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My review of JW Marriott Marquis, Miami
First time in Miami, my plan was to stay a couple of nights in downtown and then one day at the South Beach. Unfortunately there happens to be a tropical storm during my visit, so the South Beach plan was cancelled.
Miami appears to be a good place to burn Marriott points, as there are a bunch of options in downtown between 20,000 and 40,000 points – in fact the Courtyard Coconut Grove costs only 18,000 points a night. After some research I went for the JW Marriott Marquis hotel, which is 40,000 points or $400.
It’s not to be confused with the other JW Marriott nearby, which from what I’ve gathered is an inferior property.
Interestingly, there’s another Marriott inside this hotel. Hotel Beaux Arts from the Autograph Collection occupies floor 38-40 and shares the facilities with the JW Marriott. I don’t assume their guests can access the club lounge though, so you are better off booking the JW Marriott if you have Platinum status or above.
The front desk is very generous to offer me an upgrade to the Executive Suite. Sadly I need a twin bed room, so he arranges us a Bay View Room on the high floor instead.
The room is located on the 35th floor and measures around 500-600 sqft.
The bathroom has both a shower and a bath tub.
Bay view:
And views from other spots in the hotel:
Elite breakfast is served on the second floor at the 345 Restaurant:
Many hotels in the US offer very limited free breakfast to elite members, and there’s Hilton who’s eliminated the benefit and only offers some credit instead. This JW Marriott is not fooling around though – it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a full English breakfast buffet.
Breakfast is served until 11am, and then the club lounge on the 36th floor opens.
Snacks and soft drinks are available throughout the day. Happy hour is hosted between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, with a few canapes both hot and cold.
Alcohols are not free.
Desserts are served between 7.30pm and 10pm.
The hotel has a very impressive sports centre, including a basketball court, ping pong tables and a bowling alley.
The gym is fairly big too.
There’s a rooftop swimming pool on the 19th floor.
A hot tub is also available.
Overall I’m very satisfied with this stay – hotels in the US are usually under par but this JW Marriott didn’t let me down. The room is spacious and functional, the breakfast and club lounge offerings are decent, and the swimming pool is stunning. My only complaint is the $25 destination fee, but I guess I should just get used to this con which is imposed by so many American hotels.
My review of Cliveden House, A Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel
Its partnership with Mr and Mrs Smith adds a lot of excellent hotels to IHG’s portfolio. IHG members enjoy Smith Extras when staying with them, which usually means a bottle of Champagne, a box of chocolate or sometimes free breakfast. Ambassador members are also entitled to GoldSmith benefits, which includes space-available room upgrade and potentially enhanced Smith Extras.
You can redeem IHG points on reward stays at Mr & Mrs Smith hotels too, at a rate of $6.2 per 1K points roughly. Even better, the free night voucher issued by the UK Creation credit card is valid on them as well, although I’m not sure if it’s a bug.
One of the best redemptions in Europe is probably The Retreat at Blue Lagoon in Iceland.
There are many outstanding choices in the UK too, and my decision went with the Cliveden House in the end simply because it’s closest to London. There are a few properties in the same league, such as Lucknam Park, Chewton Glen and Heckfield Place.
IHG paid £1,200 for the night.
Cliveden House is at the centre of the Cliveden National Trust, which is about one hour’s drive from central London. Hotel guests need to pay £18 per person as a result, unless you have a valid National Trust membership.
The only other similar property that I’ve ever stayed at is the Langley, a Luxury Collection hotel. In terms of the neighbourhood Cliveden House wins hands down. Langley is only a local park which isn’t well taken care of, whereas Cliveden is a very well maintained National Trust site and probably one of the nicest parks you can find near London.
A beautiful boulevard leads you to the house.
There are a huge lawn and mazes at the back of the house. You can follow the steps down to River Thames.
Cliveden House was built in the 17th century by Duke of Buckingham as a hunting lodge for his mistress and guests. It was bought by William Waldorf Astor in the 19th century, and you can still see the name Astor in many places.
Meghan Markle stayed here in 2018 the night before the Royal Wedding.
The house was last renovated in 2015. It doesn’t look as new as The Langley, but ages well.
IHG’s IT system is a mystery, and I don’t know how they decide what room type you can redeem vouchers for. I was able to use mine on Deluxe Room with Hot Tub, which is only one level below the suites and almost doubles the cost of a standard room.
The room is located at the same wing as the spa centre.
Cliveden House has no room numbers, and instead rooms are named after titles. I’m Load Lothian obviously, which doesn’t sound bad at all 😉
There’s a wardrobe once I enter the room, with the bathroom to the right and bedroom to the left.
The room is nothing much to write about, except for the bed which is quite comfy. There’s a nice tub in the bathroom, but trust me you won’t need it!
Best feature of this room is a small terrace:
Plus a private hot tub:
The terrace is connected right to the swimming pool. I don’t even need to check in at the spa centre!
The facilities are great. The swimming pool is quite deep though (1.83m) and too scary for an amateur like me.
According to my observations, there are a total of four rooms with a terrace, and mine is the only one that has direct access to the swimming pool. Privacy may be one concern though.
My friend who visited the following week told me there’s actually an indoor swimming pool, and took a photo for me.
Smith Extras are a small bottle of Laurent Perrier and some chocolate / snacks. No room upgrade is offered, but to be honest I don’t really want to sacrifice my terrace for a suite 😛
For breakfast there are two options:
- Continental only: £20
- Continental + hot breakfast: £25
They’ve put some good thoughts in furnishing the restaurant, however the continental selection is very limited.
I ordered eggs benedict and porridge for my breakfast. Honestly they are mediocre at best, although £25 is a fair price for an expensive hotel like Cliveden House.
Besides the main restaurant, you can also dine at the Aston Grill or the bar.
Cliveden’s visitor centre is a short walk away, where you can get some simple food and refreshment.
Check-out time is 11am, and you can probably request a one-hour extension but no further. You are still invited to use the pool after check-out which is a nice gesture.
There’s a problem with my door, and they can only unlock the room with a special device which causes a lot of inconvenience to me. The staff are very apologetic though. Not sure if it’s related, but they didn’t charge me for the breakfast in the end.
It is truthfully a very unique experience for me and no doubt Cliveden House is the best hotel I’ve stayed at so far in the United Kingdom – although according to the staff they usually refer to is as a House rather than Hotel. I’m not sure if it’s worth paying cash here via IHG (as prices may be lower elsewhere), but if you have sufficient points or some free night vouchers to burn, I highly recommend staying here for a couple of nights.
My review of Aloft Birmingham Eastside
Marriott’s Every Night Counts promotion is coming to an end, and I’m participating one last time at the Aloft Birmingham Eastside hotel while visiting a friend in Solihull.
If you are looking for a central hotel IHG is your best bet. Somehow none of the Marriott hotels is ideally located. The Aloft is right next to the Aston University, and about 20 minutes’ walk into Birmingham’s New Street station.
From my limited experience, Aloft and Moxy share similar design concept of their public areas, although Moxy has more of a sexy element when it comes to guest rooms.
The hotel has a big ground floor, with a colourful bar by the entrance.
It’s not really a busy day but I didn’t receive any room upgrade. When asked about upgrade availability the receptionist told me “your room was pre-allocated this morning”, which isn’t really an answer. I didn’t bother to pursue as I just needed a bed for one night.
The room is about what you’d expect from a budget brand, basic but clean. It’s weird that Aloft usually positions itself in the four-star league, whereas in terms of quality and price it’s more on a par with Holiday Inn, Hampton or Ibis.
As a Titanium member I could choose breakfast as the welcome amenity. Breakfast is served in the Tempo restaurant, next to which is a Refuel station where you can purchase snacks.
Standard buffet:
Gym room:
Overall the hotel is okay, however unless you need to be in the area or the hotel’s rate is very good, I think there are plenty of better choices in the city.
My review of InterContinental Paris Le Grand
My IHG free night voucher from the Creation card was expiring in December, and there was no high-end hotel left in the UK for me to try. For practical reasons I redeemed it at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand, although at hindsight I probably should have chosen the Kimpton instead, which is a new hotel with a swimming pool.
The hotel is next to the Opera metro station, and just five minutes’ walk to the La Fayette department store. The proximity to the Opera is one selling point of the hotel.
The moment I entered the hotel, I was stunned by its beauty.
I’ve seen other properties of the same genres, e.g. Hotel Bristol in Vienna, but it’s the very first time I find one that demonstrates its abundant history and elegance, but doesn’t show a single sign of age.
The hotel is so huge that you can barely see the end of the corridor.
I’m upgraded to a King Premium Room, which is the largest non-suite rooms. However there are so many rooms at this hotel, and they vary a lot in shape and size even when belonging to the same category.
Entering the room, the first thing I see is the waldrobe.
Bathroom is on the right, with both a shower and a tub.
Bedroom is on the left.
The room is neat, but unfortunately after seeing the other areas of the hotel my expectations were very high. Although probably quite big in size, it feels like a lot of the space is just wasted.
As an Ambassador welcome gift, I’m offered a box of biscuits and some strawberries. There are three large bottles of mineral water to keep me hydrated!
There’s no espresso machine and I was just going to make peace with instant coffee, but then I couldn’t find anywhere a kettle…
I finished my toothpaste so requested one in the afternoon. It wasn’t in the room when I came back in the evening so I asked again, and still nothing arrived after one hour. I called again, and this time they finally sent someone.
At €45 per person, the breakfast price is very steep so I gave it a pass. For Ambassador members, Club Lounge access is sold at €120 per room (2pp) which I think is more than reasonable, as it includes breakfast, afternoon tea and happy hour (they’ve been serving oysters and prawns recently :)).
Spire members can choose between 600 points and a drink voucher. I asked for the latter and had a beer at the bar of Cafe de la Paix, which is the hotel restaurant.
Ambassador members also have €15 credit to use towards the bill. Before check-out I came again for a cup of coffee and a coke zero, which worked out perfectly at €15.
The hotel doesn’t have a swimming pool, and shockingly its gym is simply two interconnecting rooms put together…
Besides the toothpaste incident mentioned above, the front desk agent also made no mention of welcome drink, €15 credit or late check-out, and they very often had to confirm with colleagues to know how to do something. The staff don’t seem properly trained to me, at least not for the IHG program.
Quality of the guest room also doesn’t reflect the hotel rate. I do admire the beauty of InterContinental Paris Le Grand, but purely from an accommodation perspective I like the Renaissance Republique hotel more, evening before factoring in the price difference.
My review of Renaissance Paris Republique
I booked one night at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand hotel with my expiring IHG voucher, and was looking for another hotel to spend a couple of nights more. With the ongoing double elite night credit promotion my preference went with Marriott, and I was tempted to try the Prince de Galles hotel.
It’s very expensive though (in both points and cash), and they didn’t confirm my suite night award, so I cancelled my reservation. Seeing the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Flyertalk, I picked the Renaissance Republique Hotel instead.
The hotel is just a couple of minutes from the Republique square, which is a busy area with a lot of restaurants etc. Gare du Nord (Eurostar station) is about 20 minutes’ walk, and Pompidou (Soho of Paris) about 15.
The building has a small front which isn’t very noticeable. As you can see, the street facing rooms have these quirky submarine windows.
The lobby extends deep down and there’s a nice-looking atrium.
The hotel’s busy, and I only received a one-level upgrade to a Bobo Room. The receptionist told me it’s the best room of the hotel, which I just dismissed as a business pitch. But wow he’s not lying.
Entrance:
Bathroom on the left:
It’s got a massive bathtub and they are considerate enough to provide bath minerals as well.
And finally the bedroom:
The TV set is fixated to the bed frame, but unlike Hotel Indigo Kensington I think it’s a smart design here, as it creates the separation between the bedroom and bathroom / entrance. There’s also a control for withdrawing the TV into the cupboard.
Not sure what type of design the hotel is going for, but feels Scandinavian to me and very refreshing. I estimate the room to be between 40sqm and 50sqm in size, which is the same as the suites of the hotel. It is probably one of my favourite hotel rooms in the last few years.
The room is inner facing which doesn’t bother me. I prefer quietness to any view, if I have to choose.
Espresso machine and capsules are available. There is a bottle of mineral water on the table – I have to double check to make sure it’s drinking water as the packaging looks very similar to the SKII essence I’ve been using…
Breakfast is a small buffet.
There a few things, including omelettes and pancakes to order.
I’m not a big fan of the food here.
Gym:
All staff I’ve met during the stay are very nice, and they do their job to make sure you enjoy the stay. Although breakfast is disappointing, I love the room, staff and location of the hotel, and would highly recommend it.
My review of Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel
After one night at the Bristol Hotel to spend my D$, I extended my stay by a couple of nights at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel. The hotel has a good reputation, and it’s not every day that you see a hotel call itself Royal.
The hotel is on the other side of the canal, opposite to the Bristol Hotel. It’s a more lively area with quite a few shops and restaurants nearby. It’s a lovely weekend and the park in front attracts many sunbathers.
The hotel boasts its Victorian style, and has been welcoming guests for 150 years. The design of its public areas is very carefully curated to reflect its history and elegance, and I can’t say I’m not impressed.
Although it’s definitely not at that level, the hotel reminds me of Hotel Bristol in Vienna in a lot of ways.
Unfortunately the hotel is fully booked, and I was only given one-level upgrade to a Superior Room. Some guest rooms are located in the Royal Wing, but from what I can tell it’s not really physically separated or come with additional perks.
The room is okay, just what you’d expect from a standard Marriott hotel, and there isn’t really anything Royal about it.
The room is back facing and very quiet.
Breakfast is served in the restaurant, which is complimentary for Platinum members and above.
Pastry offering is excellent – the croissants and pains au chocolat are very fresh, and amongst the best quality ones that I’ve had at any hotel for a long time.
However, only black coffee is free and you’d have to pay for Cappuccino etc, which is quite stingy.
I’m not a fan of hotel gyms in general, but this one is quite nicely decorated.
Some reviews I read online spoke very highly of this property, which almost made it an attraction in Bristol itself. I also agree it’s a good one, but nothing outstanding – it’s possibly one of the top accommodation choices in the city, however don’t be fooled by the Royal name, as it’s still just a four-star hotel.
My review of The Bristol Hotel
The $100 credit that GHA offered to me was going to expire soon in May, so I needed to spend it very soon. There aren’t many GHA hotels in the UK, and $100 isn’t going very far at the London ones, so I decided to use it towards one night at The Bristol Hotel eventually.
The Bristol Hotel is part of the Doyle Collection, which also has three properties in London and a few more in Ireland and the US.
The hotel is nicely located between Queen Square and the canal.
Check-in is very swift and they know proficiently how to redeem the D$ on my account. I booked a promotional rate which was available on GHA’s, but not the hotel’s website. This is a weird thing that you should keep in mind when booking GHA hotels.
I’m upgrade to a Deluxe room on the sixth floor.
The room is very plain – I’m not saying it in a negative way though.
Curiously it is one of the best sleeps I’ve had recently.
A bottle of Prosecco is waiting for me in the room. I’m also given two drink vouchers as a Titanium welcome amenity.
View from my window:
The rate I booked is inclusive of breakfast. The restaurant looks very nice by the riverbank.
Breakfast quality is decent.
Just as I had imagined, the stay and elite treatment etc. are pretty much on a par with an average Hilton or Marriott hotel. I’ll still stick with other mainstream chains unless GHA has another impressive offer, but The Bristol Hotel is a decent choice if you visit the city.
My review of London Marriott Hotel Regents Park
I was pondering about another Spa day, ideally near where I live, and Marriott Regents Park became the winning choice. I stayed here once back in 2016 and it wasn’t a great experience, but I’m only looking for a swimming pool and a club lounge so wasn’t too fussed.
Despite what the name suggests, the hotel is actually by the Swiss Cottage station, and the Regent’s Park is quite some distance away (although Primrose Hill is around the corner).
I booked a family room with two double beds (accoms. 4). Not many central London hotels offer this room type, so if you usually travel with family it’s worth keep in mind.
The hotel underwent some renovation work in 2016. Room looks okay for a four-star Marriott hotel.
It comes with a balcony, which is also rare in London.
As a Titanium member I’ve received a bottle of white wine and a box of chocolate.
The wellness centre is on the ground floor, and you can see everything from the picture below.
I didn’t visit the gym. There’s no jacuzzi but the sauna and steam room are decent. However, the pool is a disaster – half of it is extremely shallow making it extremely difficult to swim, plus there are constantly a bunch of kids plunging and throwing stuff which makes it even less pleasant. If you are just here to entertain your children it’s fine, but think twice if it’s for properly swimming.
Breakfast benefit here (for Platinum and above) is very confusing, but eventually they didn’t charge me. I’m not sure if the club lounge has breakfast offering at the moment.
It’s served at the Carluccio’s restaurant. I’m very surprised at how busy it is on a Monday morning and I didn’t manage to take any photos…
The buffet is adequate, with some egg dishes cooked to order.
Club lounge is also on the ground floor, and a bit on the small side. Evening canape is provided from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
There are two curry dishes (chicken and peas). They are quite tasty, but putting them in such tiny containers is really annoying.
Alcohol drinks are available until 9.30pm. Desserts are also available after 7.30pm.
This concludes my short stay. It’s not an outstanding hotel, but it’s got some unique features: close-ish to Regent’s Park, big family room that accommodates four people, pool and club lounge. With kids it’s possibly one of the best options in London, and the many families staying here would agree!