Check In

Check in was a breeze. I had chosen my room (701) already OLCI, as it a) appeared to be slightly larger than others of the same type (1 King Bed Superior) and b) not facing the courtyard (instead it was facing street and the opposite Embassy Suites). If it hadn't been winter, I would have been able to enjoy the balcony/terrace, but maybe next time...

I was given a $18 voucher for each day on the reservation, redeemable at the Urban Farmer restaurant (continental breakfast is $18) and Commons lobby bar.

Room

It's obvious that some renovation has been done relatively recently, e.g. colors look quite modern and fresh. However, pet peeve of all modern travelers persists: No power outlets beside the bed. (Unless you really dig behind the bed and unplug either the bedside lamp or the alarm clock.)

Room size was more than enough for me, large bathroom too. Bed was OK, although I did bump my leg into the corner of its frame a few times (mattress is smaller than the frame). Good sized desk with two power outlets.

Keurin coffee machine. The two bottles of water were replenished daily.

Bathroom was large, but obviously most of the fixures were pretty old. All in good condition, mind you! It was easy to get the water temperature where I wanted. (This is important for me...) ROAM toiletries if that matters to you...

Service

All my interaction with the staff was pleasant etc. Guys at the Commons bar were ready to suggest various beers and gins - nice, relaxing atmosphere. Front desk staff and bellboys friendly & proactive too.

Dining

As mentioned above, we had only drinks at Commons (with our $18 vouchers). It closes pretty early, though.

Went to Urban Farmer only for Sunday brunch, when they did not have the continental breakfast. My colleague and I both ordered blue crab omelettes, coffee (they brought a pot) and orange juice. Omelettes was really good! The portion was so big that it lasted us both until early dinner.

Our remaining three vouchers didn't cover the whole cost, I seem to remember paying an extra $10 or so...

Location

Location was very convenient for our purposes on this trip, and I guess would be very good for many touristic things as well. (Mind you, I like to walk.)

Pool

Pool is on the ground floor. It is surprisingly long (maybe 15-16 meters), and surprisingly warm! (A bit too warm for my taste, but...) Water being salty was not a surprise, as I had read about it beforehand. But yeah, swimming is an important for me while on business trips, so I was happy

Overall

The hotel served our purposes well on this trip, and price/quality ratio was actually excellent.