Radisson Plaza, Lexington, Kentucky......Good Things Sometimes Come in Big Boxes
Written: Jul 12 '03 (Updated Nov 21 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Attractive rooms, warm, pleasant service, nice club lounge on 17th floor
Cons: Nearly featureless exterior, uninteresting dining
The Bottom Line: The Radisson Plaza is one of the better options in downtown Lexington. The rooms are in good condition, the staff is cheerful and the food edible.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: Radisson Plaza Hotel Lexington |
After my rapid departure from the Hyatt across the street, I made my way over to the Radisson Plaza, a somewhat newer box with an even more featureless exterior. I learned quickly, however, that a hotel cannot always not be judged merely by its exterior.
The Building
As drab as the Hyatt and more so, the Radisson Plaza occupies a corner of Triangle Park in downtown Lexington. The 21 storied beige box is topped with four floors of condos, reached by a private elevator in its own tiny lobby just off the hotel lobby. The hotel is about the same size as its neighbor, with 367 rooms. Nothing about the exterior of the building would lead one to suppose that a decent hotel might lurk inside.
Lobby
Nothing about the lobby would really make you feel this way either. While not aggressively unattractive, it is determinedly anonymous. You could be anywhere. There is a bit of dark paneling, a polished marble floor, a few escalators and absolutely nothing to remind you that you are in Lexington.
For all of this dullness, the staff at the desk were exceptionally helpful. This was like might and day when compared with the sad crew over at the dismal Hyatt Regency across the street. Even though I checked in early (I could not wait to get out of the Hyatt), a room was available on the Club Floor. The Revenue Manager was even kind enough to give me a discount.
Rooms
A quick trip to the 16th floor took me to my room. Fortunately, this time I had a view of Triangle Park--far better than facing an office building. When booking, be sure to specify this view.
The rooms have been renovated within the past three years. It looks like they could have been renovated yesterday. Everything was in perfect order. The bed had a leather headboard in a diamond pattern, and had an obviously new mattress. This does make a difference. I liked the furniture too. A simple design, the furniture had a country look, but not unattractively so. They had blended the old look of the furniture with more modern elements to create a pleasing whole.
Small touches like a full candy dish on the dresser added something too. This costs almost nothing, yet it is a sign that they are thinking of something more than merely their bottom line. The closet was tiny, but you can't have everything.
Bath
Not huge, the bath was nonetheless well equipped with towels and little bottles of shampoo. The counter was some kind of fake granite, but it didn't look bad. The towels were thick and the water was always hot or cold as desired. There was even a bathrobe hanging in my closet.
Executive Lounge
Their lounge, the Plaza Club is on two levels, connected by a spiral stairway. Downstairs, there is not much other than a computer, but this was a welcome sight, and they charged nothing. Upstairs, the lounge was comfortably furnished and usually attended (though not during the day) by smiling college students.
The food was nothing to get excited about. Frozen dumplings and mini-quiches (whoever makes these things for all of the club lounges throughout the world must be making a fortune) and raw vegetables made up most of the buffet. With free drinks, however, who cares what the food looks like? The breakfast buffet had cereal, bagels, muffins and fruit.
Dining
The Cafe on the Park is one of those hotel restaurants which doesn't make much of a first impression. I did have lunch there, and found the service agreeable, and the food good enough, if hardly remarkable. I didn't visit them for breakfast as I had the use of the Club Lounge upstairs.
Bar
It's not like me to not visit a martini bar, but somehow I failed to visit the bar in the hotel. It's called the Bigg Blue Martini, and it has gained something of a local following, especially on weekends. It looked nice enough.
Pool and Fitness
Another perfectly square pool, unsuitable for lap swimming. This one was maintained better than the pool at the Hyatt, and the fitness room next door had better equipment. I could have lived without the Adam Sandler movie they were showing on the television.
Service
The service here is light years away from that found at the Hyatt. I received smiles from nearly all the staff members I encountered, and the desk staff were helpful and knowledgeable about the area. Even the housekeepers were unusually friendly. Maybe they put something in the water in this hotel, but I was impressed with the can-do attitude of the place.
Cost
My original call to the Radisson toll free number produced a rate of $169.00 for the Executive Level. Knowing that this was more than I ought to be paying, I called the hotel directly and got a rate of $139.00. At the desk, my rate was reduced further to $99.00, but this was a special accommodation on the part of the hotel.
Overall
This is one of the better Radisson hotels I have visited. As a chain, Radisson tends to have expanded too quickly, often admitting properties of dubious standards. This one, at least, should be a credit to their system.
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Radisson Plaza Lexington
345 West Vine Street (Broadway and Vine)
Lexington, KY 40507
Tel. (859) 231-9000
FAX (859) 281-3737
Toll free (800) 333-3333 Radisson reservations
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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 - Top 100 |
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 684
Trusted by: 441 members
About Me:
With Barbara in Miami, 2004
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