Crowne Plaza 5 Seasons, Cedar Rapids, IA
Written: Mar 05 '03 (Updated May 05 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Central location in Cedar Rapids. Meeting facilities. Teddy's Restaurant nearby. Renovation in progress.
Cons: Renovation not completed (might be now) and needs to be more extensive. Pigeons.
The Bottom Line: Recommended for reasonable rates, prime downtown location, and friendly service. Should be better once the renovations are complete.
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| pilotpat's Full Review: Crowne Plaza Five Seasons |
This is based upon a weeklong business stay in mid '02 at the Crowne Plaza Five Seasons, which should update Tom Barnes' Feb '02 review which he says is from a visit a couple years earlier. By the way, if you're looking for an excellent review of the history, design, and architecture of the hotel, check it out.
From the parking garage, one arrives at the relatively uninspired (but under renovation) lobby via a long skywalk followed by a trip up the elevator. The front desk personnel were courteous and efficient. Nobody offered to help me with my bags, but all I had were two roll-alongs.
The renovations Tom discussed were still in progress - layouts of the new lobby design and furniture were on posters mounted on easels in the lobby. Looks nice, but it wasn't there yet.
My room was somewhat disappointing. The decor is dark and dated. The full-room-length windows were nice, but mildewed along the frames, as were the corners of the walls next to them. The linens, carpet, upholstery, towels and bathroom were acceptably clean but well worn. There was some mildew in the corners of the shower and tub area. Complimentary lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and soap were provided, as was an iron, ironing board, and sufficient hangars for a reasonably-sized closet space. A large work desk was provided with a phone with dataport. No Ethernet port was apparent or advertised.
Hearing pigeons outside the window, I opened the floor-to-ceiling curtains. I discovered that my floor was level with a gutter of some sort that was no longer draining. Approximately 3-6" of stagnant water were there with feathers and other less savory pigeon remnants. Just before leaving, I discovered a floating egg as well.
At the time, the hotel touted its fitness facility, including an "indoor running track." The new Crowne Plaza website more sedately (and more accurately) advertises a "Complimentary Fitness Facility" with bikes, a treadmill, and exercise machine. The indoor track, by the way, is a rectangular grid of carpeted hallways surrounding utility rooms. A lap is approximately 400' (~13 laps to the mile!), but the track is ventilated via metal fans at the corners and is a place to escape the winter air. I negotiated a $20 weekly pass at the New Life fitness center (a small but well-equipped gym 2 blocks away) instead. The hotel's fitness center does offer two wonderful massage chairs in a darkened room, a sauna, and an aromatherapy chamber (didn't try that).
The accompanying US Cellular Center is home to many performing acts - some better than others. One of the acts there during my visit was a Beatles re-enactment. Perhaps it was the strange accoustics of the sky-walk as I passed the center, but I have heard precious few worse renditions of my favorite Beatles tunes. Fortunately, the noise did not permeate to the hotel itself.
The restaurant on the top floor serves a reasonable (and reasonably priced) breakfast - buffet or menu service - with a great view of the city.
The small bar downstairs gets relatively busy Friday and Saturday nights and provides a Happy Hour with discounts on drinks and a bit of complimentary fried and cold bar snacks. The staff at the bar is friendly with a good sense of humor.
A "do not miss" is Teddy's restaurant just down the street. It serves superb steaks in an atmosphere inspired by Teddy Roosevelt. Prices are a bit steep, but the steaks are well aged and marbled, with a great selection of cuts and preparation styles and a fairly good selection of wines and beers. I think there was non-beef fare as well, but how could I eat something other than steak in Iowa?
Overall, I had a pleasant stay and would recommend the hotel for those who wish to be in the city (as Tom said, there's just not many other options). If you wish to be in newer accommodations, several chains in the 2-3+ star variety exist next to the highway midway between downtown and the Airport.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pilotpat
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Member: Pat
Location: World Traveler
Reviews written: 96
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