New York City is full of hotels catering to all tastes and needs, but I am sure both properties of the British Firmdale Hotels, Crosby Street Hotel and The Whitby Hotel stand out from the competition. Why is that? The answer is: luxury boutique hotel meets design and art. Whereas the former hotel has been in business since 2009, the latter was only opened in 2017. After four stays at the Crosby Street Hotel my husband and I decided to give the second property a try. And so much can be said, we were thrilled with the experience at The Whitby Hotel! But this is not really surprising in light of our four consecutive stays at its sister hotel, which were all equally satisfying.

The British boutique hotel chain Firmdale was founded in 1985 by the husband and wife team Tim and Kit Kemp. While Tim Kemp works on property deals, Kit Kemp designs the buildings’ interior, and this very successfully. She is an award-winning interior designer and known for her contemporary yet witty style.

With the opening of the The Whitby Hotel the couple took their collection of hotels in London and New York City to ten. They want their hotels to be inviting and warm, not stuffy and aloof. The husband and wife team differs from other hoteliers as they like to own the buildings and do everything themselves. They even run the hotels on their own, staff is instructed in their own training school in London.

The Crosby Street Hotel is located in the heart of SoHo. This popular neighborhood is known for its galleries, quaint shops and hip restaurants. The hotel was constructed on the site of a former parking lot and is on one level with the historic cast-iron buildings in the area.

Firmdale Hotels’ first property in NYC is a perfect fit when it comes to the neighborhood’s industrial character. This shows in its minimalist exterior of brick, stone and glass with floor-to-ceiling warehouse windows. You find here 86 rooms over 11 floors.

The second property of the British hotel group, The Whitby Hotel, is situated on West 56^th Street at 5^th Avenue in the core of the business district of Midtown. Here you are steps away from the Museum of Modern Art, the Central Park and the 5^th Avenue shopping. Its building is kept in limestone in line with the surrounding area it is kept. And again it has floor-to-ceiling steel-framed windows, boasting 86 rooms set over 16 floors.

Interior/Design

Facilities

The Midtown property, The Whitby Hotel, has not only a restaurant (The Whitby Bar) but also an area which is only open to hotel guests. The latter is called The Drawing Room. Here you can have a drink from the honesty bar or take an afternoon tea.

When the building was constructed, they dug deep into the ground so two expansive floors of basement space resulted. These two stories accommodate a 130-seat screening room, three private rooms for events and meetings including the gorgeous book-lined Reading Room.

Furthermore, there is a generously sized gym.

The Soho property, Crosby Street Hotel, is not that different from its sibling. Actually, it is almost identical – at least as to the layout, though not regarding the style. Onsite is a restaurant (Crosby Bar), The Drawing Room and again the basement facilities. These include a 99-seat screening theater, three private rooms for events/meetings and a – somewhat smallish – gym.

Rooms

All the 86 rooms at The Whitby Hotel are individually designed featuring Kit Kemp’s unique mix of color, pattern, texture and art. Even the standard rooms are sizable (31 – 33 sqm). Compared with the usually tiny NYC accommodations, it is not too far-fetched to call them spacious! They boast comfortable beds, elegant armchairs and the signature mannequin on a stand.

 My husband and I opted for a Deluxe Room as they are situated on the upper floors (we were on the 11^th floor).

Bathrooms are finished in granite, some in marble. They have twin pedestal sinks with period faucets and fittings as well as walk-in showers.

Quite a number of rooms at The Whitby Hotel even have private terraces, a rarity in NYC. An accommodation that stands out is the Whitby Suite occupying the entire top floor complete with two king size bedrooms, a large living room, two spacious terraces and oversized white marble bathrooms. Here a film to illustrate the spectacular space:


Kit Kemp: The Whitby Suite from Firmdale Hotels on Vimeo.

When it comes to the rooms in the sister hotel Crosby Street Hotel, there are strong similarities. They are almost alike as to the size and to the furnishings. 

There are two things I liked here better than at The Whitby Hotel. This is about the seat cushions on the window sill and the great view of lower Manhattan on higher floors.

In case you value having two sinks in the bathroom, make sure to ask for a room with these amenities. There is a small number of guest rooms that do not have them, due to an elevator shaft or similar.

Worth a special mention is The Meadow Suite, which has its own private garden terrace featuring American native plants. What a great thing in the midst of NYC!

Food & Drink

The Whitby Bar serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. You find here hotel guests of course yet the restaurant also draws considerable crowds from nearby business and shopping sites. Especially at cocktail hour the place is buzzing. Then outside people drop by to have a seat at the long pewter bar

or at one of the tables with armchairs, sofas and banquettes.

Also the light-filled Orangery with its rather formal restaurant atmosphere is an option for dining-out.

There are so many details here that attract attention, be it the installation of baskets over the bar

or the lovely courtyard adjacent to the Orangery.

We had breakfast at the Whitby Bar every day of our long stay and enjoyed every minute here. This was not only because of the beautiful interiors but the food proved to be good too. Breakfast includes a well-arranged self-service continental selection and an a la carte menu with a wide choice of savory and sweet dishes.

It shows that Kit Kemp – the owner and interior designer of the place – does love breakfast! Everything is served on fine bone china from her Mythical Creatures Wedgwood collection. It is adorned with whimsical characters, hand-painted and gold detailed, nice! 

As to the Crosby Bar at the Crosby Street Hotel, only a few words to its particularities. The room is airy with quite a lot of natural light coming from an additional rear exit and a sizable courtyard. In addition, there is also an outdoor seating.

Service/Price

Comparison/Overall

While the Crosby Street Hotel in the SoHo area is a hugely popular hotel in NYC – it ranks in the top ten at TripAdvisor as to NYC hotels, rated “Excellent”, for many years –, The Whitby Hotel in upper Midtown is still in the development phase. Nonetheless, it is already among the top fifty at TripAdvisor, also with the same rating as its sibling.

If the question arises which one to choose for your NYC stay, I would answer it as follows. My husband and I come to NYC for leisure only. And for this purpose we consider the SoHo area as ideal. This neighborhood and its adjoining ones are packed with some of the city’s trendiest bars, restaurants and shops. In contrast to it, the eastern side of Midtown is a business area yet also home to some of the city’s best shopping. It is up to you to decide what is more important for you.

When it comes to the aesthetic point of view (hotel as an overall work of art), I myself prefer The Whitby Hotel. In my eyes, it is the Crosby Street Hotel in perfection. It comes without the one or other deficiency of its older sibling. And in addition, it is the non-plus ultra in modern design meeting contemporary art. You never get tired of marveling at all these beautiful things around you: gorgeous pieces embracing colors, pattern and textures. When looking around you sometimes might feel that they cannot work together. But in fact, they always do. Plus, there are fun things as the grandfather clock by Maarten Baas in the lobby where the grandfather is inside the clock and changes the time every minute.

Or there are wonderful collections as the one of meat platters in the Orangery!

As Kit Kemps says, “it is all in the detail”, and she likes her hotels to be places that “make you want to return time and again”.

Date of last stay: August 2018

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This hip bi-level restaurant with its lively atmosphere

is not Alex Stupak’s first restaurant under the name of Empellon. According to the New York Times his “earlier Empellons weren’t necessarily meant for anybody”, but this one is more a crowd-pleaser. The chef is still a “technical wizard” (New York Times) – he used to work as pastry chef at the renowned WD-50 (molecular gastronomy, where we had dined too – his creations are more harmonious now. On offer here are inventive tacos but also pasta, meat and fish dishes, all Mexican-inspired but by no means typical Mexican food.

We went for the Restaurant Week Menu for 42 $ where you can choose an individual starter, a taco dish (two pieces per person) and an individual dessert. To start the meal, we ordered guacamole with seven salsas

for the two of us to accompany the fantastic Margaritas, a great choice! An excellent starter was the sticky rice tamal with red Chile duck.

As to mains, we found the tacos with falavel accompanied by red and white sauce excellent.

When it came to desserts, my husband and I opted both for pineapple with piloncillo (unrefined whole cane sugar), pee pollen and chamomile ice cream.

What a treat! You could clearly notice that the chef is a virtuoso in this field …

Not only the ambiance and the food were convincing, also the service was up to level, relaxed and cool yet friendly and informative. I look forward to the further development of Empellon, maybe also towards a new fine dining place as the chef has it in mind!

The concept here is simple but totally fits, you order three small plates (42 $ per person) from a dinner menu with 15 options form which the majority are more like starters and the minority clearly mains. These are put in the middle of the table to share together with an individual bowl of rice. All the dishes we had were equally terrific, I cannot determine favorites. Here are three of the sampled ones, lotus root

– dubu (tofu), seaweed, chili oil –, octopus

– yellow peach, mojo verde (green sauce), fermented dubu – and pork jowl

– barley (cereal grain), ssamjang (spicy dipping sauce), cipollini onion.

– grapefruit, ginger crumble.

Service is kind, attentive and makes thoughtful suggestions what to order.

This is not your usual taverna offering simple Greek food but an elegant restaurant featuring sophisticated Greek cuisine with a contemporary twist in a hospitable ambiance.

It is not a newly opened place as the two before mentioned restaurants, but has helped to enhance the local fine dining scene as to high-end Greek establishments for five years now.

Chef here is Israeli-born Moshe Grundman who boasts an exciting Greek fusion food, think of Haloumi Me Sika,

grilled haloumi cheese with fresh figs over shaved fennel salad with toasted hazelnuts and balsamic glaze or Astakomakaronada,

poached Maine lobster with squid ink linguine in Metaxa (spirit) bisque. Whereas many dishes that are served here sound unfamiliar, you might have heard of moussaka. However, a new take on it is available here, Papia Moussaka,

crescent duck moussaka with pan seared crescent duck breast over beluga lentils and chanterelles fig jus. And leave place for desserts, they are delectable just as the other dishes, for example Saragli,

hand-rolled baklava, tahini parfait, sesame brittle and pistachio gelato.

My husband and I went for the four courses costing 90 $ and found it reasonable value for money. Grilled summer corn, chutney butter, corn kebab

was an inventive and delicious starter at the same time. A real treat was the middle course, sweet pickle ribs, sundried mango, onion seeds.

The ribs were tenderly melting in the mouth, seasoned with a sublime tart mango sauce! Another highlight was the main, chicken malai tikka, green chili cream, sugar snap peas, summer truffle,

which was a complex taste experience. And the chef did not disappoint in the department of desserts either. Doda barfi treacle tart, vanilla bean ice cream

was heavenly! The fudge-like sweet made with milk, sugar and nuts was crumbly and not smooth as other barfis I have tasted so far.

We really liked our dinner experience at this restaurant with its own rendition of Indian food. Just as in New Delhi, the place does not feature many Indian elements but is of a contemporary appearance boasting bare wooden tables and a sleek bar.

Servers are accommodating, personal and keen on explaining the dishes. I look forward to getting to know also the London branch of Indian Accent on my next visit to the UK!

Apropos UK, although giving account of my two favorite New York City hotels in my next blogpost, there is a reference to this country too. Fact is that both places I will go into are part of an English hotel group, and even has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise four times, most recently in 2018 for its achievements in International Trade. Curious? Come back later … 

Date of visit: August 2018

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Daniel Humm is a neo-classicist when it comes to his style of cooking. He is holding on his European training and techniques but is working constantly on freeing the old-fashioned things from the traditional haute cuisine. His goal is it to make culinary delights more modern and more palpable. He is a tireless perfectionist who has permanent improvement and reinvention in mind. At the same time, Daniel Humm he wants simplicity and purity, he aims at coming more to the point.

In his opinion, the most important thing on a dish is deliciousness. Above all, it must give pleasure. It also has to be beautiful. As son of an architect  he appreciates beauty and realizes it with its creations. Daniel Humm is much into minimalist platings, which are often heavy on geometrical forms. He likes circles or right angles, often his dishes look like pieces of abstract art.

The restaurant got the first Michelin star in 2010 and already two years laters the second and the third!

Regarding the World’s Best 50 Restaurants, it made its debut on this list in 2010 at No. 50. Since then, it moved constantly forward: No. 24 in 2011, No. 10 in 2012, No. 5 in 2013. As from this point of time, Eleven Madison Park has always been among a trio of restaurants rotating their positions within the leading five spots. In 2017, it made it to the top. A year later, In 2018, it dropped to No. 4.

When it comes to the most important local rating, the one of the New York Times, the restaurant got four stars (the maximum) in 2009 and this status was the same in 2015.

Before going into the food, some remarks about the restaurant (location and interior). This is essential as it is a much talked about topic in the scene.

Eleven Madison Park is located in the Art Deco Metropolitan Life North Building facing Madison Square and steps away from the famous Flatiron Building, one of New York City’s landmarks.

The restaurant offers an eight to ten course menu in the dining room. There is a mix of dishes, you get some for your own, others are to share for the table. While some courses are fixed, you have choices as to others. The whole dinner lasts about three hours.

When my husband and I dined at the Eleven Madison Park, we had eight courses. In half of them, we got a selection, with three options each.

Common practice seems to be that you get that black and white cookies as first bite.

The tomato tea was so intense and full of taste, I could almost not believe it! And the flavorful tomatoes harmonized beautifully with the berries. This light composition – served in two courses – was a fine introduction to Daniel Humm’s culinary skills. And it was perfect on a hot and humid summer evening.

When it came to the seafood dish, there was another choice to make. My husband went for lobster – butter-poached, charred with greens and bean ecrasse. I decided to have the striped bass – a local black bass, slow cooked with cucumbers and lovage as well as green tomato.

About two weeks prior to your dinner, one of Eleven Madison Park’s maître d’ writes you an email to learn more about your motivation to dine here (special occasion etc.). When you walk into the restaurant, someone is here to greet you, not positioned behind a podium but just standing around. After being seated, the table’s captain informs you at the start of the meal how the dinner is going to proceed. No printed menu is handed over to you at this time.

On the whole, I felt that the service is less scripted than expected – based upon my research. There are some fixed parameters but mostly it seems to be rather intuitive. The servers’ tone is relaxed and easy-going yet gracious and solicitous, you feel well at ease here.

Another thing that deeply impressed me, was how the service under the aegis of front-of-house director and co-owner Will Guidara is orchestrated. Every single server knows exactly what to do at any given point of time. Even the routes through the dining room seem to be defined. It was quite a sight observing an endless procession of service personnel moving through the room!

Overall

After longing for many years to have the chance to eat in the restaurant of the most famous Swiss chef Daniel Humm in New York City, it finally came true! As luck would have it, the dinner fell on near the reopening of Eleven Madison Park after a months-long renovation with a new look, revamped bar program and a trimmed menu.

After being the World’s Best Restaurant in 2017, the soaring Art Deco Space opposite of Madison Park dropped this year to 4^th. This downgrade is not that significant as in recent years there have been a trio of restaurants (including Eleven Madison Park) that have rotated their position within the leading five spots.

The place, co-owned by Daniel Humm and front-of-house director Will Guidara, is well known for its purist and understated cuisine focused on the region’s bounty and traditions. This however without denying the chef’s European training and techniques. Daniel Humm has developed his own distinctive style of neoclassicism. These with dishes just as his honey and lavender glazed duck breast. The essential is there but reduced, without superfluous or out-of-date fuss. Platings are minimalist and heavy on simple forms.

Service is another thing that impresses here. What goes on in the grand yet intimate dining room is a class of its own. It is a perfectly organized and orchestrated process. Everything works like a Swiss clockwork yet service is warm and empathic. Will Guidara – who oversees this domain – is a master in his field.

It is a true experience to dine here, so much can be said, but it is not for everyone! Eleven Madison Park is one of New York City’s most expensive restaurants. In the late 2000’s you could enjoy three courses from the menu for about 90 $. Nowadays you have to dig deep in your pockets to have the chance to eat here. But I think it is pointless to lament this situation. As long as guests are ready to pay a fortune for a dinner here, they can ask for such high prices. Having said that, I do not regret doing it but most probably it will be a once in a lifetime experience!

Date of visit: August 2018

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My husband and I stayed at the COMO Metropolitan Hotel in South Beach Miami on our trip from New York City to New Orleans by plane and then to Miami by car, see my corresponding post. We had already known the COMO hotel group from two stays at another place, which were great. And in Florida we enjoyed the experience at the Metropolitan very much too.

The hotel is located at South Beach, known as a nightlife hotspot. However, the hotel is situated at the frontier of South Beach and Mid-Beach, a bit removed from the hip clubs and resorts in a quiet residential stretch of beachfront. You will not find pool parties and loud music here but a calm and relaxing environment perfect for a serene escape.

The Metropolitan underwent an extensive renovation. The 1920’s Art Deco building got a new fresh look without losing its period charm. Its interiors were styled by Italian designer Paola Navone and this in a contemporary and in some parts, especially the rooms, minimalist way.

The public areas just as the lobby and restaurant/bar are gorgeous. They are modern but have at the same time some pompous details just as the stately columns dividing the ground floor in two parts. When entering the building you find the sleek Traymore Bar on one side and the Traymore Restaurant on the other one. Stylish high-backed seats separate it from the rest of the room.

The Ocean View Suite in detail

The first thing that catches your attention when entering the spacious Ocean View Suite (73 sqm) on the 7th floor is the rooms’ color scheme. Light peppermint green is combined with shades of grey and in addition there is a lot of white and shining chrome. Together with the black and white speckled floor it is quite a sight, especially if you are in favor of minimalist decor. Geometric patterns, a simple bed and other clean-lined furniture complete the picture.

There are two bathrooms, all in grey, white and chrome. The smaller one has a large vanity, shelves and a toilet.

The main bathroom is oversized, featuring a dual vanity and a semi-separate toilet and bidet.

There is a spacious shower with an adjoining deep soaking tub, which is really a unique feature, at least I have never encountered such an two-in-one concept.

The dimensions are generous, you never feel cramped when using the facilities.

And of course there are the views, after all it is an Ocean View Suite. Here when looking to the south,

to the north

and straight ahead plus a closer look to the pool.

Speaking of which, there is also a different view of the pool from the side of the beach.

And to give the whole picture of this great hotel, here also a photo of the restaurant at dinner time and two dishes we had, once a refined dessert and the other time one of the many fantastic breakfast items on the menu.

 

 

All this added up to making our stay a memorable one. Also the staff did its best to give us satisfaction, maybe with one exception but this is not the subject of this post. After all, I wanted to share with you our great suite first and foremost.

Date of stay: April 2016

As I usually stay in the vibrant SoHo area – at the gorgeous Crosby Street Hotel –, all the dining spots suggested are located south of Midtown, meaning south of 34^th Street. The restaurants have been categorized as follows: well-established houses with American fare, modern dining spots and high-end eateries with strong Asian accent.

View from The High Line, a must see attraction

 

This lively restaurant offering a 3-course menu ($98) and dinner tasting menus ($125/$110) only in the evening has become an institution over the last decades. It is extremely popular and it is difficult to get a reservation for dinner unless one does not care having dinner at 9:30pm. The fare is American, always perfectly prepared, also sometimes inspired by French or Asian cuisines. The elegant dining room is rather huge, but divided into smaller divisions, so you feel quite comfortable. Service is perfect.

Starter: Smoked Salmon, Pistachios, Creme Fraiche & Preserved Lemon

 

This New York City’s institution serves American fare, often influenced by European or Asian cuisines. The food is delicious and the portions are plentiful. The restaurant is elegantly decorated and its interior is vast. Unfortunately, the tables are very close to each other and the noise level is considerable. Service is friendly and efficient. For a three-course dinner you have to spend about $90.

Interior, foto provided by restaurant

 

This restaurant, owned by Bobby Flay, a reality TV personality, is a hip, rather casual place with a large bar. Food is Mediterranean-accented and with plenty of flavor (olive oil is generously used there). On the menu you do not find standard fare, some will miss their usual piece of meat. But this should not hinder you, the compositions are well put together and tasty. The vegetables are a must, the desserts too. The price level is moderate, be prepared to give out near to $70 for a starter, half a vegetable dish, an entree and a dessert. Service knows its stuff.

Dessert: Cheesecake, Allspice Caramel, Pecan Crust

 

The chef from New Zealand celebrates in his restaurant a cuisine, heavily influenced by his origins, but with a modern touch and great finesse. The interior can best be called rustic-chic, you feel very comfortable there. Dishes are creatively composed, often French accented and consistently tasty. Do not miss the delectable desserts, they are certainly worth a try. You receive good value for your money there, for three courses allow a bit more than $60, the tasting menu costs $75, and the chef’s tasting menu is $145. Service is hospitable and competent.

Chef from New Zealand, foto provided by restaurant

 

High-end French-Korean fusion cuisine is served in this elegant, modern restaurant. The Korean chef is a master of his craft who knows how to combine flavors. Some dishes really open up new worlds of tastes! The restaurant’s ambiance is calm, almost serene. The tables are spaced rather closely together, a corner place would be the preferred choice. While eating there means culinary indulgence, be prepared to dig quite deep into your pockets. There is a choice menu where it is not quite clear how many courses should be ordered for the average eater. Here the service team is happy to give advice. There is also a tasting menu for $180.

Food sample image, foto provided by restaurant

 

This trendy restaurant offers high-end Indian food in a gigantic space with ceiling-high windows. It is a buzzing place, the ambiance is all but cozy or intimate. Once settled on a somewhat quieter table, you can relax a bit before browsing through the extensive menu. The cuisine is authentic Indian, not fusion cooking as you may expect in such a modern eatery. Dishes are perfectly prepared with top quality ingredients, plentiful and tasty. Service is okay, but shows some flaws. The price range is as follows: appetizers from $9 to $16, entrees from $21 to $39, rice from $6 to $9, bread from $5 to $8.

Food Sample image, foto provided by restaurant

Most restaurants in New York City can be booked through OpenTable, an online real-time reservation service. Some restaurants only accept reservations four weeks before the desired point of time. Then you may have to be quick in case the restaurant is popular. And be careful, sometimes it is also necessary to reconfirm the reservation on the day before you visit the restaurant.

Brooklyn Bridge & Downtown

 

While traveling around in New England, we (2 couples) spent 2 nights at this beautiful country inn in the idyllic Manchester Village.

The hotel’s situation is nice although it is next to the main street. The Reluctant Panther is surrounded by a large, inviting garden and it is located in a quiet upscale neighborhood.



The hotel has 20 rooms and each is a little different. We opted for 2 Deluxe King Rooms that were in the main building going to the street, but noise emission was not an issue when we were there. They offer good comfort and are quite large (over 450 square feet), they are nicely appointed and have a homey appearance. They feature a fireplace and a spacious marble bath with tub and separate shower. We felt well at ease there.

Staff is friendly and accommodating and always ready to be of help when needed, but far from being intrusive.

Full breakfasts are included in the rate and are delicious. One night, we also had a tasty dinner in the elegantly furnished dining room. Modern American-style food is served there in a refined atmosphere.

On the whole, we had a pleasant stay in a beautiful hotel with good food and hospitable employees.

Date of stay: October 2014

While vacationing in New England, my husband and I together with another couple stayed at this hotel for 2 nights.

As a room category we chose an accommodation in the Boathouse Lodge that is furthest away from the lobby area which is a good thing. It probably is the quietest part of the hotel. We had two Boathouse King Patio Rooms, one above the other and imagine we shared a tree together! We only discovered this at the end of our stay when having an aperitif together in our room in front of the fireplace. Our friends had the trunk of the tree in their room, we had the crown of it! A strange thing, but it goes together with other experiences we had at this hotel. The rooms are furnished in a quaint style (think of the tree), everything is rustic and it makes the impression of being dated although it cannot be that old (the boathouse seems to be the newest part of the hotel). On the positive side, the accommodations are spacious. The same is true for the bathrooms, but they also look a bit tired. There is a whirlpool tub and a separate shower. In my view,  the rooms are quite pricey considering the location and the furnishing (465 $/night and room).

For our 2 nights’ stay in Boston we (2 couples) chose this conveniently situated and well designed hotel in downtown.

The staff is cordial and helpful. The complimentary wine hour in the lobby is a nice touch. We had continental breakfast (included in our rate) in the hotel’s lounge and found it delicious.

We (two couples) stayed 1 night at this hotel when traveling from NYC to Boston. The location is great, right on the beach.



When we arrived after flying in from overseas, there was quite a hustle and bustle at the hotel because there was a wedding party going on. There was loud music what did not contribute to our comfort, especially when our friends who had a room not too far away from the wedding party wanted to go to sleep.

As a room category we opted for 2 Double Beds Madison Shoreline View. The rooms are big enough with two heavy looking beds. They are adequately appointed and decorated in a classical American style meaning neither modern nor classic in a European way. The rooms have private balconies overlooking the Long Island Sound. The ocean front view is beautiful and it is without doubt the highlight of this hotel. The bathrooms with a combined tub/shower and a single sink are okay, but nothing special.

There is a restaurant with bar and porch offering American fare. We dined there and it was allright, breakfast was good. There is also a hotel small beach, but no pool. All the staff we encountered was so far courteous and helpful.

All in all, it was an okay stay, but nothing to write home about.

Date of stay: September 2014