Greenstay Hotel & Suites is a budget-friendly hotel in Springfield’s Business District, a smart option if, like me, you’re looking for a good location, comfort, convenience, and great value.
Looking For a Hotel in Springfield
I’ve travelled to St. Louis and Branson in Missouri but this was my first visit to Springfield. I was looking for a budget-priced hotel for two nights, and a colleague from the area recommended the Greenstay Hotel & Suites.
As I was booking the hotel, I did notice some not so positive comments from previous travelers but I also took note of thoughtful replies from the hotel’s management, where in some cases, the poor reviews were inaccurate and clearly not describing elements of the Greenstay in Springfield. Optimistically, the hotel did rate 4.4 stars among hundreds of TripAdvisor reviews.
So I went with my gut (and my faith), and booked my 2-night stay for a second cousin’s surprise 80th Birthday party.
What are Greenstay Hotels?
If you’re like me and never heard of Greenstay hotels, they actually have an interesting concept. It’s an environmentally friendly hotel that follows and exceeds the “Green Program” established by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The goal is to reduce energy usage and carbon footprint without compromising the guest’s stay.
Now, I’m not going to lie as the “green” concept had me wondering if the bed sheets were disposable, the air conditioner or heat barely negligible, or one bath towel per room. Of course, I’m kidding but it did make me wonder.
However, I do care about the environment, so I was doing my part by staying at a Greenstay hotel to see what it’s all about.
Location in Springfield
This hotel is located in the business district of East Springfield. It’s the perfect location for business and in my case, close enough to a family event, near I-65 and I-44 highways.
This location allowed me to hop on a flight to Springfield-Branson Airport, and rent a car (free hotel parking) to drive an easy 11 miles to the hotel.
If you’re visiting Springfield for a sporting event, the hotel is less than one mile from Cooper Sports Complex. The campus Evangel University is a short drive away, making it ideal for campus visits and attending events.
Popular attractions nearby include the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. Although this was a quick local trip, if you wanted to explore Branson, the drive is just under one hour.
Room Rate Was a Good Value
Since the hotel had a high travel review rating, you would expect it to be a higher priced option in the area but it wasn’t. The daily room rate of $97 was quite a contrast to comparable hotels that we stayed in recently.
And I even heeded the word (based on some travel reviews) to confirm the reservation details ahead of time. It all added up and the price quoted was correctly calculated.
As I mentioned, I considered this hotel a high value for the low price paid for the accommodations. More importantly, Greenstay provided me a safe place to sleep while travelling solo.
Nicely Decorated Lobby
I was so relieved when I parked the rental car and walked towards the double doors of the hotel. I could already see that this was more attractive than expected.
The lobby area had the coolest high-back upholstered chairs in addition to “chaise” style sofas that you’d see in a home’s living room.
As I was checking in, I couldn’t help but look around at the brightly colored chair pillows and wall art that added some eye-catching modern accents around the lobby.
At the same time, I was glad to be waited on by the sweetest hotel clerk at the front desk. She seemed genuinely sweet, making small talk about why I was visiting Springfield. When I told her about my older cousin’s birthday, she said she knew her from the local church. That fact put me at total ease, as I was a bit self-conscious about travelling solo on this trip.
Hotel Amenities
To tell you about the amenities, I’ll start with my favorite: the complimentary full hot breakfast. There were plenty of options like cereal, fruit, eggs, biscuits, and breakfast meats. One morning when I was running late, I was able to take my free breakfast “on-the-go” so I could promptly meet my cousins for some sightseeing.
There is a 24-hour fitness room but I only peeked inside. There’s also an outdoor pool and hot tub that I had no intention to swim in, but I did find sitting on a lounge by the pool to read a book late afternoons was pure relaxation.
In addition to free parking and free breakfast, there was also free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.
For long stays, you’ll be happy to know that there is dry cleaning and laundry services available. Greenstay allows pets and the outdoor area looked like a decent area for walking dogs.
What the Room Was Like
I would describe the “Single King Leisure, Non Smoking” guest room as modern with everything that I needed to feel safe and anxious-free.
In between doing some sightseeing with cousins, I went back to my room to relax and make a cup of tea using the tea/coffee maker. There was also a fridge to keep my water and cheese protein snacks chilled. I didn’t use the in-room microwave.
There was plenty of room for just me including a sofa bed to relax and watch television. I may have put my feet on the cocktail table as well but let’s keep that to us. The desk area was spacious enough to charge my phone and laptop, but regrettably, I barely did any work during my stay.
And let me tell you about the bed with a new “Cloud 9 mattress.” As corny as this sounds, the mattress was “heavenly.” The sheets and blankets were soft as were the fluffy pillows but duly note that the pillows were on the small side. Overall, the room was quiet (even on a busy road) and dark for sleeping.
The bathroom had a cool light-up makeup mirror and the towels were soft and fluffy.
As for the energy efficient room, the room was the perfect temperature but an extra blanket is always appreciated.
The guest room clearly lived up to its high travel review rating.
Things to Do in Springfield
Since I had some free time after my cousin’s party, I was happy to see some Springfield attractions.
Here is where my family members took me:
Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium – It’s very large! You want to devote a few hours to see the sea turtle rehabilitation center and the full replica of President Theodore Roosevelt’s North Dakota cabin. You can even dive into the sharks tank wearing a specialized helmet while the fish feed. “No thank you” is all I have to say about that. We didn’t stay long there so the $40.00 fee was a bit steep for a brief visit.
Route 66 Car Museum – This museum shows a private classic car collection including some famous movie cars as you would have seen in the “Ghostbusters” and “Transformers” movies. We were there for about two hours … so the inexpensive $15.00 admission was justified.
Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden – Located on the grounds of the Springfield Botanical Garden, this place not only gave us a “breath of fresh air” but it offered “breathtaking” gardens and landscapes as well. It’s a huge, 7.5 acres featuring a koi lake, a tea house and traditional-style Japanese gardens. Now for the best part: Admission to the garden cost only $4.00!
Original Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World – This may sound like a silly attraction to visit but you have to know my cousins, natural born campers. This is the original store, a huge 500,000 square feet, is filled with more camping gear that you could imagine. There is a café, a museum, waterfalls, boat showroom, and much more.
Takeaways: Do I Recommend the Hotel?
The entire Springfield trip was a huge success including my stay at Greenstay. It’s highly recommended and I would stay here again. During my stay, I learned that the hotel uses eco-friendly toiletries and cleaning products, along with WaterPik showerheads for water conservation. While the concept is good, it wasn’t overly obvious.
- Easy access off main highways
- Value priced accommodations
- Rooms are spacious and clean
- Staff members pleasant and attentive
- Basic complimentary breakfast but good
- Hotel for business, leisure, or family travel
Author Bio: Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Wright now calls Deland, Florida her home. An avid traveler, she has journeyed by air, land, and sea, to many cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean to exciting destinations like California, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Diego, Myrtle Beach, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and more.
This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered travel or consumer advice. Inn amenities, prices, policies, and availability may change. Readers should verify all details independently and use their own judgment when planning travel.