JW Marriott provides a great stay by the river in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Written: Sep 12 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: This hotel provides everything one would expect from an urban resort.
Cons: Restaurants and public areas were eerily empty most times.
The Bottom Line: We had a very happy anniversary!
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| chelledun's Full Review: JW Marriott Grand Rapids, Michigan |
Nostalgic childhood memories and a love of upscale Marriott Properties led mr_chelledun and I to the new JW Marriott Grand Rapids to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. Most visitors to Grand Rapids, Michigan think instead of the Amway Grand Plaza Resort, but a lackluster stay there during our honeymoon left us heading down the block this time around. After having an excellent stay in this spotless, modern, conveniently located hotel, we definitely anticipate becoming repeat customers.
Know Before You Go
The JW Marriott is located right where one wants to be when visiting Grand Rapids - on the riverfront, within view of major attractions such as the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the Gerald Ford Presidential Library. There are also shops and restaurants within walking distance, including those at the Amway Grand Plaza. It took us less than three minutes to stroll on over for our meal reservation at the famed 1913 Room. On-site valet parking costs $25.00 per night with in and out privileges. The valet parking guys are prompt, friendly, and quick with directions or recommendations so we didn't mind paying for this service one bit. I believe self-parking in the same garage is $20.00.
A good rate for the JW Marriott seems to be around $150.00. I monitored prices closely leading up to our visit but never found anything cheaper, even with my AAA discount. We did visit on a major wedding weekend in August, so your experience may vary at a different time of year.
Public Areas
JW Marriott is a hip hotel, and it wants you to know it. The exterior is sleek and shiny, the inside much the same. Great advantage is made of the riverfront views with exterior and interior seating available. Oddly, in the evenings the high-ceilinged lobby is turned into a disco of sorts, with an on-site DJ blaring techno and nobody dancing. Fortunately, this music can't be heard in the rooms.
Like most Marriott resorts, this one has an in-hotel restaurant, six.one.six, and a bar, Mixology. We have typically had good experience with the breakfast buffets at similar places. However, there are a lot of unique bars and restaurants to enjoy in Grand Rapids so we never dined or drank at the JW Marriott. Neither did anyone else - these facilities were eerily empty and quiet every time we passed them with the exception of a few patrons at Sunday brunch. We did order room service once in the form of two flatbread pizzas. The food was quite tasty and the price more reasonable than what one often finds for this service.
The JW Marriott also has the amenities one would expect from an upscale full-service resort, including a fitness center and a spa with an extensive menu of treatments.
The Room
Our riverview room (a complimentary upgrade) was spotlessly clean and new-looking. We had a queen sized bed with a plush down comforter and lots of pillows in various shapes and sizes. I loved the corner lounge chair and spent a good deal of time curled up in it. We also had the flat screen television that is becoming standard in Marriott hotels and a small desk. Our riverview included the river, of course, as well as the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the Gerald Ford Presidential Library.
The bathroom was totally great, with luxuriously tiled floors and a fancy sink. The shower had phenomenal pressure and I never wanted to leave it. We received an extensive collection of spa toiletries which were nice, although not exciting enough to merit taking home. The closest contained my favorite amenity, comfy white robes. There was a hairdryer provided but I had brought my own and never tried it.
Because it was our anniversary, mr_chelledun paid $60 to add the hotel's "romance package" to our stay. For this price, we were greeted with a bottle of champagne, a cheese and cracker plate, chocolate covered strawberries, and rose petals on the bed. All of this was very nicely done.
Overall . . .
At $50.00 less a night than the Amway Grand Plaza, the JW Marriott Grand Rapids is destined to be our hotel of choice on all future visits to the area. The empty in-lobby disco was a little bizarre, but elsewise our stay was pretty flawless. This hotel is clean, comfy, modern, and well-located. What more could one ask for?
Recommended:
Yes
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