Stay Report: Le Méridien New York, Fifth Avenue (New York City - October 2024)

    Stay Report: Le Meridien New York, Fifth Avenue
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We were traveling to New York and generally when in the city we stay at the Innside by Melia (review here) due to its central location and walking distance to transportation, restaurants, and other attractions.  The plan was to stay at that hotel again but the rates were very high so we decided to look at other hotels within the area and that is when we found the Le Meridien New York, Fifth Avenue.  We booked the room through the Marriott website, as they were having a deal/promotion, and the hotel was one of the few that provided two double beds and advertised that it could fit up to 4 people.

The hotel is located on Fifth Avenue between 30th and 31st street in KoreaTown.  The hotel is about a 15-20 minute walk from Herald Square, and closer there is a WholeFoods two blocks away and a Dunkin Donuts and CVS literally down the block; all to say there is a lot to do and the hotel is centrally located.  The hotel itself does not look like much from the outside and does not really look like a hotel; the lobby also does not really look like a lobby and is very narrow.  As you enter the door, you are facing the check-in desk, and its a tiny desk.  Next to the check-in desks are the elevators and on the other side is the small seating area, the 'business center' which is a computer and printer, and the entrance to the restaurant.  The square footage of the lobby, especially the check-in area was very tiny and if there was a group checking in it made access to the hotel and lobby somewhat tricky.  We checked in, received our room key and proceeded to the room.  The elevators did come generally quickly and they were average size elevators; other hotels in New York have the tiny elevators in which barely 1-2 people can fit and they are slow.  Even though the website advertised that the room can 'accommodate up to 4 people' and offered pictures of a spacious room, the narrow size of the lobby continued to the room.  

The room had all the basic amenities but was in a narrow space with little extra room and was not spacious at all.  As you entered, there was a small hallway which led into the room.  In the hallway, on the left were coat hooks which was nice since there was limited closet and storage space.  On the right side was the open bathroom in which the sink and tiny shower, with a clear door, was open to the room and hallway while the toilet was behind a sliding door; there was really no privacy and no space in the bathroom (there were tiny shelves up on the wall that barely had enough space for a toiletry bag).  

As you entered into the room, along the left side of the wall was a wooden shelf which was your storage/desk space and also contained the coffee maker.  The shelf was long but was a bit narrow so difficult to add multiple items.  Above the shelf was the TV and between the shelf and the window was the narrow closet which had a place to hang items on one side and pull out shelves on the other.  There was not a lot of space in the room so when you pulled out the shelves in the closet you basically hit the bed.  The beds were along the other side of the wall and they were full/double size beds and provided a decent nights sleep.  There was one desk in between the two beds as one bed was basically next to the window and on the other side of the other bed was a small space with a chair and tiny table.  There was a luggage rack in the closet and we set up that in this space to at least get the suitcases out of the way so you could walk and maneuver around the room.  Again the room had all the basic amenities but 1) it was tight and narrow and 2) could barely accommodate 4 people or generally 2 people with luggage.

The hotel did have amenities including complimentary wifi, a restaurant, and a fitness center.  The wifi was strong and you could connect as many devices as you wanted.  The fitness center was located in the basement and was a decent size; next to the fitness was also a huge bathroom area with 6 stalls which seems like a wasted space.  When we checked in, and we realized many other guests also received this as well, we were given credit at the hotel which could be used for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or cocktails at the restaurant.  Most people used it for breakfast and it was a regular restaurant menu for breakfast, lunch or dinner and you ordered what you wanted and you could use the credit to cover the costs.  The server at the restaurant was nice but they seemed understaffed given the amount of guests they had.  Also the food was decent and they were accommodating to various dietary restrictions but the food did not have a lot of flavor and if we did not have the credit seemed wildly expensive for what it was.

Overall, the hotel was centrally located and provided easy access to many restaurants and attractions.  The rooms were narrow and the bathroom was not well designed.  The elevators were quick and spacious and there was not a lot of rush either in the lobby or in the elevators so it did not feel overwhelming.

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Express Almaty, an IHG Hotel (Almaty, Kazakhstan - September 2024

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Express Almaty
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I was traveling to Almaty and was looking for a decent but inexpensive place to stay.  I also was arriving early in the morning so needed to book an extra day to ensure the room was available, so keeping all this in mind I found the Holiday Inn Express Almaty.  I generally do not stay in Holiday Inn Express in the States because their quality is generally an issue, but overseas their quality seems to be better and I recently stayed at one in Warsaw which was very nice (review here).  I was able to book the reservation through the IHG website and was able to manage the reservation through the app.  I was able to communicate with the hotel via email, but the communication was a challenge and I will expand on that a bit later.

I arrived early in the morning so I wanted to prebook a car pickup but unfortunately due tocommunication issues this was not possible.  Communication continued to be a challenge at check-in and throughout my stay with the front desk as English was not their language of communication.  The hotel itself is located on the outskirts of the city, approximately 45mins away from the airport, but within walking distance to many sights and shops including about a 5-7mins walk to the Forum and a 20min walk to Kok Tobe.  From the outside, the hotel is a very tall building and looks like a converted Soviet-esque building that was remodeled into the Holiday Inn Express.  Inside, the hotel looks recently updated and newish.  As you enter the building, straight ahead are the check-in desks and a small waiting area.  The elevators are the to left and as walk through you pass more seating area, the bar area, the 'business center' and next to the elevators is the dining area where the breakfast is served.  Due to the communication issue, check-in took some time but I finally got my key and went to the room.

As I opened the door, the room looked updated and resembled the modern layout of the HI Express room.  As you entered the room, on the left was the entrance to the bathroom and straight ahead was the main room.  The bathroom was a bit tiny and was more along the European size of the bathroom and contained a toilet, a sink, and a shower.  The sink had Dove hand wash and Dove products were also in the shower.  The bathroom was decent but tiny and compact.  The room itself though was not compact and had enough room to maneuver around and for the luggage.  Just next to the door to the bathroom was an open closet and next to the that was a luggage stand with a safe underneath.  There was a small nook across from the closet on the other side of the room that contained the iron and ironing board.  Further into the room, along the left side of the wall was a table/desk plus chair and the along the wall was the bed with a nightstand on either side.  The bed was a decent size and comfortable enough for a good nights sleep.  The table/desk was small but big enough to get some work done and there were charging ports and plugs near the desk which were convenient.  Across from the bed, along the other side of the wall, was a TV mounted on the wall and underneath was a stand for additional storage, the coffee maker, and complimentary bottles of water.  The complimentary bottles of water was a nice touch and each day the bottles were replenished.  Overall it was a decent if not compact room; the bed was comfortable and provided a good nights sleep and there were enough charging ports that were easily accessible.

Holiday Inn Express hotels are not full service hotels but they do provide some amenities.  This hotelincluded complimentary wifi, complimentary breakfast, a business center which contained two computers in the lobby, plenty of seating area in the lobby, and a bar area.  The wifi was decent and you could connect as many devices as you wanted.  The breakfast was complimentary and included complimentary tea and coffee, but the selection was a bit limited and not as plentiful or varied as the one in Warsaw.

Overall, it was an average and comfortable stay at the Holiday Inn Express.  The room was a decent size and provided a good nights sleep; the wifi was decent and could connect many devices; and the hotel was within walking distance to sights and shops.  Negatives included limited variation for the breakfast and communication issues with the front desk.

Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Atlanta In Buckhead (Atlanta, Ga - January 2024)

  Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead
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I was going to be in Atlanta for one day and I have a free night at a Hyatt property so decided to try out the Grant Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead.  My only experience with a Grand Hyatt before was with the Grand Hyatt in Bogota (review here) so this was my first experience with the hotel in the U.S.  It was easy to book the room through the app and the day before check-in we received a welcome note from the Manager.  

We arrived at the hotel late at night and the first thing you notice is the size, the hotel is very big in terms of height and size.  The hotel is made up of two towers with the first couple of floors being the base and then the two towers rising above.  There is a lower level entrance which is mainly the entrance for the meeting rooms.  At the main entrance is the valet stand and as you enter the hotel, you climb up some stairs and immediately enter the bar/lounge area in front of you.  The check-in desk and elevators to one tower are to the right, while the restaurant and elevators to the other tower are to the left.  It is a very grand hotel and it is very easy to get lost as there is minimal signage to direct.  As we arrived late at night, check-in was easy and we quickly received our key.  We then had to go back downstairs as the incorrect room was given; when given the correct room I believe we may have been upgraded as the room was very spacious.

The room was on the 22nd floor and had lots of space.  As you entered into the room, there was a long hallway on the right which contained the closet as well as a space to put your luggage/makeup/storage on the other side.  The closet was huge and contained lots of space to store things as well as the safe, iron, ironing board, as well as slippers and a robe (the slippers were of low quality though).  This hallway was on the right side, on the left side of the room was the entrance to the bathroom.  The bathroom was also massive and contained a long countertop with a sink, a jacuzzi tub as well as a stand shower.  There was a separate entrance to the toilet and overall there was lots of space and lots of amenities next to each item including bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and little bars of soap.

Separating this part from the room was a little nook that contained a bar top with the coffee maker on top and a decent size fridge underneath.  The spaciousness continued in the main room which contained the two beds along the right side of the wall.  These were two spacious queen-size beds which were very comfortable and provided a greats night sleep.  There was a nightstand in between the two beds which contained an alarm clock with USB port and plugs on top of it.  There was lots of space between the two beds as well as between the bed and the nightstand.   Along the left side of the wall was the TV mounted on the wall and underneath was a chest with drawers for additional storage.  There was a chair and extender next to that, and alongside the other wall was a standard-size desk with a chair as well as plugs and USB ports on the desk.  In between the chair and the desk was the entrance to the balcony, which was nice and a good size and had two lounge chairs on it, but the only negative is that there waw a window in the bathroom which shown onto the balcony and that limited privacy somewhat.  Also, the furnishings and the building looked like an older building which meant there was a lack of plugs and USB ports around room; however, the comfortability and spaciousness of the room made up for any shortcomings.

They are a full-service hotel so amenities at the hotel include a restaurant, bar, valet, fitness center, pool (currently closed), self parking, wifi, business center as well as a hotel lounge.  I was only there for one night so was not able to but I did try the wifi, the hotel lounge, and the self-parking.  The self-parking is located in a garage down and across the street from the hotel; it looks like a regular garage that the hotel partnered with and while there are signs that this is for the hotel, the signs are minimal as are the lights at night.  The wifi was strong and we were able to connect multiple devices with no issues and were able to stream videos and social media with no interruptions.  We also had access to the hotel lounge so we took advantage of that for breakfast.  

The lounge is located on the 24th floor and is open from 6:30am-10pm serving breakfast, snacks, and hors d'oeuvres.  As you enter into the lounge, there is a couch and sitting area in front with tables towards the back next to the window.   To the left, in a little nook, is the business center with two computers and a printer.  There is a huge TV mounted on the wall, and towards the right is the coffee maker and food items.  We went during breakfast time so they had oatmeal, cereal, light snacks, some fruit and salmon as well as bread and bagels available; coffee and tea were also available with a variety of milk in the fridge along with juice and water.  While a decent selection, it was more of a medium-size snack versus breakfast; my previous experience at hotel lounges have all been outside of the U.S. where generally the selection is more so I am not sure if this is standard for U.S. hotel lounges.

Overall, it was a great stay at the Grand Hyatt.  The room was spacious and there were lots of amenities for the guest to enjoy.  The beds were really comfortable and provided a great nights sleep; and even though our interaction with staff was minimal, what interaction we did have was good and they provided good customer service.     

Stay Report: Hyatt House Atlanta / Perimeter Center (Atlanta, Ga - April 2022)

  Stay Report: Hyatt House Atlanta / Perimeter Center
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I travel to Atlanta a lot and have stayed in many areas but I prefer the Perimeter area due to access of services as well as strategic location.  There a couple of hotels in this area and generally I used to stay at the Hyatt Place Perimeter Center which was a nice location as it was right on the Perimeter Mall parking lot and it was close to many restaurants and other services; however, the service at the hotel as well as other factors made us look for other hotels in the area.  Down the street from the Hyatt Place is the Hyatt House and I had never stayed at this brand from Hyatt so was eager to check it out.

Hyatt describes Hyatt House as "a residentially inspired hotel experience offering spacious, apartment-style rooms and suites with full kitchens" and is Hyatt's response to the extended-stay format.  It was easy to book and modify the reservation either through the Hyatt app or website.  The entrance to the hotel is odd in that its right off of the main road but also next to a interstate onramp - good thing is that you do not hear the noise from the cars in the hotel.  The main entrance to the hotel is on the upper level but the vehicle entrance is on the main level and so you park in the temporary spots and then walk up to the upper level to access the check-in desks and main level of the hotel.  There are parking spots on the main level as well as the lower level of the hotel as well as entrances and elevators which can take you directly to your room.

As you enter the lobby, you notice how large the lobby is and how vast the space is.  The lobby containsa large seating area, the check-in desks, the hotel restaurant and bar, the business center, and meeting rooms.  It is a huge space and even though it can get crowded, it does not feel cramped as there is a lot of space for people to sit and mingle.  Check-in was good, we received our key and proceeded to the room.  There are a variety of room types available - there is the standard hotel room, an expanded hotel room that resembles the Hyatt Place with a kitchenette, and more extended stay-type rooms with full kitchens.  As we generally are staying there for a couple of days, we book the expanded hotel room that includes a kitchenette and a seating area.  

When you open the door, you enter into the kitchenette area.  On the left side is a ledge with a mirror and coat hooks on top.  On the right side is a small kitchen with a sink, a small stovetop, a microwave, as well as shelves with plates and glasses.  In the middle of the kitchenette is an island with a huge counter space.  On one side of the island, across from the stovetop, is a dorm-size fridge which is bigger than a mini-fridge but not much larger.  On the other side of the island are two seating areas and this can be for both dining as well as working as there are plugs and outlets right next the seating areas in the island.  

The room section is divided into the seating area and the bed section.  The seating area contains a sectional sofa that turns into a sofabed as well as a small table.  There is a small table next to the couch and the other sectional part of the sofa is against the wall and has a small window behind it.  The seating area is small and once the sofabed pulls out, there is no room for the seating area or to access any other section/part of this area.  In front of the sectional is a stand with a TV on top and shelves on the bottom.  The TV can either face the sectional/seating area or the bedroom area as right behind the TV stand is the bedroom area - there is no separation between the bedroom and the seating area besides the TV stand.  This room comes with on king-size bed so in the bedroom section there is one king-size bed with nightstands on either side.  The bed is large and somewhat comfortable and provides a decent nights sleep.  When facing the bed, to the left is the closet and bathroom area.  From the bedroom, you pass a vanity area which has a luggage storage/ledge on one side and the closet on the other.  The closet contains a mirror on the outside and inside a place to hang your clothes, an iron, ironing board, and a safe.  Further along is the actual bathroom which contains a sink, a toilet and a long shower.  The shower is decent and provides nice water pressure and there are standard Hyatt toiletries included soap, body wash and shampoo; this hotel does not provide lotion though.

As a full-service hotel there are a lot of amenities offered including wifi, complimentary breakfast,

fitness center, meeting rooms, business center, onsite restaurant/bar, attached parking, and a pool.  We have experienced the wifi which was strong and able to check email, stream videos, and handle multiple people working at the same time; the business center which was just two computers and a printer next to the meeting rooms in the lobby; the parking which is an extra charge and there are limited spaces connected to the hotel but there is also spaces in the parking garage across the street; and the complimentary breakfast which was a standard hotel complimentary breakfast with cereal, fruit, bagels and french toast.  The hotel is located next to the MARTA station stop and is a 30-60 second walk from the station to the hotel entrance - that can be good during the day but caution does need to be adhered to at night.

Overall, its a decent hotel near the Perimeter Mall.  The hotel lobby is spacious and while the hotel may be full it does not seem full in the hotel; the hotel does not seem rushed nor packed.  The room type that we choose is decent especially the island which provides a nice working and counter space; the only wish is that the fridge would be a little bit bigger especially if you are staying at the hotel for an extended period.  Other than that, nice hotel with decent service and good size room.

Stay Report: avid hotel Richmond North - Ashland, an IHG Hotel (Glen Allen, Virginia - January 2024)

 Stay Report: avid hotel, Richmond North
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I was traveling and needed to stop so I was looking for a hotel in Richmond, and through my search I found avid hotel.  Avid hotel is a new concept by IHG hotels aimed at budget conscious/minimalist travelers and I wanted to experience this new concept so decided to book it.  It was very easy to book the hotel through the IHG website and afterwards through the app I could see the hotel amenities as well as what services my level of membership would get me.                                                                                                         From the outside, the hotel looked brand new and had lots of parking.  As you stepped inside, you entered into a large lobby area with lots of seating and dining tables.  At the front was a small check-in desk and at the back was the complimentary tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, microwave, as well as where the 'grab'n'go' breakfast is located.  Checkout took a bit to get the key and explain all the details of the property, but once I had my key I made my way up to the room.

The room itself is basic but room enough and has all the basic amenities.  As you opened the door, on the left was the entrance to the bathroom and after that was a storage rack with a place to store you luggage on top as well as hooks with hangers to hang your stuff on.  Next to that was a small section which contained a small ironing board, and underneath the luggage rack was a fridge as well as cubby hotels with additional storage and the iron.  The bathroom was also a decent size and contained a sink with counter space, a toilet, and a small stand-in shower.  The shower was the only thing that looked small and prefabricated (and thus a bit cheap) but overall the bathroom was decent and had Dove toiletries next to the sink (hand wash and lotion) as well as in the shower (body wash, shampoo and conditioner).

The bed was located along the left side of the wall and I had a king-size room which the bed size and comfort were decent and provided a good nights sleep.  On either side of the bed were two small nightstands with plugs as well as USB ports on either side.  Across from the bed, along the right side of the wall, contained additional hooks to hang your jacket/clothes, a TV mounted along the wall, and a long desk underneath that along with a TV-tray/mini table underneath the big table.  The big table was great to do work as well as eat and the mini-table provided extra storage for the work and food.  Overall, the room was a decent size, comfortable, had the basic amenities that a guests need, and provided a good nights sleep.

The hotel does provide additional amenities for the guests including complimentary parking, complimentary wifi, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate available all the time, grab'n'go breakfast, pool as well as a gym.  I was only there for a little while so only experienced the complimentary parking (lots of spaces) and the complimentary wifi which was strong and was able to connect multiple devices.  Had I stayed longer I would've enjoyed the complimentary tea/coffee/hot chocolate, the fitness facility as well as the breakfast.                                                                                                                                     Overall, it was a nice hotel with lots of amenities and services for the guest.  The room was comfortable, provided a good nights sleep, and the wifi was strong.  Staying at this hotel did remind me of another hotel and it seemed that avid hotel is IHG's answer to Tru by Hilton (check out my review here).  Tru by Hilton is one of Hilton's newest properties aimed at the budget-conscious and these two brands mirror each other very similarly.  It seems that IHG, Hilton, and others implementing the US version of ibis hotels with these hotels (check out my ibis review here). 

Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa And Casino (Noord, Aruba - September 2023)

  Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino
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We had a planned a trip to Aruba and were looking at a variety of hotels to stay at.  We were originally looking at all-inclusive but Aruba does not have many of those so then looked at what the reviews said.  There were many different opinions but we decided on the Hyatt Regency for a couple of reasons: 1) they had a club access rate which was the second-best option to all inclusive; 2) one of my family had high status with Hyatt so more likely to get better service; and 3) it seemed to be the newer of the all the properties that I looked into.  We booked the property through Hyatt.com, and even though we booked in advance we continued to look as the rate for the property did go down.  It was easy to manage the reservation through the website as well as the app, and through the app you could add additional services and requests.

We booked a car and picked that up at the airport and drove to the hotel - the hotel offers valet parking as well as complimentary self-parking located at a lot across the street.  There was plenty of parking the entire time we were there and it was an easy walk across the street to access the hotel.  We walked into the open-air lobby which had lots of seating in the front; the check-in desk to the left as well as the room and the club; to the right was the restaurant and additional rooms, and in front was the main pool and access to the beach.  Check-in was quick and we received a wrist band which provided access to the room, as well as access to the club room.  This band also showed that you were part of the Hyatt hotel so when you were on the beach you could access Hyatt beach chairs.  The wrist band was very comfortable, could get wet, dirty, or sandy and would still work!

The hotel was laid out like a U with rooms on each side and the main pool in the middle.  On the other side of the U was the adults-only pool as well as meeting rooms.  Our room was on the 8th floor and faced the adult-only pool section as well as looking out onto the beach.  For the room, when you open the door you enter into a hallway that leads into the bedroom.  In the hallway, on the left side was the closet as well as the entrance to the bathroom.  The closet contained a place to hang your clothes, some racks, a safe deposit box, an iron and ironing board, as well as luggage rack.  Next to the closet was the entrance to the bathroom which was very large.  The bathroom had a large counter space with a sink and refillable toiletries from Pharmacopia; a toilet, and a tub again with refillable toiletries from Pharmacopia.

In the main room, we had a room with 2 double beds and those were against the wall with a nightstand in the middle.  There were lamps on either side but no plugs next to the bed unless near the nightstand.  The beds were comfortable and provided a good nights sleep.  Next to the bed, against the wall, was a stand which had the fridge on the bottom, coffee on top, as well as shelves above.  This is also where there were additional plugs as well as complimentary bottles of water.  Across from the bed, against the other wall was a bench to either sit or place your luggage and next to that was a chest with a flat surface on top and drawers underneath.  Above the chest, mounted on the wall was the TV.  The chest provided another area of storage and the drawers provided more storage.  The flat surface on top continued when the chest ended as that is where the desk started - the desk chair was a little uncomfortable to do work but it did its job.  Between the desk and the balcony was a small table with 2 chairs that you could sit on and look out onto the view.   There was a sliding door and a mini-balcony and by mini I mean there was only enough room to stand on the balcony and see the view.  Overall it was a nice and spacious room with lots of amenities - we were 3 people total and never did it feel cramped or tight in terms of personal space nor storage space.  

The hotel had lots of amenities for guests to enjoy including two family pools, an adults-only pool, access to the beach, many restaurants and bars, a casino attached to the hotel, a fitness center, lots of seating around the hotel, as well as daily exercises and other activities.  We really enjoyed the adults-only pool as it allowed adults to relax and families to relax separately without having to worry about bothering anyone else.  You did have to reserve chairs next to the pool and your reservation was held all-day; which was both a good and bad thing.  There was plenty of beach access and plenty of chairs and access to the beach to enjoy and not have to worry about that.  

We also enjoyed the Hyatt Club which provided snacks and light meals throughout the day including a light breakfast, light lunch, light hors d'ouver in the evening and snacks, water, tea/coffee, and soft drinks throughout the day.  As I mentioned before, there is complimentary parking in a parking lot across the street with plenty of parking and easy access to the hotel.  The hotel does provide complimentary wifi as well as business center and meeting rooms.  The wifi reception was spotty throughout the hotel; it barely worked in our room and only seemed to work either near the club or near the meeting rooms.  The hotel is also located within walking distance to many shops and restaurants making it a convenient place to stay.

Overall, it was a nice stay at the Hyatt Regency Aruba.  The staff was nice, the location was beautiful, there were plenty of amenities and space for the guests to enjoy without toppling over each other (which happens at other resorts/hotels).  If you do, I would recommend getting the Club Access as then its somewhat akin to an all inclusive 

Stay Report: Mercure Istanbul Sirkeci (Istanbul, Turkey - February 2023)

 Stay Report: Mercure Istanbul Sirkeci
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We were traveling on Turkish Airlines and were stopping over in Istanbul.  We had booked the program through the airlines’ “Istanbul Stopover” but the hotel the airline provided was right next to the airport and we were looking for a hotel within Sultanahmet so I looked for a hotel on my own.  In my search, I found a couple of hotels both within the Sultanahmet area as well as across the bridge in Galata.  I read reviews on all the hotels and decided on the Mercure Istanbul Sirkeci as it was a close walking distance to the tram stop, 2-stops away from the Hagia Sophia, as well as walking distance to many shops and restaurants.                                                                                                                                                                                          I have stayed at other Accor hotel properties (Novotel and ibis) but never at Mercure so I was not sure what to expect.  Accor hotels usually have average rooms, good wifi, average breakfast, and sometimes a good location and this is what the reviews said and this is what I found during my stay.  Some of the good aspects are the location as the hotel is central or within walking distance to many aspects including the tram stop, the wifi is free and fast, and hotel was responsive and communicative prior to arrival.  Some of the aspects which were alright or could use work were the size and quality of the rooms and the communication of the staff during the stay.

 
Through the hotel we had arranged transportation to and from the airport, and this can be done at an additional cost, but it was very convenient and the hotel was responsive throughout the entire process.  The hotel is located in the middle of Sirkeci, which is a neighborhood near Sultanahmet and is 2 tram stops away from Hagia Sophia and walking distance to many shops and restaurants.  In fact, the car parks on the side of the hotel as the main entrance is in a pedestrian walk-way with restaurants and a barber in front.  You enter the hotel in the lobby with the staircase in the middle, some seating to the right, and to the left are additional seating, the check-in desk, as well as the hotel’s restaurant.  The size, structure, and decoration of the hotel made it feel more like a boutique hotel rather than a chain and that is something I appreciated.  As we were checking in, another staff member was helping to bring in our suitcase and the hotel was able to hold luggage throughout the stay.  After check-in, we received our key and took the elevator to our room.  There are two elevators to get up – one is a smaller elevator located next to the check-in desk and the other is a bigger elevator located in the middle of the staircase – the circular staircase wraps around the elevator.  Both elevators are tiny – the one next to the check-in desk can barely fit 2 people – and I never saw anyone use the elevator in the middle of the staircase; in fact we were directed to the smaller elevator so not even sure if the bigger elevator works. 

Our room was located at the end of the hall on the 2^nd floor; given the tight space, each floor only had about 16 rooms with about 8 on each side.  Our room was part of what Accor calls the ‘family room’ in that there are two separate rooms with two separate entrances but there is a main door that leads to the hallway that can be closed so that both rooms can act as one or it can be opened so that both rooms can be utilized individually.  In the room, along the right side of the room was a full-length mirror, a long desk which you could sit and work or use as storage, and a section which contained the fridge, mini-bar and coffee details below and a place to store your luggage above.  At the end of the right-hand wall, between the desk and the window, was the closet which contained hangers and a place to hang your clothes, a safe, a luggage rack, as well as amenities such as shoe polish and disposable slippers.  Along the left of the room were two twin beds with a nightstand in the middle, a chair and a table alongside the window.  Next to both beds were charging ports and a plug and above the beds was a ledge which we used to store the phones and other devices that were charging on the ports.  The desk also contained plugs and charging ports so it was very convenient and easy to charge your electronics in the room. The beds itself were decent and contained a nice duvet which provided a nice sleep.  Overall, the room was a decent size and provided enough amenities and storage space to comfortably stay.  The same cannot be said for the bathroom.
 
As I said, I have stayed at Accor hotels before and now that rooms and bathrooms can be tiny but did 

not expect this in Istanbul.  The bathroom contained a small sink with a toilet right behind it and a stand-up shower right behind that.  The space was so tiny that 1) only one person could fit at the same time, 2) you could barely sit and use the toilet without your knees hitting either the shower or the sink, and you could only open the shower door from inside because opening outwardly you hit the toilet.  The shower was nice and contained both a hand-held and rain shower, but because of how tight everything was, you needed to be careful about when you turned on the shower otherwise the water would go everywhere.  Toiletries included refillable bottles of shampoo and body wash in the shower and refillable bottle of soap next to the sink.  The hotel also provided a dental kit, a comb, and other such amenities in the bathroom.  The toiletries and additional amenities were nice and the bathroom had the basic facilities, just the small and confined space of the bathroom was the issue.
 
The Mercure is a full-service hotel so additional services available at the hotel included a hotel restaurant, a gym, laundry service, as well as transportation.  As I mentioned earlier, the transportation service was an extra charge and was easily prebooked.  The gym was complimentary but given my short-stay I did not get a chance to experience it.  The restaurant did include breakfast and while this is not complimentary, it can be added on either through booking or when you check-in.  I have had breakfast at other Accor properties and they are generally similar in that they are decent but not overly expansive with a plethora of options.  The breakfast at the hotel was good in that there was a variety of cheeses, breads, and hot and cold dishes as well as some extras included egg station, coffee maker, and a variety of juices.  It was a nice breakfast and one that left you feeling full, not stuffed, but full and ready to explore the city.
 
Communication and staff support at a hotel is key.  The hotel was very communicative regarding 

booking my transportation prior to my arrival, and were willing to hold luggage during my stay; however, I did have some other communication issues with the staff during the stay.  I had a late flight out of Istanbul so during booking, ahead of arrival, during check-in, and throughout each day I had requested a late check-out, later than what is normally allowed.  I mentioned if there is a charge associated with this, let me know and I would pay it to allow access to the room – every day I was told to wait until my check-out date and when that day came, I was told that the late, late check-out request would not be honored and only the extended late check-out that everyone was getting would be honored.  It was poor communication and poor service and this is something that needs to be worked out.

Overall, it was a nice stay at the Mercure Istanbul Sirkeci.  The location is the best thing about the hotel as you are a 30-second walk to tram stops, shops, restaurants, and banks.  With the tram, you can go to the Hagia Sophia in 2 stops or across the bridge in 2 stops so the location is convenient. The negatives about the hotel are the small bathroom size and lack of information from the hotel staff.  Other than that, a centrally-located stay in Istanbul.

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Express Warsaw - Mokotów (Warsaw, Poland - June 2022)

 Stay Report: Holiday Inn Express Warsaw - Mokotow
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling to Warsaw and was looking for a place to stay.  There are many options either within the city, near the airport, or somewhere in between.  I was only there for a short period and was flying in and out so decided to stay near the airport and that is when the Holiday Inn Express Warsaw Mokotow came into my search.  Even though I am an IHG member, I am hesitant to stay at Holiday Inn Express hotels, especially in the U.S., because some of them are good but others are really disgusting.  I did some research and found that this hotel was relatively new so given that I decided to go ahead and book it.  

It was very easy to book the hotel through the IHG website or app and easy to manage through the both.  The hotel is located about 10 minutes from the airport by car or also a 10 minute train ride plus 10 minute walk - the walk from the hotel to the train does involve some steps and is somewhat lengthy so would not recommend it for those with lots of luggage.  The hotel is located in the Mokotow region which is a suburb of Warsaw.  The main entrance is on a side street while on the back there is a tram stop directly in front of the hotel (backside).  One or two stops away from the hotel is a big mall with lots of services and shops - the city center is about a 30-45min tram ride from the hotel.  If you take the train or the tram, you enter the hotel through the back parking lot and have to walk around the hotel to the main entrance which is the only entrance - my suggestion is that the hotel create an entrance to the back that guests can access with their key card.

As you walk up to the main entrance there are many seating areas outside - this was very nice in the 

Spring/Summer months when its really nice to sit outside and enjoy the weather.  As you enter into the lobby, there are some seating area to right and straight ahead is the check-in desks.  Further into the right is the kitchen and more seating area.  This is also where breakfast is available in the morning (more on that below).  Check-in was easy, received my key, and proceeded to the elevators on the left to head to my room.  

As you entered into the room, the first thing you noticed is how large the room is.  As you enter, on the right is the bathroom which contains a sink, a shower, a toilet, and a towel warmer.  There were no individual bathroom toiletries but rather refillable bottles - one by the sink and one in the shower; they both smelled really nice and of high quality.  The bathroom was standard and was a decent size.  As you move further into the room, also on right hand side was a narrow open closet - given the size of the room not sure why the closet was so small.  Next to the closet was an open area with the coffee maker on top, safe and fridge down below; again great amenities but given the size of the room not sure why it was narrow.  Further into the room, on the right side was a desk and a chair next to the wall - this would be a great working space and there were additional plugs and USB ports to make working in this area easier.  The table/desk was not connected to the wall so it could be moved and that was helpful as you could move it closer to the bed since there was some distance between these two areas.  

The bed was also on the right side of the room with one side really close to the window - there were mini nightstands on each side of the table and above each nightstand were plugs and USB ports.  Next to the bed was a large window which let in light during the day but also were blackout curtains which were helpful since the sunrise was very early in the morning.  Across from the bed was the TV mounted on the wall and underneath was a ledge which contained complimentary water - with gas and without - as well as a bottle opener and other items to enjoy your time there.  The ledge was a smart idea as it provided more space to store items.  The bed itself was nice and comfortable and a large size for Europe. 

Amenities at the hotel included complimentary wifi, connected parking facility, complimentary breakfast, and access to transportation.  As I mentioned earlier, right behind the hotel was the tram stop and a 10-15 minute walk was the train stop to the airport.  Wifi was complimentary and relatively fast and the complimentary breakfast was decent - it was medium size but generally had a good selection with something for everyone's appetite.  Overall, it was a nice stay at the Holiday Inn Express.  I was not sure what to expect since HI Express can vary but this was clean, modern, had great facilities, and overall provided a good nights' rest.

Stay Report: ibis budget Zurich Airport (Zurich - November 2021)

 Stay Report: ibis budget, Zurich Airport
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was going to be in Zurich for a couple of hours and mostly transiting from different travels so I was looking for a place to sleep near the airport.  I was going to be transiting twice so my criteria was it had to be near the airport; near access to transportation; and have availability to leave luggage.  During my research I came across the ibis budget, Zurich Airport.  I have stayed at ibis' before (all throughout Europe) and have stayed at the ibis budget Brisbane Airport.  With each brand, some items are complimentary while others need to be paid for.  The ibis budget brand provides the least complimentary items but they also have the lowest rates.  My experience with ibis is that they provide a basic room with wifi and luggage hold at an affordable rate; since I was only going to be sleeping these - and the hotel met all my criteria - I booked the hotel.  

I was arriving late from another part of Switzerland via train and my flight was early the next day.  The hotel is across the street from the tram station and is only 1-2 stops away from the airport station - both of these make it very convenient as a transit hotel.  I took the tram from the main station towards the airport and got off at the stop and walked to the hotel.  From the outside the hotel does not look like much but it looked nice and clean

As you enter, there is a small waiting area to the left and then the check-in desks.  To the right are the  elevators as well as a very large dining/cafeteria as well as more rooms.  In the back were also elevators down to the ground level where there were more rooms as well as luggage lockers.  I checked in, received my key, and proceeded up to my room.

As I entered my room I noticed 2 things: first that it was a standard ibis room and second it was verysmall room.  As you entered there was a door on right with the toilet and further inside the room, again on the right, was a small sink outside and then the shower door; the bathroom had a toilet, a sink and a shower.  Towels were provided but the quality wasn't great so I would recommend bringing your ownk and there was shower gel in the shower and a small bar of soap near the sink.   There as no real separation between bathroom and bedroom so next to the sink was the on the right-side of the room while on the left side was a TV and a desk.  There was a decent size window across one wall which faced the backside of the airport but it did provide natural light.  Overall it was a very basic room but then again ibis provides a basic room at a lower price so for me it was fine.  The room had the basic amenities that I wanted which were 1) a decent size bed that was comfortable; 2) free wifi; 3) an en-suite connected or in the room and this room provided all that.  

Ibis hotels usually do not provide many amenities other hotels usually provide, and the ibis budget provides even less amenities.  Even though they did provide breakfast in the morning (for a separate charge), there was no restaurant in the hotel so if you were hungry in the afternoon or evening then you had to get food from the vending machines provided.  I did not realize but my second night at the hotel I had booked a rate that included breakfast so I went down in the morning and got my breakfast.  I have had breakfast at ibis in other countries and the quality of breakfast is decent; not great but decent and average and I would say the quality of the food here was also average.  They had croissants, meats, cheeses, fruit and nutella spreads so while not a wide variety, a decent enough breakfast.

There is no gym and no pool but the main amenity is the wifi.  With all Accorhotels, the hotel provides free wifi – it is basic but decent enough to check and send emails.  You can pay for faster internet speeds if that is necessary, and you can also pay to access the computers downstairs if you do not have a smartphone or computer.  This ibis did provide luggage lockers which were accessed for a fee; not all ibis had luggage lockers and some kept luggage for a small time for free but the luggage lockers was a nice addition.  

Overall, the ibis budget provided a decent night’s sleep in an updated room at a low cost.  While the rooms were not lavish nor plush, they provided enough for a good transit hotel. You do not pay a lot and so low expectations are met by a basic and clean room at a low price.