rlaakso

I will be staying for 2 nights at this hotel in Rochester, NY. My son is graduating from Unversity during Memorial day weekend. I have not stayed here before. Do any other people have any comments on this hotel? Also, any recommendations on a nice restaurant to take him out to dinner?
Thank you very much for your help!!

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Richard Laakso PM MM Starwood platinum

prncess674

anyone have info on this property? How is it? Any decent restaurants in the area? How is the workout facility?

jackplum

Shareholder recently stayed there so he could speak of the facilities.

I drive by it several times per week. It is in the central business core and Rochester is quite dead by evening in that area. However, there are many great restaurants in the hinterlands (i.e. not walking distance).

As you get closer to the date, I could point you to whatever suits your taste for your dining pleasure. Rochester does have some wonderful eateries of all ethnic persuasions.

There is a Holodome just south of Rochester in the suburbs, just a few more minutes drive from the U of R if that is where is he attending. If they still hold the ceremonies at the Eastman Theatre then the CP would be the place to stay though the Hyatt is a bit closer.

hreamer

I have stayed here a few times. My advice is that you stay at the Hyatt. Trust me.

As for downtown restaurants, Pearl or Max's for fancy, and Dinosaur for some really good BBQ.

sanjman79

I've been staying @ the Rochester Crowne Plaza for the past month and probably til the end of the year for work.

Heres my take on it.

Like jakeplum said, it is in the center of the city. This usually works out to be a good thing for most people. The rooms are comparable to other Crowne Plaza's I've stayed at. No surprises there. I wake up for the breakfast buffet every morning. Theres plenty to choose from. Restaurants in the area: Dinosaur BBQ, Bennigans, not much else to choose from that are walking distance. The surrounding area basically shuts down after 5-6pm. If you have a car, you definitely have more flexibility. The gym on the 4th floor basic machines and dumbells. The pool is almost always empty too.

Shareholder

I thought I had posted something after my trip a couple of weeks ago, but it could be my memory playing tricks on me.

As with the consensus, this is a pretty standard North American CP. The Club lounge on the 7th floor was closed as business is slow at this time of year. I was given a $5 breakfast coupon which could be applied to the buffet which was extensive, though not up to European or Australian/NZealand standards for CPs and ICs [no smoked salmon and such delicacies]. However, there is an omlete station and plenty of everything else that makes for a satisfying American breakfast.

I found the location fine, central albeit on the older side of the river, but a short walk across to the newer office towers. I discovered the Dinosaur for BBQ -- made a mental note on the driving tour of his city that JackPlum thoughtfully provided for me on the way in from the Toronto-Rochester ferry -- but found the BBQ disappointing compared to my discoveries in Kansas City last summer [though the atmosphere and staff we quite good]. It offered some interesting local microbrews on tap.

Being a fine sunny summer evening, I made my way from the Dinosaur -- after a pit stop at the CP -- to the ballpark where the Rochester AAA team played the Durham Bulls. Good red ale served as the club brew. From there one can take a short walk to the waterside entertainment/restaurant district at the Falls.

Anyhow, back to the CP. When I checked in, as a Plat, I was given a room on the 7th floor, some of which are done up as Exec rooms, others as regular ones. Mine had the new "sleep" suite of bed, CD and other items. No real upgrade hassles.

On Saturday morning when I enquired about bus routes to get me to my destinations for the day, the bellman offered the hotels shuttle to get me out to the Eastman Museum, and said he would also be able to drive me out to the Ferry Dock about 5-miles north of the hotel and the city proper. In the end, my IC forum colleague provided that transport for the latter hours of my short stay. But the driver was friendly and took the scenic routing while explaining the places I was passing.

I suppose the Hyatt is slightly more upscale, but not by much. And it would be a bit more convenient to shopping and most offices. But it's only two blocks from the CP, so your choice is more likely to be dictated by your Frequent Stay program and I think you'd be none the worse off.

jackplum

Thank you, Shareholder, I knew you could elaborate on your stay.

MikeMargolis

I do a lot of business in Rochester, and had always stayed at the Holidome.

It is a run-down dump, and they still get $100+ a night there.

Switch to an Express, you'll be happier. I have given up on the Holidome even though it's the closest facility to my business partner in Rochester.

Shareholder

"Scents from one's youth...that's really the marvel of smell and the memories that can be induced. Unfortunately the Audley's hand cream I picked up in recent hotel stays [several other non-ICHs offer this brand] has a peach smell which just doesn't trigger the same associative memories.

Was at the CP Rochester on the weekend and their non-club Club Floor [business too slow to keep one going any longer, though the room is still there] rooms had Spa Select and the sleeper kits with the spray that smells like...well I haven't quite figured that out yet. I'll see what the CP Edmonton has these days later this week.

BTW the CP Rochester gives PC members a $5-off coupon for their breakfast buffet."


Knew I posted something after my stay, but it was in the thread about amenities. BTW, Edmonton has the same Spa Select items, which now seem to be the CP standard.

guv1976

The Holidome is being renovated, and will soon be reflagged as a DoubleTree. Read all about it:

http://www.rnews.com/Story_2004.cfm?..._story_type=18

As for the Rochester Crowne Plaza, I stayed there a couple of weeks ago, on business. I found it to be a little tired compared to my previous stays at the property, both as a Crowne Plaza, and, years ago, as the Stouffer Rochester Plaza. The gift/sundries shop is no more, and there is no longer a Club Lounge on the Club Floor. (I was told that the former Club Lounge space is now being rented out as meeting space.)

My room at the CP was comfortable enough, and the breakfast buffet was decent. (Yes, I used the $5.00 discount coupon offered to Priority Club members.) Note: the restaurant does offer fresh-squeezed orange juice on its a la carte menu, and my waitress was happy to bring me some, without charge, to enjoy with the breakfast buffet. Sometimes it pays to ask.

Both the CP and the Hyatt get mixed reivews on tripadvisor.com. On the other hand, the Homewood Suites, which is in the southern suburbs, gets high marks.

satx78223

I've stayed there a couple of times, but not in the past year or so. There isn't anything special with the property. The only thing that bothered me while I was there, was the street noise. The room was on the side of the building, and there was a lot of traffic noise coming through the window in the middle of the night. I changed rooms the next day, to a room that overlooks the river and ball park. A lot less noise, and something to look at.

The hotel shuttle dropped me off at Strong when I asked for a ride. It seemed if they weren't busy with runs, they would take you where you wanted to go.

prncess674

I have to say I am pretty disappointed with this property. My standards may be out of line because I usually stay at W's and Westins. I have no status and was put in a standard room. The halls were dark and dingy and I had to walk a long way to my hotel room. The bathrooms are in desperate need of a renovation. The bed was okay but the sheets were thin and cheap. No robes. No conditioner in the bathroom amenities.

My coworker had an upgraded room and the only difference I could tell was he got bottled water and had a mini fridge. The furniture was slightly newer. Other than these few minor things I couldn't find out anything else "better" about the club level rooms.

the hotel is wi-fi enabled for a fee. We had dinner at the hotel and it took a long time to come but wasn't a bad value if you got the pri-fixe option.

I am glad I am only here in ROC for three nights.

http://public.fotki.com/prncess674/f.../hotel/cp_roc/

Shareholder

There are very few North American CPs that I would ever equate with Ws or Westins. NAmerican CP properties are more like slightly better Sheratons, while better HIs are like most Sheratons. I would put most ICs into the Westin category, with some moving into the Luxury Collection and St.Regis categories. ICH has no equivilent to Ws, though I think Indigos fall into this range.

prncess674

I don't plan on becoming intimately familiar with Priority Club hotels. My ROC appearance is a one time only 3 day show. I was never expecting the CP to be up to the standards of the Westin. I am merely stating that I don't think the chains represented by Priority Club would meet my needs the majority of the time.

Many hotels outside of the US seem more to my liking in terms of service in the Priority Club chain but since the majority of my client serving work is US based I won't be changing loyalty.

My review here was just to give others a view of the hotel and my perspectives. Many who are not accustomed to higher end hotels may be perfectly happy with the CP ROC but if you are used to SPG standards this hotel IMHO is completely sub-par.

hreamer

I told you to stay at the Hyatt!!!!