Couldn't find reservation and no internet
The front desk eventually agreed to give up a room (they had claimed to be sold out moments earlier) and did discount the rate. That was swell and all, but the 15 minutes of worrying that we didn't have a room.
"suite" rooms were beautiful, updated, clean - worth the increased rate; the standard rooms not so much. my best guess is that they were last updated somewhere in the late '70s. in fact, the channel inn lobby and restaurant evokes a "Sunday night movie of the week" atmosphere, circa 1974. i kept humming the theme from "the Rockford files" - the part, that is, after the answering machine.
finally, they had advertised "free" internet. after no less than 6 calls to the front desk and then holding as they called and called.... somewhere, i figured it out on my own. their internet was free as in "able to wander on one's own, unable or willing to be captured and plugged into a device." once i had that ah-hah moment, i should have snuggled in for a few fuzzy-screened hours of 'mcmillan and wife'. but since i had work that had to get done, i continued to appeal to the front desk until i was certain that they had no ability whatsoever to provide service.