Homes Away from Home

We called a few temporary lodgings home on this trip. Here's a rundown of them.

Janssen Place (Kansas City) 8+5+5=18

Sam found room to practice in KC.

Caroline's animals found room to birf in KC.

The winner of this contest by virtue of being the favorite of the kids and second-favorite of the adults. An Arts and Crafts style carriage house in a glorious neighborhood in Kansas City. The street was home to many lumber barons of the late 19th century. The carriage home itself was very pleasant, though it might have been too crowded with furniture. Oh, and there was a really inconvenient step between the kitchen and living room. However, it's the most thoughtfully appointed HomeAway rental at which I've ever stayed.

The blanket and couch in KC were a hit. 

Yak Ridge (South Dakota) 10+3+4=17

Our cabin.

Our cabin.

Our Kitchen in Yak Ridge.

Animals had to share a bed with Caroline at Yak Ridge.

A close second to Janssen Place, this won first-place votes from Chris and Sherry. The kids liked this but placed it further down the list due to lack of pool and wi-fi. The wi-fi thing was a bit odd, by the way. Listing didn't claim to have it but pointed to proximity of cell towers as providing access, but we must've been in a shadow. That being said, this was a great cabin to call home for a few days. Just roomy enough. Immediate entry to the outdoors. Quirky location that was somewhat secluded and equidistant between Rapid City and Rushmore. We loved picnic table outside and fire pit.

No, not our lodging. Instead, these were quarters at Minuteman NHP (told you I loved that site).

The common area at Minuteman NHP (I know this doesn't belong here, but that site is seriously worth checking out).

Americinn Medora (Medora) 5+4+3=12

The marvels of 21st-century life.

This met with mixed opinions, but was second-favorite for Caroline. One of two hotels in Medora, this one featured a breakfast and pool. Breakfast, by the way, featured something I've never seen before: a pancake maker. Surprisingly, that device took some time to master. Something that frustrated me about this place: light switches inside the room were in awkward locations. However, it was a clean, reliable, and relatively roomy place to retreat after seeing nature.

Hampton Inn (St. Louis) 5+2+2=9
As the man at the desk said, we had a big room with an awful view. But that fella was great, as was the whole staff. Funny hotel. Seemed like a pilgrimage spot for St. Louis Cardinals' faithful. They were all in a good mood and getting along with mid-western amicability with the Houston Astros fans who were visiting. Some looked at me strange when I said we weren't seeing a game in town. Location was right downtown, which made walking to the Arch a breeze. Downtown St. Louis a bit of an area that doesn't have an identity at the moment, though.

Country Inn and Suites (Willmar) 2+1+1=4 
Perhaps the 55-degree setting in the room dinged the score here a bit. Also, it had to compete with the Skilbred household: a great home where a great family who are great hosts live. Indoor water park existed but we didn't really get to use it, and the idea of an attendant there who wasn't a lifeguard just seemed weird. Still, it was clean.

Sonesta Suites in Omaha is an honorary mention. We were only there a night and I don't think it can be clearly evaluated. Interestingly, Sam and Sherry both placed this one-bedroom, two-story room with a loft at second place on each of their lists.