ceamus1

New property in Short North in Columbus - opened in January. Really stands out in Columbus especially compared to the Sheraton and Westin.

Pros:
-Location, Location, location - within a stone's throw of some of Columbus's best restaurants. Easy access to OSU and Columbus Business District
-Speaking of, the Guild House, the in-house restaurant, is fantastic. Great menu, great service. Although I wish they would serve their menu in the Hotel's bar, which is just on the other side of the wall. It can be quite hard to score a table or spot at the bar.
-well thought out rooms, light over each side of the bed, outlets on both sides of the bed, decent size rooms, bathrooms, floor to ceiling windows
-Staff is generally very friendly

Cons:
-Still working through some opening kinks - FD staff still learning the ropes, doormen still feel awkward
-unclear to me whether the restaurant menu can be used for room service. Would be a huge plus if they can make that work, even if it is a slightly longer wait - it's the same kitchen
-the gym for being new is rather lackluster. They could have really spruced it up and put some spin bikes, ergs, and some more machines in there

Overall though, fantastic property - well worth staying at if you are in Columbus.

MSPeconomist

Is this new construction?

ceamus1

Yes - first Le Meridien in the US to be built from ground up I am told.

thewayofthefuture

I watched this building rise while working in Columbus last year and can vouch for its excellent location. I'm quite fond of the Westin there, but will definitely give this one a try next time I'm in town.

TAHKUCT

Planning to stay at this property shortly. Can anybody comment on parking situation? I do not like to use valet plus it is $30 per night.

dcstudent

Bump. Also platinum breakfast?

seawolf

Parking meters all around. Enforced 8AM-10AM with 3 hours max. Credit cards accepted. Can't pre-feed the meter the night before. There is also a garage on Russell between Park and High as well as another one on Goodale between High and 3rd.

WiFi


Not sure if this is my room only or hotel wide but my in-room safe was not bolted down. There are around 5 holes on the back of the safe to be used to secure it. They were not used.

NDDomer86

I had a one night stay at this property the day before Thanksgiving and was not overly impressed.

No luggage assistance upon arrival. The "suite" was just an oversized L-shaped corner room with a small sitting area (no second television though there was a spot for one). Additionally for a new build property, sound proofing (from both the outside and the interior corridors) was really poor. Housekeeping was also subpar.

MSPeconomist

Wasn't the LM in New Orleans on Canal Street a new build? The building looked new to me, but it might have been reflagged from a hotel that didn't last long.

I'm also thinking that LM in Philadelphia was a new build, but it's in a mixed use skyscraper IIRC. I might be confusing it with the Westin in Philadelphia.

NDDomer86

The Le Meridien New Orleans (on Poydras not Canal) was formerly the W New Orleans, which was a W for quite some years.

You are also thinking of the Westin Philadelphia. The Le Meridien Philadelphia is a restored historic building.

MSPeconomist

Could there have been a different LM in New Orleans earlier? I'm thinking of long before Katrina, perhaps before there was a W brand. If you walk up from the river and the big Hilton, the hotel I'm thinking of would have been on the left side of Canal, maybe about six blocks from the river. (There's a Marriott on the right side of Canal, not as far from the river and of course the French Quarter is on the right hand side of Canal.)

khabah

There was - the JW Marriott at 614 Canal Street originally opened in 1984 as a Le Méridien before very briefly converting to a Westin in the early 2000s [2002, if memory serves] and then to a JW Marriott in April 2003. LM was then absent from the market until Starwood turned the frayed W on Poydras into the current LMNO.

khabah

MSPeconomist

Thank you. I remember its LM days, which seems to have been its first incarnation as a hotel.

TAHKUCT

Unable to book a one night stay midweek at this property. Looks like their keeping 2 nights minimum to book any rate for most of the time midweek.

UA-NYC

IMO the price is out of whack w/the Columbus market...I gave it a shot, now I do the Sheraton