desired. The bedding did not fit the beds. Their room was very noisy from the heating unit and the room lighting was very poor. Fully equipped with an iron, coffee pot and TV. The toilet leaked and made noise all night. The restaraunt had trouble serving hot food from the buffet.
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Pleasantly surprised by this hotel given earlier reviews. Very attractive lobby area and classy cocktail lounge. Was on 12th floor (supposedly a club floor). Double-bed room was on small side with tight bathroom but all décor was upscale and in good shape – definitely not the rundown place others have described. Bathroom fixtures, etc. all excellent. Not sure if all rooms same but this one was in great shape. Fast room service, bar service ok. Didn’t eat in restaurant. Self-park $8. Lot connects via 3rd floor -- cheaper and no hassles waiting for valet.

The one negatives – the bed was very hard. Definitely not a Heavenly bed, no down pad on the mattress (mattress appeared new), though linen was Heavenly Bed stock. Questioned it in the morning and was told that it was a Sweet Sleeper and they are in the process of becoming a Sheraton. Have had Sweet Sleepers before but never as hard as this one! Only 1 down pillow out of the 8 in the room. No A/C problems as described by others. Don't get room right next to service elevator -- if you do, get moved. Not a lot of noise but when there was, it was loud. Would definitely go back.
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The room remodeling is done and they look great. There is no construction noise, the place looks great.
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1st time stay at a Westin and probably the last. There was no valet when I pulled up to the hotel. Had to wait a few minutes for someone to come out & when he did he seemed lost. Check-in was fine. After 1 hour in hot room called down to front desk stating A/C was not working. Engineer showed up 1 hr later and said to close curtains in the room and A/C would be fine, room would cool down. After closing the curtains and waiting an hour the room was still warm with the thermostat on 60. Called front desk and after waiting forever went down to front desk to move to another room. Got a key to another room with old dingy carpet, not renovated (I paid extra for renovated room) and the A/C was making a very loud ticking noise.
Went back to front desk and she said there were no other rooms available so I went back to my room. Put the A/C on 45 degrees which helped a little. At 7am the next morning awakened by loud banging from the floor above where they are renovating. The shower water pressure was like taking a shower under a garden sprinkler and the shower ceiling was caving in and cracked. The toilet seat was old and covered up by layers of paint which hs bubbled up over time. This hotel needs more than a renovation. They should gut it and start over. Very few hotel staff visible. Watched a woman checking -in and overheard her asking about the suite she would be staying in and for a bellman to take up her luggage. She got so tired of waiting for a bellman to show up, she took luggage cart up to her room herself. Not a quality hotel. I should have paid attention to the negative reviews.
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In our stay the Westin Oklahoma CIty had great staff, a great location -close to Convention Center and Bricktown Entertainment District, and above average meeting facilities. The guest rooms did look a bit tired but the Hotel is now in the midst of an 8.5 million renovation that will involve the entire facility. All rooms are being gutted, redone and refurnished. At the time of this review the top 3 floors are completed so request high.
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We have stayed at this hotel, twice. On a positive note; it is a great location in regard to the entertainment district (Bricktown), to the canal rides, the Memorial Museum etc... You can literally walk the short distance to Bricktown. The bedding was a 'Heavenly Bed" and that was a great bed! On a more sour note; both stays were problematic at check-in. Our room was not available until 2 hours after check-in at the first visit, and an hour's delay at the second visit. (A famous musician and his band who were checking in were also told to wait for their room. The lead singer took a catnap on the couch, so the Westin treated all customers equally, I suppose in regard to not providing rooms on time. The bathrooms were quite dirty and mold was growing in the showers. The ceilings and walls are in desperate need of repainting. I am trying the Rennaisance across the street next visit.
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This hotel is drab and dreary! The walls are grey and the carpet is dark, too. Not to mention the stains galore on the hall carpets and in the rooms! The location is good, and we were with a marriage conference, so we had no choice. Next time check around! there is a hotel across the way that we wished we were in. (cant remeber brand, sorry)

Dont waste money or time you will be dissapointed. Unless you need easy acess to Bricktown or the convention center, then it is just "okay".
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Although the staff was friendly, this renovated hotel just doesn't measure up with the new Renaissance across the street. Westin has tried to upgrade the rooms with fancy beds, linens, a desk with modem service, etc...but this hotel showed signs of its age with scarred woodwork, peeling wallpaper, moldly grout and plumbing, and poor lighting.
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Soiled carpet; torn wallpaper; ceiling falling down in bathroom; horrible stench throughout. Hallway was missing portions of drywall; numerous patches in drywall in hall. Checked out immediately and they still double charged me. Try the Renaissance across the street; they matched the Westin rate.

[Patrick]

Courtyard Downtown:

Since this hotel is new, it didn't have a lot of comments. But, the comments look good.

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This is a really nice new hotel that is right in downtown, one block from bricktown, and across the street from the Cox center. You could not ask for a more convenient location. The rooms are especially nice, with extra little touches that set it apart from others in this price range. Nice accent lighting when you first enter, very comfortable bed with big thick comforter on top, extra pillows, ironing board w/iron, comfortable sized room, small balcony outside, etc. I especially like the free Ethernet Internet connection in the room, which normally is an extra $8-10/day. Parking costs $8/day in the covered garage next door. Service was friendly, but disorganized/lacking experience, which detracted from the breakfast buffet.
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Was I ever surprised by this hotel! I think Courtyard properties are nice, but had never been "wowed" by one until now. This is an unusually beautiful hotel with very unique, modern decor. I wish my house looked this cool! Large bathrooms, free high-speed internet and the most comfortable bed I have EVER slept on. The location adjacent to Bricktown is a big plus for business travelers without a car. This is a superb place to stay.
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The Courtyard Downtown OKC is a wonderful new hotel. Next to the Ford Centre and across the street from the convention centre the location of the hotel was a relief for conducting business downtown. The hotel had wonderful accomodations, including free internet access! and features a shopping market with many necessities for the business exec and tourist alike. Bricktown was only a block or so away with tons of restaurants, nightclubs, and a canal but the highlight of OKC for me was the Myriad Botanical Gardens, three blocks from the hotel. I can say that Oklahoma City is a fantastic city to visit and conduct business and I would highly recommend the Courtyard Downtown OKC as a great place to experience it all!
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I thought that I was going to be staying at a low budget old hotel and
was pleasantly surprised and lucky to stay at the Courtyard Marriot.
The hotel is totally new and has a very cool art deco style that is
very guest friendly. There is a huge and comfortable area in the lobby
which can be used as a business center, complete with internet hook-ups
for people with computers. The rooms also have free of charge internet
connections and also have a very unique and comfortable style. The
service was excellent and it is very well-located right next to
Bricktown, a popular restaurant area. This should be a four star hotel.

[Patrick]

Waterford Marriott:

This one got mixed results.

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"The Waterford has gone downhill"

Since the Marriott Company purchased the Waterford it has really gone downhill in many ways but especially in the area of cleanliness.

We had a suite (Rm.#414). There were stains and spots on the bedding. Minutes after our arrival, we asked that the linens be changed. The night houskeeping manager was extremely rude. We were told that the comforters are not changed after each guest.

Our 'Privacy Please' door insert was ignored. Maids attempted to enter our room against our instruction.

Soured, lumpy milk had been left in the fridge. Hair was all over the bathroom floor. The bathroom rug was very soiled. The room had an offensive odor. A glass with cigarette butts was on the balcony, eventhough this was a non smoking room. We left a day early.
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"Renovations Worth the Wait"

The Waterford is undergoing renovations which were needed. On a recent stay the hotel corridors were still under renovation, but our room on the 7th floor was nicely updated. New carpet, computer desk and chair, marble in the bath, new wallpaper and shower curtain, club chair and ottoman in the bedroom. Lobby and pool area were upscale and front desk, valet and bell service were good. Didn't try the restaurants. Overall we were impressed and would recommend this hotel to others as well as stay there again.
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"Best in Town!"

The Waterford Marriott in the posh Nichols Hills area of OKC is a great place to stay. I lived in OKC for 2 1/2 years and have stayed there 5-6 times when I return to visit friends. Everyone who lives in the City knows it is the best place in town... Even the locals hang out in the great bar to listen to Jazz. The Waterford is not in Bricktown/Downtown but you will enjoy the convenient location and great surroundings during your stay. A+++

[Patrick]

Oklahoma City Marriott NW:

This is one of my personal favorites. They have a half indoor/outdoor pool

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"Great family weekend"

Spent the weekend there with children and grandchildren. Management was extremely helpful with blocking rooms so we were all together. All of the rooms were in excellent condition. A great workout room and indoor/outdoor pool that was nicely heated. Breakfast buffet covered everyones favorites.

The zoo, Omniplex and museums are near by and easy to get to. Plenty of restaurants and the Penn Mall close by.

Would highly recommend.

[mranderson]

These reviews make me appreciate Motel Six. Very seldom have I had a major problem in one of their motels.

Plus, I can stay there, eat two meals, and fill the rental car with gas all for the same amount these people pay for one nights stay at either the Westin (Sheridan) or Renaissance.

[floater]

I've been in other travel forums, and I guarantee you, Texans will not pass up an opportunity to put down Oklahoma when they get the chance. With that Wichita person, I think that's just competitive naysaying, if not envy. Choose Wichita over OKC? Are you kidding? (Okay, I've never been there; but that's like an Amarillo resident saying the same thing.) Some of it's just local pride.

It's frustrating to be living in a state others consider redneck. You try to set that aside and pinpoint the more progressive parts. I know there's tension between the chamber of commerce types and those who consider themselves the "real" Oklahomans (a la the Richard Florida theory about gays). My impression is that the city's leaders who want a more progressive society just accept things for the way they are and try to make improvements where they can.

That's why when people ask me which city is better OKC or Cleveland, I just say that each has their advantages and disadvantages, which is true.

On the bright side, look at this OKC entry from Wikipedia, the free, public, online dictionary:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City

[floater]

Despite all the heckling we get, we have to see that some of it is biased and that we'll never get their respect. So, I've realized that sometimes you have to stop looking relatively and celebrate the good things we have. Those who are open-minded will appreciate them also.

[okcpulse]

What bothers me more than anything is how hung up people get on The Daily Oklahoman (now The Oklahoman... getting rid of "Daily" moved the paper forward 80 years) and its former infamous reputation. The former resident now living in Wichita left in 1997... nearly a decade ago... really should reconsider his review of Oklahoma City and pay us another visit.

199-freakin-7!!!! The Ballpark wasn't finished yet! Everyone was still griping about The Tin Drum incident. The canal, Ford Center and the new library were all under conceptual drawings or under design. The National Memorial was just an idea. A lot of development hadn't happened yet. So much is different from 1997, and I can understand his bitter taste of our city when he left. Like I said, those wanting to visit OKC should pay a visit today, and remember, we are still a work in progress.

I visited Wichita last year, so my review of Wichita isn't really biased, however I was not impressed. Their downtown is nice, but the rest of the city is kind of creepy, except for the east side where all the rich people live. For those passing through Wichita trying to find a decent restaurant... good luck!!!

[floater]

Good point, okcpulse. The Renaissance hadn't fully developed by then. What's the phrase..." "If they could see me now?" or according to that great crooner Toby Keith, "How Do You Like Me Now?" If that Wichitan would come back, they'd have a much different view, I'm sure.