So you're planning a trip to New England for the Fall and are looking for a great place to get started, why not try Providence and see all that is to offer within driving distance or a short flight from many cities.
Start your vacation or business trip on the right foot with a great place to stay, the Providence Marriott. They have the only themed hotel in Rhode Island and with the amenities, excellent service and staff the Providence Marriott has to offer, why would you want to try any of those other hotels with a lack of parking and $400 dollar room nights, when you can have all you need for less at the Providence Marriott.
When we first arrived at the Providence Marriott, we were surprised by the attentiveness of all the staff members to our immediate needs. For the first time in a long time at hotel without asking, one of the bellmen did more than open a door or welcome us to the hotel, he walked to our car as we pulled into a parking spot and was quick to offer assistance to speed up the check in process. All of this while a light rain began to fall.
Inside of the hotel the front desk staff continued with their warm attitude towards service and they helped whisk us to our room as fast as possible. They asked if we needed any other help with transportation or dinner reservations. They even called upon the concierge faster than we could ask for our room keys.
After our bags were promptly carried to our room, we could easily anticipate a great night' sleep with the comfortable beds staring us right in the face. For a wary business traveler after a hard day in the office, this bed is a sleepers dream.
Inside each of the rooms, the Providence Marriott has ensured that both business and pleasure travelers will feel right at home. Whether you choose a room with a king bed or you are traveling with more than one person, the double bed option is just as comfortable and oversized. They have gone the extra mile to give you the quality that Marriott is known for. These beds were a bit different and the best we have found at a Marriott property in a long time.
Each one of the 351 guest rooms and 5 executive suites offer more than enough amenities to keep you coming back time after time.
Their rooms are complete with a dual line data port speaker phone, high speed internet access, coffee maker, hairdryer, free premium cable, they certainly seem to have your needs more than covered.
The room our staff reviewed was certainly business friendly with its oversized desk and workstation area. There is even room to entertain a couple of friends in comfort with the way each room is set up for travelers. This room offers more space and will not make you feel clustered like some of the smaller rooms they have to offer in Providence for the same amount of money.
One of the best features the Providence Marriott has to offer in addition to their great rooms are the dining options they offer hotel guests and even some locals from Providence. We decided to give their Bluefin Grille a try and what we found certainly delighted to the final bite. No wonder Bluefin has received several awards for best in Providence and has found a home with many who live in Providence.
As many of our traveler readers already know, New England is well known for its great seafood options and since the Providence Marriott is within proximity to Cape Cod, we suggest not leaving the hotel until you have tried some of the seafood options Bluefin has to offer.
We sampled some of Bluefin's options with the company of Jennifer Dahler, the hotel's Destination Experience Specialist and with her opinion on some of the items, we certainly were not disappointed when they arrived at our table.
Our first selection came from the appetizer portion of the menu, in their mound of freshly battered Calamari. We highly suggest sharing this selection, as the portion is more than enough for two people. It came piled high and not too crunchy to where it tastes more like an onion ring than Calamari and it had that fresh taste that makes Calamari well worth enjoying. This is one of their award winning menu items and we can certainly see why. Note.... this is award winning, hence, order more for a late night snack.. or just more for dinner, your choice.
Another appetizer that is sure to be highly irresistible, is the Fresh Gulf Shrimp served in a Martini Glass. The shrimp almost tipped the glass with its enormous size and weight. These shrimp could easily fetch 20.00 a pound a fresh seafood market they were so large. Their price of just under $9.00 is well worth ordering some to go!
If you enjoy both surf and turf, then skip the appetizers and read down and choose the Yellow Fin Tuna and the Filet Mignon as dinner options. Both are excellent selections and the proportions are more than a belly full. They are both cooked to order and the tuna we sampled was the special of the day and was served with a roasted nectarine and a roasted peach... How about desert with your entree? Neither the tuna or the filet lasted long on the table.
For desert we highly recommend the Buried Treasures. The combination of fresh berries in a chocolate treasure chest topped with whipped cream, certainly puts the icing on the cake, well we had whipped cream on ours. This is one hotel restaurant that you will tell your friends about time after time.
Bluefin is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and their service is above excellent and deserves our five star award for attentiveness. They are quick to go the extra mile to pay attention to what you have to say and make suggestions that won't leave you wasting your time or saying, "Oh I wish I didn't order that."
You can also enjoy an evening meeting in Bluefin's Bar area, which is located in front of the restaurant. Be sure to check-out the stylish lay-out that makes it hard to believe this is a hotel bar and lounge area. Grab a late night snack from their spirit style menu if your plans call for a late night.
After a great dining experience, it is tough to move through the remainder of the hotel, but there are some key features to this hotel that you will not find anywhere else in Providence, such as it's theme, "Your Key to Rhode Island Treasures." Not only does this hotel have art work and Rhode Island artifacts that you would only find in a museum, but it has pieces that tell a story about Providence and Rhode Island.
Take an evening and enjoy their indoor and outdoor pools. The indoor pool is open all year round from 6:00am to 11:00pm and the outdoor pool is open until at least October 1st each year. Jump into the jacuzzi and relax those muscles after long day. It was great and a perfect way to enjoy all they have to offer. Bring a couple of friends and dive in!
Whether you are staying at the Providence Marriott on business or pleasure, the hotel offers the key to the ideal location for your business and leisure travel, group meetings and social events. You can enjoy unmatched catering selections, flexible floor plans and state of the art services that will surpass your meeting expectations. For banquets and meetings, they have what you are looking for and judging by the quality of service we experienced, you should expect much of the same on your next visit.
The selling point of this hotel for business travelers and meeting planners is their 11,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, audio visual teleconferencing, 24-hour business support and even on-site event coordinators. Even try one of their ballrooms for your next class reunion or wedding party, they certainly know how to satisfy the customer.
So just when you thought the hotel gave you more than you expected, wait there is more! How about some of the extras they offer travelers like special pricing at the Providence Place Mall in certain shops, reserved for hotel guests only. Try the walking tour with their partner, The Rhode Island Historical Society. For just $10, this is well worth the time and value and is something that no other hotel can offer you.
As we were leaving the hotel , we continued to find out why the Providence Marriott excels in every category and why we were lucky to stay at this Rhode Island gem. The hotel is convenient to the Amtrak station and is just minutes from the T.F Green Airport. The quick on and off I95 makes this a travelers dream. We enjoyed it all and so will you on your next trip to Providence.
For more information about making a reservation at the Providence Marriott or to inquire about their specials and current rates, contact the Hotel directly at (401)272-2400 or visit the Providence Marriott's website at www.marriottprovidence.com
