Staybridge Suites Memphis – Poplar Ave East

This pet-friendly property, with its apartment-style suites with full kitchens, is designed for extended stays, and families, couples, and business travelers make up the clientele. While the hotel looks fairly generic from the outside, once inside, the spaces are modern and smart. Shades of brown and cream are brightened by teal accents throughout, and the lobby features lots of dark wood, a vibrant brown-and-blue carpet, and an exposed-brick fireplace -- it's contemporary yet inviting at the same time. The hotel also makes an effort to help guests mingle. There's no proper restaurant or bar on site, but evening socials with free drinks and hors d'oeuvres are a great perk that makes this an even more welcoming place.

Off Interstate 240, the Staybridge Suites is in East Memphis, about a 25-minute drive to downtown and legendary Beale Street depending on traffic.  A Benihana restaurant is next door, which shares the parking lot with the hotel. There is another hotel across the street, and several corporate headquarters within a minute's drive or a five-minute walk of the Staybridge. It's a 10-minute drive to Dixon Gallery and Gardens, the Memphis Botanic Garden, and the Audubon Park Golf Course. Graceland is a 15-minute drive, and Shelby Farms Park is a five-minute drive. Memphis International Airport is a 12-minute drive, and the hotel provides a free airport shuttle service.

Like the common areas, apartment-style suites at the Staybridge are decorated in brown and cream tones, with lots of wood and hints of teal. They are contemporary but still feel homey, with separate living areas with sofa beds, sage green carpeted floors, and generic, but attractive, nature-inspired wall art. All include free Wi-Fi, desks, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, DVD players, and irons and ironing boards. Each unit also has a full kitchen with a stove, microwave, coffeemaker, toaster, full-size refrigerator, dishwasher, and plenty of cookware, dishware, and utensils. Basic bathrooms have shower/tub combos, granite countertops, hairdryers, and toiletries. The pet-friendly policy means that the occasional barking dog may be heard at odd hours, and some other guests have noted hearing noise from neighboring rooms.

The hotel is built around an attractive seasonal outdoor pool area, which is surrounded by lounge chairs, umbrella tables and chairs, and has an adjacent picnic area with barbecue grills. A hot breakfast buffet is included in the room rate, along with shuttle service to Memphis International Airport. The business center, with computer stations plus copying and printing services, is open 24-hours a day, and there's a fitness center with an elliptical machine, treadmill, exercise bike, and free weights. The 24-hour Pantry sells snacks and drinks. The hotel also organizes socials during the week, with free drinks and appetizers, and there is also a meeting room, event space, and laundry facilities on-site. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and parking is free too.