Well I wound up here, in part because I got a great rate ($159 and 5k bonus points), and in part because it was walking distance to my meeting thus did not need a car.

Given an unrenovated junior suite with terrace on the 10th floor. Man the unrenovated rooms are in bad shape . . . carpets smell of 30 years of accumulated dirt, moisture, and illicit cigarette smoke. Here's what I'm talking about (note also the odd lack of furniture filling the empty space):



Appears that the south tower has been renovated, while the north has not. So the unrenovated portion includes the elevators which are really showing their age.

Overall, not a fan of the renovations to the public areas. They've closed off the old breakfast area, and pushed everything forward towards the front of the hotel. It's all hard serfaces, not particularly welcoming, and very loud.

Elite breakfast is the full buffet and it was pretty good. They still get good croissants, a legacy from this property's roots as Le Meridien Newport. Service was great, very friendly. WiFi is smoking fast.

But with half the building still unrenovated and really in dire condition, I'm a bit surprised Marriott's letting this place use the Renaissance mark.