For our trip to Indy we chose the Embassy Suites Hotel downtown. I like Embassy Suites, as a general rule. I've stayed in 6 different ones, I think, and never been disappointed. Until now.
First, a general overview of Embassy Suites. All rooms are true suites, meaning there is an actual separate bedroom. This is key for us. Call us hoity toity, but if you had a teeth-grinder like ours, you'd want your own bedroom at all times too. There is a nightly Manager's Reception, which is free food (often snack type food, sometimes fancier) and drinks (wine, beer, mixed drinks). There is also a daily breakfast, which is more than the standard free continental - made to order omlets, pastries, eggs, breakfast meats, etc. Combine that with what amounts to a reasonable nightly rate, and I call that a bargain.
Our stay started out promising. The lobby was nice enough, and the desk staff upon check in were very nice, and even gave us a free upgrade to a corner room (totally worth the extra price, I note for next time. It is a much quieter room, and larger. It is one of those hotels where the atrium is open for all 20 floors, which means that there isn't anything really buffering lobby noise from the rooms. It is not generally a problem in the bedrooms, which are set behind the anteroom, but if you have kids on the sleeper sofa, it can be a bit loud.
The room was nice enough - a bit dated. Couch had a ripped seam in a cushion, and a few stains but overall, things seeemed clean. We had a nice view.
Manager's reception was chips, dip, a cheese log and (blissfully) booze. Not one of the better I went to, but they're giving out soda cups full of wine (and there were kiddy cocktails too) so who am I to complain. The next night there was popcorn and a cheese log that looked suspiciously like the one we had the day before (ie, half eaten). Hmmm. Kids liked the fresh popcorn though and it allowed us to sit and drink our tumblers of wine without much complaint from the peanut gallery.
Our real problem started once we got the kids tucked in (5 year old in the sleeper sofa, 2 year old in his tent). We went to our room and I sat on the bed. The noise it made was a kin to an animal in considerable distress. I mean, the neighbors would have thought we were newlyweds just by the act of flipping our pillows over. We put our Columbo hats on and discovered the issue was that there was a piece of wood attached to the bedframe rubbing against the metal headboard. Hmmm. Kids in bed, no way I'm letting maintenece or housekeeping climb over them as they're falling asleep. So, we put aside our Columbo hats and put on our Bob Vila belts and literally disassemble the bed. Everything off, pried the piece of wood from the frame (luckily, it was poorly nailed - though we always travel with a Swiss Army knife!). Problem solved, but it was a good 20 minutes of maintenence and housekeeping work that I was pretty sure I wasn't paying $149/night for. Also it was GROSS under that bed (the bed frame was solid to the floor, its not like housekeeping could just vacuum under it, but I'm pretty sure this piece of wood we moved was a lot younger than the dust we found). Old remotes, 1/2 inch of dust, and God knows what else.
Ah well, we'll deal with it in the morning. And I did - went to the desk and explained the situation to a desk guy who really couldn't be bothered to even look up from whatever task he was doing, and CERTAINLY offered no apology or sympathy. He said "Well, we have other rooms, I can move you." We decided that packing up again wasn't worth it. And really, it wasn't that the room situation bothered me that much, but HE did, as poor customer service is my #1 pet peeve.*
The breakfast was a disaster. The layout of the buffet is a problem in itself, but the lack of silverware, juice, coffee, cups, etc. was the bigger problem. The food was rubbery (though you will hear no complaints from my kids, who think the best thing about travel is that I let them eat Fruit Loops, which they had) the coffee mediochre, the juice watery and the toaster almost made bread warm. We almost went elsewhere for breakfast the last day, which is saying a lot because I don't tend to pass up "free."
There was a pool, and two hot tubs. Both of the hot tubs were, however, empty the whole trip. The pool was so heavily chlorinated that my nose burned just being in the room. In the end, this didn't matter to us because my 5 year old managed to "blow" pool time each day with behavior infractions. (He's really a good kid, but still has some things to learn about when he's crossing the line with Mommy - particulary when she has a headache.)
There were some really good staff members at the hotel. Every bellman I encountered was great, and one housekeeper who happened to be in the elevator told us that there was a PBS Kids event in town, and even left the name of the park where it was happening at the desk for us. Our waiter at the hotel restaurant was
*another pet peeve is people who don't bother to change out of the pajamas to go to breakfast in a hotel. When did this become ok? Small children I can see, but grownups? And not even nice jammies? But I digress . . .
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Weber Grill - Indianapolis
Before I say anything else - THANK YOU DALE, BEST WAITER EVER! Seriously - he was fun, amusing, knew his stuff, stayed one step ahead of us, was on top of things for the kids. I'd like to pack him up and have him as our waiter at every restaurant.
Anyhooo ... The Weber Grill is a restaurant based on the actual grills - they use them in the decor, and gigantic ones in the kitchen. Enough to make a serious charcohl grill man weep. (My husband is not one of them - he's a gas guy [tee hee]) It is conviently located downtown, ajacent to the Circle Center Mall and the Embassy Suites Hotel. Reservations are a big plus, and you can make them on Open Table.
We sat in a cozy oval booth (we made the mistake of sitting the boys together. Avoid making the same mistake, if you can). The wonderful Dale came and took our drink order. He guided me well on the sangria options (I had ordered the red, he then carefully described all 3 options, recommended the tropical special and he was right). Yummy pretzel rolls followed. Dale described them as addicting (joking that they provide counseling and support groups) but I found them to be just ok. The cheese spread they were served with was quite good. Dale brought the sangria, and insisted that if I didn't care for it he would bring a different one immediately. It was plenty tasty.
We got their grilled Margarita Pizza to start, and it was good - but a little different. Pretty spicy, and topped with not just basil, as usual, but sliced green onion - I didn't think that helped it, but it was easy enough to pick off. Kids liked the pizza.
When we ordered, Dale asked if we wanted the kids meals right away or with our meal, which was nice. (Mommy side note - I know lots of people like the kids to eat right away. Personally, I'd rather deal with the "when is our food going to be here" whines, than the "Can we GO now!?!" when I have only eaten 2 bites of my meal. Also, I recommend you or your spouse learns to make paper boats, because it provides excellent distraction) Dale also brought extra napkins and 2 clean bar towels (GENIOUS!) because fancy restaurant napkins don't absorb anything.
When the kid's meals did come, they were in nice divided trays. I'm blessed in that I don't have kids who care if their food is touching, but I know this can be a big issue. It had the ordered meal (they have traditional kid menu options, and also steak skewers) and a veggie, and fruit. My kids would have really enjoyed the meal if they were not 1) overtired and 2) constantly poking or laughing at one another. This was the fault of the (ahem) parents, not the restaurant.
I got the ribeye and their signature sweet potatoes. The steak was excellent - tender, flavorful. If you are a fan of the charry taste that charchol grills can impart, you'll be in nirvana. I, am not. But it was still darn good. Sweet potatoes were something that I liked so much I wanted to rub them in once I was too full to eat them any more. Portions were huge.
Hubby had the grilled prime rib and the garlic mashed, and found them just as yummy. He also got, as he often does, the grated horseradish instead of the horseradish sauce. However, this was REALLY fresh grated horseradish, which was awesome, if you're into that kind of thing. Lets just say that his sinus issues cleared right up.
I'm sure desserts there are delish, but alas - we didn't make it that far. Fearing my head would explode, I removed my children from the premises after I'd eaten my fill and left hubby to take care of the bill and finsih his wine. (Nice wine list, by the way, and Dale was spot on with his recomendations.)
Anyhooo ... The Weber Grill is a restaurant based on the actual grills - they use them in the decor, and gigantic ones in the kitchen. Enough to make a serious charcohl grill man weep. (My husband is not one of them - he's a gas guy [tee hee]) It is conviently located downtown, ajacent to the Circle Center Mall and the Embassy Suites Hotel. Reservations are a big plus, and you can make them on Open Table.
We sat in a cozy oval booth (we made the mistake of sitting the boys together. Avoid making the same mistake, if you can). The wonderful Dale came and took our drink order. He guided me well on the sangria options (I had ordered the red, he then carefully described all 3 options, recommended the tropical special and he was right). Yummy pretzel rolls followed. Dale described them as addicting (joking that they provide counseling and support groups) but I found them to be just ok. The cheese spread they were served with was quite good. Dale brought the sangria, and insisted that if I didn't care for it he would bring a different one immediately. It was plenty tasty.
We got their grilled Margarita Pizza to start, and it was good - but a little different. Pretty spicy, and topped with not just basil, as usual, but sliced green onion - I didn't think that helped it, but it was easy enough to pick off. Kids liked the pizza.
When we ordered, Dale asked if we wanted the kids meals right away or with our meal, which was nice. (Mommy side note - I know lots of people like the kids to eat right away. Personally, I'd rather deal with the "when is our food going to be here" whines, than the "Can we GO now!?!" when I have only eaten 2 bites of my meal. Also, I recommend you or your spouse learns to make paper boats, because it provides excellent distraction) Dale also brought extra napkins and 2 clean bar towels (GENIOUS!) because fancy restaurant napkins don't absorb anything.
When the kid's meals did come, they were in nice divided trays. I'm blessed in that I don't have kids who care if their food is touching, but I know this can be a big issue. It had the ordered meal (they have traditional kid menu options, and also steak skewers) and a veggie, and fruit. My kids would have really enjoyed the meal if they were not 1) overtired and 2) constantly poking or laughing at one another. This was the fault of the (ahem) parents, not the restaurant.
I got the ribeye and their signature sweet potatoes. The steak was excellent - tender, flavorful. If you are a fan of the charry taste that charchol grills can impart, you'll be in nirvana. I, am not. But it was still darn good. Sweet potatoes were something that I liked so much I wanted to rub them in once I was too full to eat them any more. Portions were huge.
Hubby had the grilled prime rib and the garlic mashed, and found them just as yummy. He also got, as he often does, the grated horseradish instead of the horseradish sauce. However, this was REALLY fresh grated horseradish, which was awesome, if you're into that kind of thing. Lets just say that his sinus issues cleared right up.
I'm sure desserts there are delish, but alas - we didn't make it that far. Fearing my head would explode, I removed my children from the premises after I'd eaten my fill and left hubby to take care of the bill and finsih his wine. (Nice wine list, by the way, and Dale was spot on with his recomendations.)
Indianapolis
Ok, so maybe Indianapolis isn't the first place you think of for a family vacation, but I have to tell you - I was pleasantly surprised - and if you are in the midwest, its worth a trip. Really!
The first thing that struck me about the city was that it seemed almost European - especially right downtown by the war memorial, in the city center. The memorial is pretty cool - fountains and waterfalls surround it (think Trevi fountain, but not so much) There are very impressive sculptures around it and the kids liked it alot. Aparently, you can often go to the top of the memorial, but the elevator was closed for repairs. There is a small gift shop in it, (and a flat penny machine - much to my 5 year old's delight, as he collects them) The memorial is in the center of a circle, surrounded by shops, restaurants, banks and the like, all in pretty nice architecture.
We stayed at the downtown Embassy Suites (see my review) which was in a great location, and attached to the Astrada Gardens, which is a glass and steel event space over the street, also connected to the city center mall and the Conrad Hilton. This allowed us direct connection to the mall, which was nice as it was 100 degrees, and walking in the A/C isn't a bad thing. The mall has several restaurants (PF Changs, Johnny Rockets, Nordstrom's Cafe), as well as standard food-court fare. Here's a hint - stop by the information desk and ask for a coupon book - we got deals on cookies, pretzels, and later Connor Prairie.
The coolest thing, in my mind, about the mall is that on the outside it doesn't look at all like a mall, because unlike too many other cities, Indy was smart enough to save all the facades to the old buildingings when they tore down 2 city blocks to build this mall. Therefore, it still looks like the original buildings, and better yet - there are plaques everywhere telling you what the building was and interesting details about it. As a history fan, I LOVED this, and even the kids liked hearing about several of the buildings.
We hit 3 major Indianapolis attractions: The Indianapolis Zoo, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and Connor Prarie (which is actually in Fishers). These are reviewed separatly, but I'll tell you now: DO NOT MISS the Children's Museum. Even if you don't have kids. Seriously - best museum I think I have ever been to. Its worth the trip to Indy just for that. (Zoo and Connor Prarie are cool too)
As far as restaurants go, we got a quick and easy dinner at Johnny Rockets in the mall the first night (fun music, no one cares your kids are goofing off, yummy food), Weber Grill the second night (see review - best waiter ever!) and the Old Spaghetti Factory on the last night (ideal for our purposes, and a neat-to-look-at joint (hint - call ahead for seating! You can call up to an hour before and get your name on the list. This allowed us to be seated in 5 minutes rather than 50)
Getting around in Indy is pretty easy. Lots of one-way streets, but it is a grid layout so not hard to navigate. Parking wasn't cheap - $20/day, but this is a city.
Overall, I give Indy a thumbs up. Is it worth flying in for? Probably not. But if you live within a 5 hour drive, I'd do it. Spending 3 nights was perfect for seeing what we wanted to see while still accomodating naps and not rushing around. 2 could do it, if pressed for time.
The first thing that struck me about the city was that it seemed almost European - especially right downtown by the war memorial, in the city center. The memorial is pretty cool - fountains and waterfalls surround it (think Trevi fountain, but not so much) There are very impressive sculptures around it and the kids liked it alot. Aparently, you can often go to the top of the memorial, but the elevator was closed for repairs. There is a small gift shop in it, (and a flat penny machine - much to my 5 year old's delight, as he collects them) The memorial is in the center of a circle, surrounded by shops, restaurants, banks and the like, all in pretty nice architecture.
We stayed at the downtown Embassy Suites (see my review) which was in a great location, and attached to the Astrada Gardens, which is a glass and steel event space over the street, also connected to the city center mall and the Conrad Hilton. This allowed us direct connection to the mall, which was nice as it was 100 degrees, and walking in the A/C isn't a bad thing. The mall has several restaurants (PF Changs, Johnny Rockets, Nordstrom's Cafe), as well as standard food-court fare. Here's a hint - stop by the information desk and ask for a coupon book - we got deals on cookies, pretzels, and later Connor Prairie.
The coolest thing, in my mind, about the mall is that on the outside it doesn't look at all like a mall, because unlike too many other cities, Indy was smart enough to save all the facades to the old buildingings when they tore down 2 city blocks to build this mall. Therefore, it still looks like the original buildings, and better yet - there are plaques everywhere telling you what the building was and interesting details about it. As a history fan, I LOVED this, and even the kids liked hearing about several of the buildings.
We hit 3 major Indianapolis attractions: The Indianapolis Zoo, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and Connor Prarie (which is actually in Fishers). These are reviewed separatly, but I'll tell you now: DO NOT MISS the Children's Museum. Even if you don't have kids. Seriously - best museum I think I have ever been to. Its worth the trip to Indy just for that. (Zoo and Connor Prarie are cool too)
As far as restaurants go, we got a quick and easy dinner at Johnny Rockets in the mall the first night (fun music, no one cares your kids are goofing off, yummy food), Weber Grill the second night (see review - best waiter ever!) and the Old Spaghetti Factory on the last night (ideal for our purposes, and a neat-to-look-at joint (hint - call ahead for seating! You can call up to an hour before and get your name on the list. This allowed us to be seated in 5 minutes rather than 50)
Getting around in Indy is pretty easy. Lots of one-way streets, but it is a grid layout so not hard to navigate. Parking wasn't cheap - $20/day, but this is a city.
Overall, I give Indy a thumbs up. Is it worth flying in for? Probably not. But if you live within a 5 hour drive, I'd do it. Spending 3 nights was perfect for seeing what we wanted to see while still accomodating naps and not rushing around. 2 could do it, if pressed for time.
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