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: Hyatt Regency Bishkek (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - September 2024)

   Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Bishkek
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When traveling to Bishkek, there were a couple of options for hotels in the city.  I was looking for a hotel that was centrally located and had access to transportation services since part of my flight left early in the morning.  While doing to research, I noticed Hyatt was having a deal on their properties within Central Asia and so I was getting a good deal on the room and it included Club Access, so I decided to book the Hyatt Regency Bishkek.  It was very easy to book the room via the Hyatt app and very easy to communicate with the hotel regarding airport transportation (airport transportation is not included but can be arranged from the hotel).  The hotel is located near the city center and thus is a 45-minute drive from the airport.  From the hotel, it is a 10-15 minute walk to many of the city's attractions and main restaurants and you can also easily access transportation from the hotel.  One of the key perks of the hotel is that the staff generally have a good command of English so it is easy to connect and communicate requests.  

From the outside the hotel does not look like much but it is grand, but dated, on the inside.  You enterinto a wide lobby that had the check-in desks towards the back, a sitting area in the front, as well as access to the restaurant and the elevators.  There was also a money changer and ATM located next to the check-in desks.  The lobby looked nice, had plenty of seating space, and look decently refurbished but you could tell it was an older property.  I quickly checked-in and received the key to my club room floor room. 

The hallway was laid out in a T with the elevators on the long side and rooms jutting out from either side.  The club room was in the middle across from the elevators.  The room itself was nice and spacious, a bit outdated, but comfortable and had all the amenities.  As you entered, there was a sitting area to the left and a desk right in front.  Next to the desk was a chest with drawers on the bottom and a TV on top.   Next to the TV were windows that covered the entire length of the wall and it led to the bed which was across from the TV on the other side of the room.  It was a double size bed, big enough and comfortable enough but definitely not a newer bed.  There were bedside tables on either side.  The bathroom was located behind the bedroom and you could access it through a hallway which also contained the big closets.  The bathroom itself was a good size and contained a sink, a toilet, and a walk-in shower; very nice amenities and very comfortable but again not the newest appliances or furnishings.  The bathroom also came with complimentary soap, lotion, body wash, and many other toiletries, and the room came with a complimentary fruit basket and complimentary water.  Overall, the room was spacious and comfortable just not the newest furnishings.

My room came with Club Access and I was on the Club Floor which made access very convenient.  As you entered the Club Room, there was the dining area in front which offered complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cocktail reception in the evening.  All the time they offered complimentary tea, coffee, water, and soft drinks.  There was a small seating area and a computer and printer so you can get some work done.  The cocktail reception food was decent and filing enough and the complimentary drinks were very good.  The hotel is a full service hotel so other amenities included a restaurant, a fitness center, a pool, complimentary wifi, as well as concierge services.  The service was very good and really attentive to the guests.

Overall it was a comfortable stay at the Hyatt Regency Bishkek.  The staff was outstanding and the location was central to many of the cities attractions.  The room was comfortable if a bit older but was comfortable and offered a spacious and good nights sleep.  Complimentary wifi was strong enough to stream videos as well as do work; so overall a pleasant stay in Bishkek with Hyatt Regency.

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: Royalton CHIC Antigua, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort (Antigua - July 2024)

  Stay Report: Royalton CHIC Antigua
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We are looking for a summer place and during the booking I encountered the Royalton Chic Antigua.  I had never heard of the Royalton brand but I decided to book it for the following reasons: 1) this was now part of the Marriott Autograph Collection and we are a Silver Elite member in Marriott Bonvoy so I thought this would be better; and 2) I went online and the reviews both on TripAdvisor and YouTube generally seemed good so I booked the stay.  Booking my stay at this resort and choosing Antigua was the biggest mistake I made in my life.

The hotel is an all-inclusive which means that you pay one price and everything is included - food,drinks, and supposedly some activities.  The room that we booked was a "Luxury Pool View, All-Inclusive, Guest room, 2 Queen beds".  Most of the rooms allow upto 3-guests per room but all the reviews say that they allow 4 people for an extra charge; we were 4 people so decided to follow upon that and proceed to book through the Marriott website.

There are two Royalton resorts in Antigua - one is the Royalton Resort and the second is the Royalton Chic with the later supposedly the more upscale and better version of the resorts.  The entrance to the Royalton Chic does not look very chic at all and the service from the gate attendant was minimal, but once past there you proceed down the hill towards the main entrance.  There is a circular driveway at the main entrance with a small parking lot located next to the main entrance.  We had a car so we stopped by the main entrance before proceeding to park; when we got to the main entrance we were greeted by a bellman who was inquiring about our luggage.  I was a bit confused as there was no instructions nor details about what was happening or the direction in which we had to go but rather just wanted us to answer his questions; it was very confusing and not a great start.  

The main entrance is where you have the bellman and then you walk halfway down the building to the check-in desk on the right side.  At other all-inclusive I have been to there is someone at the main entrance/bell stop guiding you through the process or there to assist; no one was there here.  When we got to the check-in desk, there was no greeting, no welcoming us to the property, and generally no version of any type of customer service.  We were asked about the passports and whose name the reservation was under - and during that time no mention of the membership status, nothing - and when they said we have 4 people the response was 'our policy is 3 only so you have to book another room which I cannot do so you either have to call reservations or go online'.  The lack of customer service, the lack of engagement, the lack of caring was outstanding throughout my entire journey but especially at check-in.  After lots of back and forth, lots of miscommunication and lies from the staff, the hotel miraculously changed their policy and allowed a 4th person to be in the room for some extra money.  

After check-in, we all got wristbands tied to our hand and were told so sign multiple documents and when we asked about a resort map or details of what was included the response was 'everything is on the TV' and when we asked if there were paper maps or details, the response was 'no'.  That was the lack of customer service we experienced.  The bellman who took our luggage from check-in to the room did not interact with us, did not share anything about the resort, and was more interested in connecting with his coworker friends than the guest; at every other resort the bellman were always interested in talking and sharing details about the resort as this was their policy but it also increased their tip.

When we got to the room, it looked like a standard 2-queen bed room and did not look luxurious at all.  As you entered the room, there was a hallway which led into the main part of the room and in that hallway was the bathroom on the left and closets on the right.  The closet was divided into two parts with the first part to hang clothes and contained the luggage rack and robes, while the other side contained the safe as well as the shelves within the closet.  The bathroom was basic and tiny and contained a small sink, toilet as well as a rain shower.  Bathroom toiletries including body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion were included but no bar soap was included and there was no place to put these items in the shower.  

In the room itself, along left side were the two queen beds with a nightstand in the middle.  Along the right side of the wall was a stand that had the coffee maker and water on top, and below was the fridge plus drawers.   Continuing along the wall was the mounted TV and then there was a countertop with two chairs which could be used as a dining table.  The beds were decent and were spacious enough to accommodate two people and comfortable to provide a decent night sleep.  There were outlets along the wall and on the nightstand so you could charge your devices.  The best part of the room though was the balcony, which opened up to the view of the pool and the ocean in the background; contain two chairs and was big enough to comfortably sit outside and/or dry your clothes.  Overall, the room was a small-to-decent size and I have been in bigger rooms at resorts (see Aruba Hyatt review) but I have been in smaller rooms so the room was decent for 3-4 people but the bathroom was definitely smaller.    

It is supposed to be an all-inclusive resorts so all food and activities should be included.  There were two pools available, one near the main entrance which had the swim-up bar and where most of the staff were, and another smaller pool near our section which was quieter and almost never had any staff come by and check.  The beach was decent and there were chairs and lounges available, and the beach for this resort connected to the Sandals beach resort so it made for a nice walk along the beach; also on the beach we barely saw any staff attending to or inquiring about guests.  There was a bar that was near the beach but that was never staffed; there was also another bar near the restaurants but that was only staffed at night.  If you were at the beach and you wanted something to drink, you had to walk to the main bar near the main entrance to get anything; and the resort long width wise so it took a bit of time to walk from our section near the end towards the main entrance, especially if you were elderly or had mobility issues.

There were supposedly multiple restaurants serving meals throughout the day and night, but which was open and when was never clear even though we asked multiple staff members.  The information on the TV was not correct and no staff member knew of any of the openings; the advice we got was 'just walk around see what was open.'  There was a Caribbean restaurant, a steak restaurant, an Italian restaurant, a sports bar, a Mediterranean restaurant, a food truck serving burgers, a coffee shop and a buffet restaurant.  The Mediterranean restaurant was never open the entire time we were there; we went to the steak restaurant one night and waited over 2-hours and still never got our food; we went to the Italian restaurant and waited 1hr30min only to be told that a party that came in after us was going to get the food before us; we went to the food truck which did not have a menu so you had to ask what was available and they it took almost 30-45 minutes to get your food.  Overall, the food quality and quantity was poor as each restaurant we went to they served starters and then a main course but the portion and quantity were so small it seemed more like a tasting rather than a meal.  The quality and lack of seasoning was also something that stood out as the food was bland and lacked seasoning and/or taste.

If there were other amenities included in the resort, we had no idea since we were not given any

information and no staff was willing to provide any details.  As I mentioned at the top, the main issue was the lack of service.  From the time we entered the property to the time we left, we encountered staff who did not care, were not courteous, some were downright rude, dismissive and borderline racists.  We shared this feedback with Management who kept saying 'thank you for your feedback but that is not my department' and nothing seemed to happen after that.  There was complimentary wifi available and complimentary parking.  You could also order food from the TV and then it was brought to your room, we did this to order food and additional drinks so there was no service by the pool nor the beach.

Overall, it was a complete waste of time and money at this resort.  My recommendation is to not go here, do not waste your time nor money to experience such a bad resort that does not care about its guests.  I have reviews of other all-inclusive and/or resorts in the Caribbean, check those out and go there instead.  

P.s..this is just my experience and my review.  While at the resort, we did talk to individuals who either themselves or their friends had similar experiences in terms of negative staff experience, rude/dismissive staff and overall a negative experience at the resort.

Stay Report: Radisson Hotel Baku (Baku, Azerbaijan - May 2024)

 Stay Report: Radisson Hotel Baku
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When traveling to Baku, there are many hotel options available covering all price ranges.  I was traveling with a friend so I was looking for a hotel that was near them but also affordable.  I found a couple of options and when I went to communicate with them, the Radisson is the only hotel that responded in a timely manner and provided good communication (one hotel never even responded).  I have limited experience with the Radisson brand as my first experience was with Radisson hotel in Brunei (see review here) and my other experience was with Radisson Blu in  Stockholm (see review here); both of the experiences were average or underwhelming so I had low expectations of my room and stay. 

I had booked the hotel through the Radisson website.  It was very easy to book and manage the hotel through the website, and there are member-only rates available online or through the app.  As I mentioned before, the hotel was very communicative in responding to queries and provided a lot of good information and that is something I greatly appreciated.  The hotel did offer airport pick and drop at an additional costs but I did not avail of this option.  The hotel is located on the main boulevard in Baku and has a small driveway for car drop-off.  From research, the hotel used to be a Park Inn by Radisson but then changed to Radisson (on some ride-hailing apps it is still listed as Park Inn).  From the outside, you climb up 5 steps (or take the ramp) and enter the hotel.  

From the outside the hotel looks very big but the lobby is narrow and does not have a lot of space to sit nor congregate; if there is a big group checking in then it gets very hard to navigate in the lobby.  There is a narrow lane of sofas in the middle of the lobby and to the left are the check-in desks while to the right is the restaurant.  Straight ahead, beyond the sofas, are the elevators.  I checked in at 8am in the morning so there was no one in the lobby; however, when I left at 5pm a group had come in to check-in and it made navigating the lobby very difficult.  I checked-in, received my key, and proceeded to my room.

The room was in the middle of a long hallway;it seemed that the elevators were at the beginning of the hallway and the rooms proceeded that.  Once I entered the room, there was a small entryway for the door before getting into the main part of the room.  In the main part of the room, on the left was the entryway to the bathroom while on the right a closed closet which contained places to hang your clothes, the iron and ironing board, and I believe a safe.  The bathroom contained a sink with a long counter, a toilet, and a shower stall with refillable amenities.  The bathroom was basic and the size was bearable but a bit on the cramped size; and even though I had just checked in some of the refillable amenities - body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion - had not been refilled.  Once you entered into the room, there was the queen-size bed on the left with a nightstand on each side.  Across from the bed, on the right side, was the TV mounted on the wall.  Further along into the room, on the right was a couch and a table while on the left was a nice size desk with a chair and the tea station.  There was a huge window that looked out onto the street and it was actually a small balcony so you could open up and enjoy a breeze or the view from the outside.  The space of the room was good, decent for 1-2 people and plenty of room to store your luggage.  The bed was comfortable enough and provided a good nights sleep.  Overall it was a comfortable bed in a decent size room and good enough for the price that was being charged.  Was the room worth a higher price, no and that is because it was the little things that made the room feel more like a 3-star hotel including the quality of the furniture, the not refillable of the amenities, and other such small things.  Its a basic and decent room but keep expectations at check.  

The hotel is a full-service hotel and thus provides the following amenities: free wifi, airport pickup and drop-off for a charge, fitness center, meeting rooms, restaurant and bar where breakfast is served (you can book a room with breakfast or add it later for a charge), and luggage hold.  I did try the wifi which was decent and you can connect as many devices as you would like, and I did do the luggage hold as they were very strict on the check-in and check-out time and were not authorizing either early check-in or late check-outs without charging for them. 

Overall, it was a decent stay at the hotel.  The room was clean, a decent size, and provided a good nights sleep as well as providing complimentary wifi and luggage hold.  The service was a bit lackluster and the other finishings and services were minimal; but given the price it was a decent nighs stay.  If you keep your expectations to a minimal, you will have a good nights stay.

Stay Report: Ibis Styles Tbilisi Center (Tbilisi, Georgia - May 2024)

 Stay Report: ibis Styles Tbilisi Center
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I was traveling to Tbilisi and was looking for a central place to stay.  While looking online, I noticed the ibis Styles Tbilisi Center centrally located and within walking distance to many sights and attractions.  I have stayed at many Accor properties including ibis Styles before (see review here) and so was familiar with their products and knew what to expect.

Accor, and especially the ibis brand of properties, provide clean, decent accommodation at a low price and generally do not offer any frills; or if they are offered, they are priced a la carte.  Generally there is no concierge and breakfast is available for a cost; what they do offer is a clean room with complimentary wifi.  I was able to book and manage my reservation online and through the app, where sometimes lower fares can be found versus the online/website.  

The ibis Styles brand is a bit more upscale versus regular ibis so they have more options for the traveler to choose from; the hotel could offer airport pick-up and drop-off for an extra charge and I used this service for the drop-off to the airport.  The hotel is located on walkway behind the main Independence Square; the walkway is pedestrian only during the day but cars can come early or late in the evening.  Being centrally located and within walking distance to the main square is a great plus point for the hotel; also within walking distance there are a number of restaurants, ATM/banks, shops, and other services all centrally located.  

The hotel is comprised of 7 floors with the check-in desk and main entrance on the ground floor.  Also on the ground floor is a coffee/tea/water station which is complimentary, the restaurant where breakfast is available for purchase (if you did not include it in your rate) and plenty of seating.  As per European standards, the hotel is somewhat narrow and tall but does not feel cramped.  After checking in, I took the key card to take the elevator up to the 4th floor for my room.

ibis Styles main difference between them and other ibis is that they like to incorporate more local and unique designs to their rooms.  When I entered the room, it did have more unique design aspects to them which made the basic room look more interesting.  You entered the room into a tiled hallway which had a open closet on the left with a luggage rack down below and shelves up above.  Continuing on the left was a doorway which led to the toilet and next to that was another doorway which led to the shower.  The sink was outside in the tiled hallway facing the bedroom.  The shower had refillable shower products including body/hair wash and conditioner; the sink had a refillable hand wash next to it and there were plenty of towels.  The tiled hallway led into a carpeted bedroom which contained a desk connected to some shelves along the barrier (the same barrier that had the sink on the other side) as well as a bed with two nightstands on either side.  Mounted on the wall in front of the bed was a TV and on the wall in the tiled hallway were coat hooks.  The bed was comfy and a decent size so provided a good nights sleep; there were also power outlets next to the bed and that was important.  There was a window alongside the other wall and there were nice blackout curtains which were very helpful to get a good nights rest; there was also a decent amount of space between the bed and the window so it did not feel too cramped.  Other amenities in the room included glasses for water, a coffee/tea maker set on the desk, a fridge with complimentary water bottles, as well as a safe.

While the hotel is not full-service, there were amenities provided that were either complimentary or required additional purchase.  Wifi was complimentary and the speeds were decent; water/tea/coffee in the lobby were offerd and they were complimentary all the time; complimentary water bottles were provided in the room; there was a restaurant on the ground floor that was open for breakfast only and there was a restaurant/bar on the 5th floor for drinks and food.  

Overall, it was a nice stay at the ibis Styles and it was centrally located and provided a nice and clean room with a decent bed and ensuite bathroom.  That is what I generally expect from ibis Styles and they delivered on that.

Stay Report: Meliá Milano (Milan, Italy - December 2023)

    Stay Report: Melia Milano
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When traveling through Italy, we were stopping in Milan and there are many hotels to choose from but our criteria was the following: easy access to shops and restaurants, easy access to public transportation, and big rooms.  In looking for these criteria, we found the Melia Milano which is on the outskirts of the city near the football stadium and near the Lotto metro stop.  From this stop, it would take about 15 mins to get to the city center and about 20mins to get to the main train station.  I also had points with Melia so utilized this during my stay.                                                                                                                                                                                                              From the outside the hotel looks big, and I found out later that the hotel is in a converted bakery factory hence the large size.  The hotel is oddly situated in that it is in the middle of the neighborhood and so you have to walk 2-3 blocks to the main road to access the metro stop and the shops and restaurants.  As you enter the hotel, you enter into this massive lobby with high ceilings and a grand staircase in the middle.  To the left is the check-in desk and a waiting area and to the right is the bar and restaurant.  Up the stairs is the first floor which contains the meeting rooms, the Melia lounge, as well as guest rooms.  Our train was late so we arrived almost at midnight at the hotel and check-in was curt, not very friendly, and barely provided any information on the hotel (more about this later on).  I received my key and went to the room on the first floor.

The first thing I noticed when I entered the room is that despite the large size of the hotel and the massive lobby, the hotel rooms were somewhat smaller and more compact than I expected; the size would be fine if I was closer to the city but away from the city one expects a larger room size.  As you entered the room, on the left was the entrance to the bathroom while on the right was a little wall that ended as you entered into the main part of the room.  The bathroom was decent but also compact and contained a toilet, bidet, sink with minimal counter space, and a walk-in shower.  The toiletries were refillable and had handwash and lotion next to the sink with body wash, shampoo and conditioner in the shower; the basic amenities were there but the space was more compact and restricted.  

As you entered into the room, on the right was a stand with shelves for storage and then continuing on the right was a nook with an open closet and open luggage rack.  The luggage rack and open closet was a nice touch but there was minimal storage space as the open rack and the shelves were the only storage.  In the main part of the room, the king-size bed was along with right side of the wall and on each side of the bed was a table with a lamp on it and plugs behind it along with USB ports.  The bed was decent enough for the first night but was a bit uncomfortable towards the third night but overall provided a decent sleep.  The tables next to the bed were somewhat small so again it did the job but space was limited.  Across from the bed, along the left side of the wall, was the TV mounted on the wall and in the corner a table with chairs.  The table and chairs was a nice touch to have but again it was a small table so could barely have two people eating or drinking at the same time.  Overall it was a decent room with the necessary amenities but the space was more compact than I expected for a suburb hotel.

The hotel is a full-service hotel so has lots of amenities including a hotel bar, restaurant, meeting rooms, hotel lounge, a gym, and wifi.  The wifi was decent and you could connect as many devices as you want but it did slow down sometimes and was not always the most reliable.  I did not try the bar nor restaurant but did see lots of people going there so it seemed popular.  I have tried the Melia lounge during my first experience with Melia in Punta Cana (check out the review here) and I was not overly impressed with the quality so we did not opt that here.                                                                                                                                                                                  Overall, it was not an impressive stay at Melia Milano.  I have stayed at other Melia properties before and INNSIDE Melia New York NOMAD (review here) is one of my favorite places to stay in NYC because its convenient and the room sizes are decent for the central location; but this hotel was outside the city and is in a former factory so one would expect bigger rooms but the size of this room is what you would expect at a hotel closer to the city.  The customer service was also lacking as we connected with the frontdesk staff many times and throughout my interactions only staff person was actually nice and helpful while the others barely did their job and barely provided any support.  An example of that is we woke up one morning and the lobby entrance and access was restricted; apparently the football/soccer team was staying at the hotel before the gameday.  While I understand they could not say why there would be distributions but altering the guests as to potential distributions to access would have been helpful and communicative.

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.