Why Drury Inn is Our Family's Favorite Hotel for Affordable Family Travel

"Let’s be honest: family travel is usually a beautiful mix of core memories and absolute chaos. As a Registered Nurse and mom of two, I’ve realized that while the 'perfect' vacation doesn't exist, finding the right home base can save your sanity. I’m sharing why Drury Hotels has become our go-to for finding that sweet spot—where the rooms are clean, the 5:30 Kickback dinner is free, and the 10-person hot tub is waiting to rescue your tired feet after a long day of exploring. 

Ready to see rates for your next trip? Book Here with Expedia and One Key to earn rewards on hotel, flights, car rentals, and activities!

Find the Cheapest Amusement Park Tickets here: with Undercover Tourist.

What’s most important to me when planning our family’s vacation is, value.  I’m looking at getting as much out of our time and money as humanly possible. After lots of travel experiences and many, many continental breakfasts or worse breakfasts for a fee, I’ve found the most value-packed hotel brand in Drury properties. I'm not a partner or a brand ambassador, yet, but for right now I'm giving you my take on a hotel chain that goes above and beyond offering the most in amenities, comfort and ease for traveling families. Let me tell you why Drury Inn’s welcoming family vibe has made this our family’s hotel brand of choice!

Staying Healthy while Traveling is equally important

during family travel: Check out my blog post and Wellness Kit

Amenities

The price of this hotel brand is such a steal for what is offered, usually running around $160 to $250 a night depending on the area and time of year. The price does not change on the number of people in your party. The hotel itself is extremely family friendly and pet friendly. Every Drury Inn has an Indoor/outdoor pool to be enjoyed year-round as well as a large 10-person hot tub. This feature is our favorite as most hotels have opted to get rid of their Jacuzzis.  The pool area offers entertainment for the kiddos and a comfortable place for Mom and Dad to relax while the kids play.

This area is usually furnished with plenty of sun loungers, tables and chairs. Each Drury also has a pretty up-to-date work-out area for those trying to burn those extra vacation calories.

Food

Usually when planning a vacation, it’s nice to have a cheap meal option or two planned into the trip so you can splurge on those destination restaurants. This is where the real value lies, free breakfast and free dinner. Each Drury Inn has a Kick Back from 5 to 7pm.

During this time, the hotel provides some sort of a dinner, free drinks for the kids, and three free cocktails for the adults. This is all built into your nightly room rate and if you price it, the rate is cheaper than your Marriott and Hilton brand properties with so many more perks. The last Drury Inn that we visited had a dinner offering that included, white cheddar mac and cheese, Pork BBQ sandwiches, nachos, salad, soup and hot dogs which was appealing for everyone.  Also, free soda.

The best part is the free popcorn in the lobby offered nightly. Each morning there is a free full breakfast with a little something for everyone. Most Drury Inn’s also offer an onsite restaurant and bar if you’re looking for something different than what’s offered during the Kick Back. Check out is around 11 and can be extended to 12 on request. Free coffee is located in the lobby for most of the day as well as local newspapers and of course pamphlets on all the local and surrounding attractions.

Comfort

My favorite part is the accommodations. Our family is getting older and as my kids get bigger and bigger, we need more than two Queen beds. They offer twin-size rollway beds that are large and very comfortable for a small fee. These fit into the double-queen rooms with ease. These rooms are very spacious, comfortable and clean. You can also reserve a two-room King Suite that offers privacy for the parents while the kids sleep on the pull-out sofa in the adjacent living room. All rooms come with a mini fridge, microwave and a safe. These rooms have plenty of plugs and charging ports for your electronics. The hotel also offers toiletries in the bathrooms and of course free toothbrushes at the front desk, just in case you forget yours.

Location

You can find these hotels in the most convenient and well-sought-after destinations. Drury’s Plaza hotel in Nashville is within walking distance to Nashville’s famous strip, Broadway. This Drury boasts city views and convenience to places like Tootsies Orchid Lounge. The location in San Antonio is right on the beautiful Riverwalk with some rooms overlooking the Rio Grande. Other locations are Atlanta, New Orleans and St. Louis, just to name a few. Recently Drury added locations in Pigeon Forge and Chattanooga. They even have a Drury Inn located in the popular Disney Springs location in Orlando. This hotel is a steal when visiting Disney, presenting all the amenities I mentioned previously without the Disney resort fees, but you get free transportation with bus service to all the parks, and the perk of rope-dropping. Watch Epcot or Magic Kingdom fireworks from some of the balcony rooms. All of this for a fraction of the price of what it would cost to stay on property. Not to mention these rooms compared to Disney resort rooms are more spacious and comfortable with a fridge and microwave. Afraid you’ll miss out on the late-night pizza after the parks, no need to fear, there is a Pizza Hut Express on the premises. If you’re looking for a way to save on Disney, this is definitely the way to go!

Mom-to-Mom Tip on Park Tickets: Never pay full gate price for your Disney or Universal tickets! I always buy our passes through Undercover Tourist, which is a fully authorized, verified ticket reseller. They buy tickets in massive wholesale volumes and pass the direct savings on to families, often saving you up to $90 per ticket on Disney passes. The tickets link directly to your My Disney Experience apps instantly and to organize your trip before you go and while you're at Disney check out My Stress-free Disney and Universal Planner. 

The Ultimate Travel-Sickness Backup Plan: As an RN, I know that kids get sick, flights get delayed, and plans change in a heartbeat. While buying directly from the theme parks usually means your money is locked in forever, Undercover Tourist offers what they call the "Nicest Refund Policy" in the industry. For most of their theme park tickets, they offer an incredible 365-day return window. If you have to cancel your trip, they will refund 95% of your ticket total back to your card. Just another way Undercover Tourist offers value.

Dont forget to check out my Amusement Park Must-haves

How I Save My Family Money Booking Drury:

I'm always looking for ways to make family travel more affordable without sacrificing comfort or convenience. When it comes to booking our favorite hotel brand, Drury Inn and Suites, Ive found a simple strategy: Book with One Key and Expedia to earn rewards on hotel stays, flights and packages. I appreciate having rewards that can be used across different types of travel experiences.

The friendly staff, excellent customer service and countless amenities and freebies keep us visiting whenever we travel. I hope you enjoy this value-filled hotel brand and make Drury Inn and Suites your go to home away from home! As always, Let’s Make Memories!