PassengerPoldberg

Introduction The Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District is part of Marriott's newly redesigned hotels. The hotel finally became operational earlier this month and I was able to book a room within the first couple weeks of its opening. Location The entrance to the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District is located on the corner of 10th and Capitol (hence the name). Just across the street is Omaha's CenturyLink Center and down the road is TD Ameritrade Park, which plays host to the Men's College World Series every year. Check In As you enter the hotel lobby, the check-in desk is immediately in front of you. To the left of the is a Starbucks and an entrance to the hotel's convention area.The rest of the lobby extends to the right of the check-in desk and is almost the length of an entire city block. The lobby has three communal sitting areas with TV's and different types of furniture. I'm no interior designer, but I thought they did a great job with the lobby decor. The lobby itself is really welcoming and offers a great area to hang out and socialize.Towards the end of the lobby is the hotel bar and adjacent restaurant, Society 1854. I didn't dine there during my stay but it looked nice.When I initially booked my room I chose a Capitol Queen because it was a $30 cheaper than a Capitol King. At check in I was recognized as being a Marriott Rewards Gold member but wasn't proactively offered an upgrade. I asked the gentleman if I could be upgraded to a Capitol King and he was more than happy to make the accommodation. Our check in process was seamless and the associate explained that we'd have a nice view of downtown Omaha, but warned us there is still some construction below. Room We were assigned room 803 which is located on the eighth floor and at the right end of the hallway.As I entered the room my nostrils were greeted with an odd scent. Instead of a fresh hotel room, it smelled like the guests before us thought it would be a good idea to light up a cigarette. You can't mask the smell of cigarette smoke over a brand new interior, it's impossible. While off putting, we knew it wasn't the hotels fault some idiot smoked a heater in the room. I mentioned the smell to the front desk because I wanted to make sure the guests before us got charged accordingly for their actions.Aside from the smell, the room itself was beautiful. Marriott did a great job with their redesigned rooms. I've stayed in a couple of Marriotts, one in Kansas City, Missouri and one in Des Moines, Iowa and this hotel is head and shoulders nicer than those two.As you enter the room the bathroom is located immediately to your left. Instead of a regular door it has a sliding door which adds a unique touch. The bathroom has a back lit mirror, walk-in shower with a handheld shower wand, and Marriott's usual Thann amenities.On the right side of the entryway is a closet, mini fridge, and a coffee machine.The bed was against the wall on the left hand side. While not quite as comfortable as my bed at the New York EDITION, I still got a great nights sleep. The mattress was soft, the pillows were fluffy and I loved the crisp, white sheets.Mounted across from the bed is a flat screen television and a small desk area.Then there is a couch/sectional piece by the window.My favorite part of the rooms are the floor to ceiling windows. While I know all views aren't created equal, they give each room a very open feel. Dining At the end of the hall is the Concierge Lounge. The lounge is open every day from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM. It has a nice selection of furniture to choose from and four televisions.Saturday evening there were cocktails available along with beer, pop and an espresso machine. The snack selection consisted of cheese, crackers, vegetables and one hot option which I thought were basically high end pizza rolls.Elizabeth and I also visited the Concierge Lounge Sunday morning for breakfast. The food selection was a much better in the morning. Their hot options included scrambled eggs, sausage and an oatmeal bar. They also had cereal, fruit and a selection of pastries. Pool The rest of the hotel's facilities are located on the third floor. The pool area has a huge deck and more great views of downtown. In the summer this could be a great place to hangout, but unfortunately it gets cold in Nebraska so I can't imagine it'll be useful year-round. Gym Just inside from the pool area is one of the biggest and nicest hotel gyms I've ever seen. It's clean, well lit, and nicely organized. They have a great selection of cardio equipment, weight machines, dumbbells and even a smith machine! For someone who spends at least six days a week in the gym, I was thoroughly impressed. Overall I'm a huge fan of the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District. Marriott did a great job designing this hotel and laying it out in a way that's both functional and modern. The redesigned rooms are a big upgrade from the usual Marriott brand. The only thing that tainted my experience was that hint of smoke in my room, but I can't blame the hotel for that. I'd strongly recommend making the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District your hotel of choice in Omaha