I chose this hotel because of its location near the Albany Institute of History and Art, the Capital, and Lark Street. The Albany airport was the closest to Kripalu, our destination. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They were eager and willing to answer all of our questions about the area. They came out from behind the desk to direct us what direction to go to catch the bus, which direction was north to try to catch the Northern Lights. They pointed out when my waffle timer went off at breakfast. Three employees came out from behind the desk to be helpful. While they did not have a free shuttle from the airport, they did provide a full breakfast, including waffles, eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, yogurt, fruit, muffins, and cake-like breads. Coffee and tea were available pretty much all day, and sometimes there were cookies. The staff went above and beyond. We felt very welcomed.