travel – A Bucket Listed Life

Windsor Court Hotel – A Review

Property name: Windsor Court Hotel

Where: New Orleans CBD
Street address: 300 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA
Phone: 504-523-6000

Rates for Reviewed Suite: Approx US$ 475 – 675 per night based on seasonality.

According to verbiage on the hotel site: “A haven for the discriminating traveler, Windsor Court offers a touch of England in the heart of New Orleans. Guests enjoy the food, jazz, history, architecture, and the sultry sensuality of New Orleans, while also experiencing the luxury, superior service and privacy of Windsor Court. This newly renovated, award-winning property boasts 43 deluxe guestrooms, 213 suites and 60 club level accommodations that include access to our exclusive club lounge. All accommodations offer private balconies or bay windows overlooking the Mississippi River or the city skyline. Hotel amenities include a fine-dining restaurant, two lounges, gift shop, a boutique spa and an outdoor heated swimming pool.”

Windsor Court Hotel

We travelled to New Orleans for Mardi Gras 2016 and put the above verbiage to the BucketListed test. Here is our experience:

Check in was smooth. The bellmen/doormen met us and collected our luggage promptly. There was a short queue but immediately when we walked in to the beautiful lobby, a receptionist who was across the room came over and offered to assist us at a separate desk. He efficiently ensured that our Suite was available and that our special Signature Amenities courtesy of BucketListed Travel* were explained and provided.

We had an excellent Balcony Suite 310 that provided us with views of the parade route on Tchopitoulas. Though partially obscured by the tree canopy, it enabled us to see much of the activity and we could go down for a closer view of anything that caught our fancy. We were riding in a Krewe ourselves so catching throws (beads) was not a priority. Despite being right on the parade route, we were not inordinately disturbed by the festivities (and they were LOUD). In addition the suite is directly infront of the elevators. That could be room for concern but we were absolutely undisturbed by hall noise the entire trip. The suite was well kept and housekeeping was very good.

Service in the Bars was excellent despite the hubbub of the season. Many people alternated between the game set up on big screens in the Lobby Lounge and Mardi Gras parades outside on Super Bowl Sunday. Despite the competing interests, the staff in the Bar and the Manager acquitted themselves well. The one minor downfall was the Grill Room restaurant. One evening the entrees were inconsistent with previous experience. Service recovery was swift and the entrees were removed from our bill without question. Otherwise the restaurant offerings were also well above average with particular kudos to the Prix Fixe lunch menu (meat and three) replete with a martini, sorbet and a delightful amuse bouche of crab and citrus. Heading out to our floats at 330 am on Fat Tuesday, the bell staff was not out front. Not to worry, in a jiffy someone stepped out to call us a taxi without us having to search around. Check out was smooth. Overall I would say this hotel is well deserving of its reputation for anticipatory service. Nicely done.

This Property meets our criteria to be BucketListed and received five circles from us on a Trip Advisor review. BucketListing is our highest praise and means we would be inclined to recommend and book this hotel for our clients, and will likely stay here again.

Disclosures : BucketListed Reviewer pays for ALL lodging and expenses and is not incentivized in any way by a reviewed establishment. We may be provided amenities* based on being clients of BucketListed Travel, an agency- member of Signature Travel Consortium.

*BucketListed Amenities

Continental Breakfast for two daily
Lunch for two, once during stay
The following amenities were subject to availability at time of check-in: Upgrade

For booking assistance inquire at bucketlistedtravel@gmail.com or Book online with www.bucketlistedtravel.com

Intercontinental Singapore – Hotel review

Property name: InterContinental Singapore
Where: Bugis Junction neighborhood
Street address: 80 Middle Road, Singapore 188966
Phone: 65/6338-7600
Rates for Reviewed Suite: Approx US$500 per night

This Property meets our criteria to be BucketListed and received four circles from us on a Trip Advisor review. BucketListing means we would be inclined to recommend and book this hotel for our clients, and likely stay here again.

REVIEW:

I am usually inclined to root for the underdog and love both an overcomer and an overachiever. This is why I grew to like the Intercontinental Brand. Many of their properties are unsung heroes; they excel in service but I am beginning to realize that they often need work on the physical plant.

Now on to the Intercontinental Hotel- Singapore in specific. I am a tiny bit disappointed with the Intercontinental Singapore. Not because it was bad but rather that they have the bones of EVERYTHING they need to be truly stellar. The staff is great and get the concept of service, the location is prime, attached to a convenient shopping mall and right across from the light rail. They have all the ancillary services in check, and clearly Management is engaged. The club lounge had ample presentations at breakfast and at the cocktail hour.

I was really prepared to love this hotel but I couldn’t. Here’s why. It really is time for a complete renovation. The carpet in the halls are soiled and threadbare, the walls are sorely in need of a coat of paint and there should be a general spit shine through the entire property.

We stayed in a Shophouse Suite which was beautiful and a perfect reminder of Singapore’s Peranakan culture, which dates back to the 17th century. This history which may be overshadowed by Singapore’s relentless march to modernization. Peranakan decor was evident and there was ample use of mosaic glazed tiles and intricately carved cabinetry. These suite’s high ceilings and large windows gave light and airiness to the space. Our Suite’s French windows opened onto the indoor mall pavilion adjacent to the hotel. It really was lovely.

The downside of that particular suite is there were small but persistent maintenance issues with the room along with the smell of mildew.

Overall, this beautiful property put me in the mind of an aging rockstar who continues to tour. There are all the signs of a history of greatness but the definite knowledge that there are a few missed notes. Does this mean that I wouldn’t go to see the show? Of course not; but as the Beatles sing “I long for yesterday”. In much the same way, I will be back to this fine hotel but will long for what it really could be with a few tweaks.

See the Caribbean the BucketListed way

A FANTASTIC overview of countries in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean as seen from a Clipper ship. The trip afforded “off the beaten path” views of St-Maarten, St. Martin, Nevis, Dominica, Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe, Antigua and St. Baarths. They were all lovely and quite a few became #BucketListed for different reasons. Antigua provided one of the best shrimp dishes I’ve had. I am still working on duplicating the recipe in my home kitchen. St. Barthelemy was sophisticated yet still had an accessibility to it. I imagined the South of France in decades past. Dominica was rustic and charming and the people were warm and friendly.

If you have “done” the Caribbean and think you know it, I would suggest a view from a slightly different vantage point.

See the Caribbean in a new way