GuestBook Entries
We stayed here with our children and grandchildren the night before we cruised out of Port Everglades. This is a very nice hotel with great rates, and queen size beds. The outdoor swimming pool was large and heated, and the grandkids loved it. The outdoor terrace made it seem more like a resort than a hotel. There was a 2-for-1 happy hour at the bar for the adults. We took advantage of the complementary shuttles from the airport and to the port. The shuttle from the airport took about 1/2 hour to pick us up, and I had to call a couple of times. We reserved the port shuttle when we checked in. I believe it runs every hour on the hour. They had a 14 person van with a trailer to haul the luggage so it wasn't cramped at all, even with 14 people, unlike other hotels where I've stayed. The restaurant was extremely slow in the evening, even though there was hardly anyone there. Some of us walked to the nearby Denny's to eat instead. Service at breakfast was fine. I would definitely stay here again, for any reason and for multiple days.
This is a new hotel and overall it is very nice. It has a huge breakfast dining area with the usual Holiday Inn Express items. Our weekend getaway was just ruined by a front desk clerk that acted like we were bothering her to have to check-in. I tryed to be pleasant and make conversation with her but she gave me a look like---who you think you are---. I am not so sure I want to try this hotel again, I just dont want a nice stay rained on so to speak.
We had a weekend getaway here. It is a very nice hotel. The staff is friendly and helpful. A nice pool is located on the first floor behind the restaurant. We have the breakfast buffet which was better than most buffets, the western style scrambled eggs were absolutely mouth watering,along with the other items. We plan to stay here again in the near future for another weekend getaway.
I think the most attractive thing about Gare D'Est is that it is a very short walk from the platform to the hotel and that it is of an exceptional standard, especially bearing in mind some of the really crummy hotels that I have stayed in, in Paris.
So why here? I will a video montage later, but travelling from Switzerland to East Kent fairly regularly, if I am not especially in a hurry then I tend to take the train, the 3:02 from Basel arrives around 18:30, which is in good time for a shower and dinner.
As such the Hotel does not have a restaurant itself. I suspect that given the competition locally it would be fairly insane to try to compete. They do have room service, something that I have taken advantage of in the past, with great pleasure, arriving on the late train out of Mulhouse. Within the building there is Restaurant Strasbourg and the Restaurant Richard, where I enjoyed a most pleasurable calvados to accompany a late night Cuban.
Of the hotel itself, I like the bar area; it has an intimacy that is really rather pleasant. Most hotel bars are very sterile (IC Koln being a good example), but this bar manages to create a certain Parisiene intimacy whilst being modern and bright.
The rooms are highly variable. The basic room is quite small with a "bath" little more than a glorified shower tray. However they do have some magnificent rooms including one on the corner with a balcony overlooking the courtyard of the Gare D'Est itself. Having said this, the two important features are that they have comfortable beds and that they have modern plasma TV's in the rooms, rather than old CRT type's whch take up so much space.
Breakfast is good, this trip I had room service, which is always nice, ambling around the room packing while munching on the assorted breads that they offer. Service in the petit dejuner restaurant is also good, serving a good variety of brekkie items and as much coffee as can reasonably be swallowed.
Finally to the staff. I think the staff here are about the most friendly that I have ever encountered, which counts for a great deal in my travels. As mentioned in another post, the first room had a problem with the TV and a power socket obstructed by a broken power lead. They moved me without question to another, better, room. I am particularly grateful to Kirstin and Celene for their help and superb local knowledge in advising on a good local restaurant. The hotel also stored my luggage whilst I explored a little of Paris whilst awating my connection to the UK.
Things that could be improved? It would be tempting to suggest a gym, pool, hot and cold masseuse. but for a rail hotel in the centre of a capital I think they have the balance about right.
Reccommended
Very nice hotel. Great service and staff.
VERY close to shopping (what isn't close to shopping in Singapore?) and the infamous Bugis Street.
Great room service menu.
After being on the road more than 16 weeks this year, I have to say the management and staff at the ABQ Midtown is by far the warmest and friendliest staff I have had the pleasure to meet. I have stayed at HI-Expresses in 7 different states, and none of them have people that come close to those you will meet here.
I stay one day and half in this hotel. It"s very close to Fudan University and more then one km from Wanda Plaza . Very urban area , clean and a lot of gardens arround .
Hotel is nice , original lobby , good restaurant with private room for breakfest . The stuff is ok , good english speaking , some young europeans make training here .
Dinner buffet is full , we had on this time " carribean buffet " , something original with alot of sea fruits .
Rooms are very large , clean and full of everythings : minibar , cosmetics in the bath , etc........
The price is ok , but a little expensive for the location of the hotel - fare from city center .
This hotel should be removed from the brand. The rooms were dirty. The lobby was nice, with all of the new HIE decor. The pillows on the beds were in the Stay Smart cases, but all felt the same, and seemed to be very old. I called the desk and told them that my bed was broken. The head of the bed was almost touching the floor. The desk clerk said that there was nothing she could do, and suggested that I sleep with my head at the other end of the bed. The service was awful, I will not return. They did have fresh cookies for me at check-in.
Stayed for business. Attended a Travel and Culinary show at the Expo right across
the street. Very nice hotel. Staff was very friendly.
Would choose this hotel again
Stayed there a number of times all ways good
I am a frequent guest of this hotel. After supper each night I stop by the desk for a cookie. Last night when I went back to my room after supper there were cookies waiting in my room. That gets a lot of brownie points in my book.
Nice hotel. Very clean and pleasant. Close to everything
Nice Hotel.
I was upgraded to the Executive Floor due to my Platinum Status. I was in a meeting with several people who has used the Executive Room in other facilities and different brands. All were very disappointed. No service, at breakfast the only two tables were not taken care from the last customers. No silverwear. No attendee at all. At mid day not even a soft dring available. All were very disappointed.
I stay in this hotel 4 or 6 times a year. I like it for its convenience and because the overall instalations are better that the other Holiday Inn in the Area. However they do not care if you are a platinum member or not. I have never received an upgrade despite I am a Platinum member in the past three years. I reserved by mistake for Sep 30 using points. I was in another city at the time, and did not realize my mistake until later, so I did not show. Not only my poins were forefeited, but they carge me a non show: Double charge. And of course no points for that night. I explained the situation to the Sales Manager, explaining I was returning three times for three or four days each time in the next month. He could not care less.
At my next visit it take 25 minutes to get my invoice. They did not have my profile even I am a Platinum member. They still do not have it.
