I almost didn't book the Ramada. The first hits for reviews were not complimentary. People said it was run-down, that it had stupid staircases, that the halls were smoky, and how could Ramada put their name on a joint like this?
Some travel sites don't even bother to list it. Go to Priceline.com, and they'll only show you the Best Western, and they won't even give the BW a star rating. Travelocity gives them a star less than BW.
But here's why I reserved it anyway:
1. It looked darn cute.
2. The other two contenders (Jim Butler Inn, Best Western) cost more ($5, $20).
3. The other two contenders offered queen beds, not a king.
4. Did I mention that it looked darn cute? C'mon. It's Ramada. How bad could it be?
And the answer? Not bad at all, and that's an understatement. I think Mike put it best when he said, "It sucks that we'll probably never have a reason to come back here. This place is great!"
It is great!
Below is a list of everything we liked. Not all of it was important; we just liked it.
- Everyone we dealt with (three people in reception, three in the restaurant) was sincerely friendly.
- 24/7 mini-casino with the newest "fun" slots.
- Themeing! Including all kinds of old local mining paraphernalia.
- Delicious, delicious omelets.
- It's an actual hotel - all rooms are on the second floor and open to corridors.
- Gift shop has plenty of toiletries and postcards, including some Strip postcards so old they show Siegfried and Roy playing at the New Frontier. (In other words, they're selling Las Vegas postcards that are at least 18 years old. For a quarter. The collector's heart swoons. I only bought two, so saddle your ponies, eBayers.)
- Comfy, clean room.
- WiFi.
- Effective ginger-infused shampoo and conditioner.
- HBO.
- Shares a building with the Nevada Highway Patrol office. (We call them "NiHPs." It's amusing.)
- Next door to a proper grocery store (not that we used it, but that's handy).
- Coke in the Pepsi machine. (And Pepsi, too, if you're into that. Sicko.)
Reasons you may not want to stay here:
- No pool. The Best Western has a pool. It's probably why they get an extra star and charge $20/night more. Just know that the pool about three feet from the main drag/highway through town. Really. I mean, the BW looks perfectly nice, but does it have old train station loot?
- Some corners of the bathroom were worn/rusted. Everything in there worked great, though, and it was clean, right down to the "Sanitized for Your Protection" belt on the toilet. (Haven't seen one of those in years.)
- As many people complained about, there are ashtrays in the hallways. No one hates the smell of smoke more than I do. Seriously. And Mike has asthma. Neither one of us smelled a thing. Really.
I can't think of any other objections a sane person would have. I loved the ziggurat-style steps in the hall, but one reviewer found them annoying. It takes all kinds.
I think you have three, maybe four, definitely solid options in Tonopah, which in itself is impressive for a place of this size. (Tonopah Station Ramada, Jim Butler Inn, Best Western, and, you know, I hear good things about the Clown Motel, as terrifying as it may seem.) I liked the Ramada because it was just a neat place that exceeded our needs, and if we're ever back in Tonopah, that's where we're staying.
(Even if you have a reservation, they let you roll the dice to see if you can stay for free that night. Three-of-a-kind wins!)
I took the photo of the sign reflected on the car hood when we returned from our star hop.
I read one review where they said the lobby was nicely themed, but everything else was plain. What? From casino to bar to restaurant to corridors, and somewhat to rooms, it was all pleasantly vintage west.
It's hard to make out, but I really liked this mailbox by the elevator. The reception office also has a nice block of old fashioned post office boxes set into the wall.
One of several cases around the hotel of antique whatnots. There was certainly a lot to see whenever going to or from the room.
Mike, at left, heads into the casino.
I was taking these at night and didn't have a flash with me, so sorry about the blur. This "Queen of the Silver Camps" collage was found here and there throughout town. I like how there is everything from the expected mining stuff to the stealth fighter in the lower right corner. They don't call it the Tonopah Test Range for nothing.
Our room was 276, there on the right. I love how unpretentious this wallpaper is. I realize I sound pretentious just saying that, but it was great to get the comforts of a Ramada with the quirks of small town lodging.
We fell asleep around 3:30 a.m. and woke two hours later, just in time to pack up and go down to breakfast. This was the view from the window; it was like having our own mountain. Sorry that there aren't any interior pictures to share. I only took one, and Mike's in it. In his underwear. So, you know, I'm saving that one for our paying customers.
Some of the other businesses in the building are to the left. There's an RV Park behind the hotel. See? Another feature.
I don't know if the antiques in the restaurant or the casino were real, but they had a unique feel about them that you don't get at, say, Chili's.
Mike questioned the inclusion of "tomato" in the placemat Vegetable Scramble, but that argument was way too 1980 for me. Besides, isn't it a matter of contention?
Mike called this the best omelet and the best hash browns of his life. His omelet was the "country omelet" (bacon, bell pepper, onion, gravy). I went with the vegetable omelet, and it was pretty good. Not the best, but probably Top 10 for Lifetime Omelet Taste. The hash browns were definitely top three. Top two. Yes, they were the second-best hash browns I've ever had in my life. Tasty.
(The best were at the Paris breakfast buffet, but I don't know if hash browns shaped into triangles should compete with "loose" hash browns. If not, then Tonopah is number one in the "scatter browns" category. Congrats!)
This concludes my review of Tonopah Station, a Ramada property in Tonopah, Nevada. If you want a clean, friendly, and attractive place to stay in Tonopah, you cannot go wrong with this property. Maybe you'll even quintuple your money on the slots there like Mike did! (Shame it was a 10-cent bet.)
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