Hotel review: Crowne Plaza Adyar Park, Chennai
Those of you that have been following our blog might know that I recently completed my first mattress run at the Crowne Plaza Adyar Park, Chennai. I promised to write a review of my stay, so here you go.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Hallways
I say first room, because I was initially assigned a room in the old wing of the hotel. There is a new wing as well, which the Sheraton used to refer to as the “Towers” wing, which is about 10 years old but with some renovation or the other taking place over the last few years.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Room
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Bed and couch
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - TV, work desk
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - work desk
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - couch
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - bed
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - TV
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - coffee and water
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - room view
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - bath tub
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - On the Rocks specialty restaurant
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - On the Rocks specialty restaurant
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - On the Rocks specialty restaurant
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - On the Rocks specialty restaurant
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Dakshin specialty South Indian restaurant
I then took a look at the hotel’s spa, which was, to be honest, more white and sanitized-looking than any hospital I’ve been to! That said, just walking about and taking in aroma of the spa were enough to get me extremely relaxed!
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Spa
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Spa
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Pool at night
This was followed by the bar, Westminster, which is pretty well stocked with its collection of single malts. I was also told by the bar in-charge that they have live entertainment in the evenings, which is a big plus for me.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Westminster bar
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Westminster bar
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Westminster bar
After all of this, I was asked if I had some time to meet the duty manager. Of course I had the time, though through all of this process, I never let it on that I was reviewing the hotel. Nonetheless, I met the DM, and we had half hour of really good conversation. I did mention the state of the bath tub, as a matter of feedback and with no ulterior motives!
However, the DM offered his profuse and sincere apologies for this, and shifted me to a room in the new wing. Here are some pictures from the new wing as well.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - lift lobby
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - lift lobby
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - hallway
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - room
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - room
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - room
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - bath tub
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - power ports
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - coffee maker
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - wardrobe
In overall terms, while the new wing is (obviously) newer compared to the rest of the hotel, the standard rooms are smaller compared to the old wing. Honestly, given a choice, I’d rather take a room in the old wing. But I'd have to put up with this kind of stuff with the older rooms!
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - old wing - state of the door
Dinner that night was special, since it was their opening night of a new combination that offered the unique (and possibly weird) combination of Jameson (yes, the Irish whiskey) & chocolate. Vinay joined me for dinner, and we had an extensive chat with the executive chef, Praveen Anand, prior to dinner, about the whole concept around Jameson & Chocolate.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Chef AS Praveen Anand
Here’s a collage summarizing dinner!
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Jameson & Chocolate dinner
I finally headed back to my room and surprisingly – given the rather soft mattress – managed to get a good night’s sleep.
The missus joined me for breakfast the following morning. Breakfast is served at Cappuccino, the coffee shop, as was the case when this was an SPG hotel.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Breakfast at Cappuccino
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Breakfast at Cappuccino
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Breakfast at Cappuccino
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Breakfast at Cappuccino
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Breakfast at Cappuccino
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Breakfast at Cappuccino
However, the overall standards of breakfast have clearly fallen, considering the Park Sheraton’s breakfast was legendary in its own right.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Breakfast at Cappuccino
Overall, this was one of my more relaxed hotel stays, considering I was able to check in rather early (compared to my usual 10 or 11 pm check-ins) and also considering I didn’t have to head to work the following morning.
I’ll leave you with some artwork from the hallway walls, that I just couldn’t fathom!
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Artwork
My stay was booked for a Saturday night, and included breakfast for one on the Sunday morning. I reached the hotel around 5 pm on the Saturday evening. I first went up to the IHG Rewards Club priority counter, where I was met with a reasonably friendly “Hi” from the agent at the counter. And that was it! Instead, I was asked to go to one of the other check-in desks. I really didn’t have a problem with this since I was the only person checking in at the time, but it all seemed rather strange!
IHG Rewards Club Priority check-in desk
On the other hand, I had four or five agents hover around me during check-in. I’m guessing this was because this is a relatively new hotel to join the IHG fold (it was an SPG hotel earlier), and was running rather low on occupancy (I was told, just under 50%).
On the other hand, I had four or five agents hover around me during check-in. I’m guessing this was because this is a relatively new hotel to join the IHG fold (it was an SPG hotel earlier), and was running rather low on occupancy (I was told, just under 50%).
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - front desk
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - hotel interiors
Nonetheless, check-in was seamless, and I was escorted to my room by one of the check-in agents, who also offered to take me on a tour of the hotel. With nothing better to do, I agreed, after some pictures of the first room I was assigned.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - hallways
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - hallways
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - coffee
The rooms in the old wing were exactly like any ITC hotel’s rooms, in terms of design, layout and the overall look and feel. It can be very difficult to imagine those as the rooms of an IHG hotel now!
The room already had some welcome amenities placed, which is normally not the case for IHG Rewards Club Gold members.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - welcome amenties: chocolate, fruit, cookies
Overall, the room was quite spacious, though I’ve had larger rooms at other IHG (and ITC) hotels in the past.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - room
I think the bathrooms are the one thing they seem to have focused less about, during the transition from this being an SPG/ITC hotel to an IHG one. The very visible cracks on the bath tub were a clear indication of this.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - bathroom / toilet
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - state of the bath tub
For a rather new IHG hotel, the overall feel of the bathroom wasn’t great.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Residency restaurant
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Residency restaurant
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Residency restaurant
For a rather new IHG hotel, the overall feel of the bathroom wasn’t great.
Tour of the hotel
The hotel features one 24-hour coffee shop, one multi-cuisine restaurant, and two specialty restaurants – On the Rocks (hot-stone and on-table cooking, where I had dinner) and Dakshin (South Indian).
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - On the Rocks specialty restaurant
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - On the Rocks specialty restaurant
Dakshin is a specialty South Indian restaurant that the ITC Park Sheraton started as a chain. However, I am now told that the "Dakshin" brand itself has been acquired by IHG, and that it will no longer be a feature at ITC hotels in India where it currently exists.
Dakshin is a specialty South Indian restaurant that the ITC Park Sheraton started as a chain. However, I am now told that the "Dakshin" brand itself has been acquired by IHG, and that it will no longer be a feature at ITC hotels in India where it currently exists.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Dakshin specialty South Indian restaurant
I then took a look at the hotel’s spa, which was, to be honest, more white and sanitized-looking than any hospital I’ve been to! That said, just walking about and taking in aroma of the spa were enough to get me extremely relaxed!
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Spa
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Spa
We continued our hotel tour with a visit to the gym and swimming pool.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Gym
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - Pool area
There’s also an executive lounge on the 26th floor of the new wing, which I didn’t manage to visit.
This was followed by the bar, Westminster, which is pretty well stocked with its collection of single malts. I was also told by the bar in-charge that they have live entertainment in the evenings, which is a big plus for me.
After all of this, I was asked if I had some time to meet the duty manager. Of course I had the time, though through all of this process, I never let it on that I was reviewing the hotel. Nonetheless, I met the DM, and we had half hour of really good conversation. I did mention the state of the bath tub, as a matter of feedback and with no ulterior motives!
However, the DM offered his profuse and sincere apologies for this, and shifted me to a room in the new wing. Here are some pictures from the new wing as well.
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - hallway
Crowne Plaza Adyar Park Chennai - New wing - bathroom (toilet & shower)
In overall terms, while the new wing is (obviously) newer compared to the rest of the hotel, the standard rooms are smaller compared to the old wing. Honestly, given a choice, I’d rather take a room in the old wing. But I'd have to put up with this kind of stuff with the older rooms!
Dinner that night was special, since it was their opening night of a new combination that offered the unique (and possibly weird) combination of Jameson (yes, the Irish whiskey) & chocolate. Vinay joined me for dinner, and we had an extensive chat with the executive chef, Praveen Anand, prior to dinner, about the whole concept around Jameson & Chocolate.
Here’s a collage summarizing dinner!
I finally headed back to my room and surprisingly – given the rather soft mattress – managed to get a good night’s sleep.
The missus joined me for breakfast the following morning. Breakfast is served at Cappuccino, the coffee shop, as was the case when this was an SPG hotel.
However, the overall standards of breakfast have clearly fallen, considering the Park Sheraton’s breakfast was legendary in its own right.
Overall, this was one of my more relaxed hotel stays, considering I was able to check in rather early (compared to my usual 10 or 11 pm check-ins) and also considering I didn’t have to head to work the following morning.
I’ll leave you with some artwork from the hallway walls, that I just couldn’t fathom!
Comments
Post a Comment