SkiAdcock

Just checked in for 2 days.

I took the free bus from Heathrow. I took 111, but 105, 140 also go past the hotel. Stands 19-20 are the stands you want to pick up the bus at Central Bus Station. The bus stops across the street from the Ren, about 50 yards away from the intersection.

The lobby area has been renovated & is quite nice. Also, there is now a full-blown Starbucks off of the lobby, including with cafe tables. The Starbucks opened recently.

The front desk was quite friendly & cheerful. They asked me if I would like a glass of orange juice or sparkling wine while I was checking in, which is new since the last time I was here. I took the sparkling wine & it actually was ok.

This is one of the few hotels I take the gift vs the points because they do a nice cheese & biscuits tray (3 types of cheese, fresh fruit, crackers) & they give you a 1/2 bottle of French red wine if you go w/ the wine. If I'm not super hungry, it's fine as a snack/dinner. It came up about 15 minutes after I got to the room.

My rate included free internet, but I would get it as a Platinum anyway. They give you a VIP Login Pass for the wireless. When you're connecting look for Global Suite to connect to, and then put in the code.

I'm on the 3rd floor facing Bath Road (think I'm over the hotel entrance). Room is small, but I'm used to that. Room has bathrobe. There is a tea maker in the room, along w/ tea. The minibar is empty/closed, but there's a sign that you can call room service if you want minibar options & they'll bring it up. Bathroom has shampoo, conditioner, bath gel & body lotion, soap bars, and q-tips & cotton balls. Room also has a trouser press & in-room safe.

They gave me the hours of the exec lounge for food, and mentioned that booze is free. Exec lounge evening offerings. Based on dif reports I was expecting it to be eh or minimal. Not so! They had lamb casserole, fusilli w/ tomato sauce, cummin rice, fresh veggies w/ dip, cabbage salad, garden salad, chick peas, as well as some nice pastries for dessert. People were definitely making dinner out of the offerings. There's an attendant that goes around asking if you'd like wine or beer & brings it to you. They keep it in the kitchen rather than out. The soft drinks are in the small fridge.

Cheers.


They also mentioned they're going to start doing room renovations hopefully starting in March, but due to $$ and that the hotel has 650 rooms it will take a while.

Cheers.