48 Whitehall Ave, Mystic, Connecticut, United States | (860) 572-8531
Located by I-95, near the seaport, aquarium, and Foxwoods Resort Casino
Rooms have flat-screen TVs and coffeemakers; many have mini-fridges and microwaves
Whirlpool tubs are in suites
Seasonal outdoor pool and a small gym
Free hot and cold breakfast served in breakfast room
TV lounge with free tea and coffee all day
Soda and ice vending machines
Casual meeting room, a computer corner, and copying services
Bike rentals available
Pets allowed (for a fee)
Free Wi-Fi, parking (for trucks and buses), and newspapers
Hotel interiors are dated and need updating
Hallways sometimes smell of cigarettes and rooms can be musty
Breakfast buffet service is busy
No hot tub
The no-frills and homey 120-room Quality Inn appeals to budget travelers with a convenient location beside I-95, near the Mystic Aquarium and Olde Mistick Village. Amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool, sparsely equipped gym, and bicycle rentals. Free hot breakfast is served in a dining room with a computer corner. The service gets hectic, so a meeting room is used for overflow seating. Next door is Frank’s Gourmet Grille. Comfy, plain rooms have flat-screen TVs and coffeemakers; mini-fridges, microwaves, and sofa beds are available. The property needs renovating, but most guests overlook the rough edges for a value stay in a good location. The Hyatt Place Mystic offers more stylishly furnished rooms and only slightly higher rates.
Scene
Value hotel featuring homey interiors and a location near Olde Mistick Village
The two-floor Quality Inn features a brick exterior with a weathervane atop a small steeple. A large lot surrounds the front of the hotel, providing bus and truck parking. Electronic doors lead into the small lobby, where there’s a breakfast area that’s bustling with guests in the mornings. The room has a comfy couch and armchairs, and numerous four-person dining tables. Cookies are often provided in the late afternoon. Hallways are standard with office-style ceiling tiles and colorful carpeting, but they sometimes smell of cigarette smoke. Ice and soda vending machines are also in the corridor. Interiors feel worn and dated, though the hotel made some minor improvements in 2016, such as replacing the carpeting in some rooms and changing some lobby furniture. The budget-conscious tourists who stay here generally enjoy the cheap rooms and a location that’s convenient to Mystic attractions.
Another option is the value Howard Johnson Mystic, where rooms are bright and cheerful, and there's an indoor pool.
Location
Located in Mystic, a close drive to Olde Mistick Village
Bordered by the Mystic River and 1-95, the hotel is set beside the Seaport Medical Center. Gas stations are nearby and next door is Frank’s Gourmet Grille. Within five minutes by car is Olde Mistick Village with tons of shops and restaurants. Also in old town are the Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport, where travelers can hop aboard the Charles W. Morgan, a 19th-century American whaling ship. It’s a 20-minute drive to Misquamicut Beach, which can get crowded. Foxwoods Resort Casino and the Mohegan Sun Casino are about 15 to 25 minutes away by car. Hartford (international) and Providence (regional) airports are around a one-hour drive and a 40-minute drive, respectively. Boston is 90 minutes by car and New York City is about two hours and 30 minutes away.
Rooms
Homey rooms are clean with flat-screen TVs, and upgraded rooms have mini-fridges and microwaves.
The look in rooms is homey, and standard for a budget hotel: mid-tone wooden furniture, patchwork curtains, and sailing artwork. Improvements in 2016 replaced the ugly solid carpeting we saw in some rooms during our visit with the patterned carpeting found elsewhere. The hotel has rooms with two double beds or one king-size bed, and one-room suites. King Rooms offer sofa beds and conveniences like microwaves and mini-fridges. Suites also have whirlpool tubs in bathrooms. Smoking rooms are available and at times guests report smoke smells in the hallways. Flat-screen TVs with cable channels are housed in wooden cabinets. Coffeemakers are set atop bedside tables, or on work desks in larger rooms. Standard bathrooms offer wooden vanities and most have shower/tub combos. Basic toiletries and wall-mounted hairdryers are provided. The tall wooden armoires hold ironing facilities. Pets are welcome in rooms, but there's an additional charge. Wi-Fi is free in all rooms.
Features
Free breakfast, a meeting room, outdoor pool, fitness center, bike rentals, and other freebies
The breakfast lounge has casual tables and chairs, as well as a TV area. The buffet counter holds a morning spread of coffee and drinks, bagels, cereal, eggs, waffles, and other hot and cold items. Free coffee and tea are available throughout the day. The service gets crowded, so the hotel often opens the small meeting room to provide additional seating. The conference room can also be rented for small gatherings. Also in the lounge is a computer, and business services can be requested for an additional fee.
In the courtyard is a small pool with patio tables on the deck, open seasonally. The year-round gym has two treadmills, an elliptical machine, a flat-screen TV, and weight machines. Bicycles are also parked outside for guests to use. Freebies include Wi-Fi throughout, parking, and newspapers.