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Biltmore Hotel
Rating Details »
11 Dorrance St
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 421-0700
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 421-0700
- Price Range:
-
$$$
15 reviews for Biltmore Hotel
Great big old historic hotel. Lobby is "Grand" and beautiful. Service is outstanding. The service makes up for the little odds and ends that need fixing.
Hallways can be scary. Views are breathtaking and awesome. I like the rooms on the 3rd and 4th floor they seem newer, more airated.
McCormick and Schmicks is also very good. The bar is unique and has a great bar menu for certain hours.
I would recommend staying here!
3.5 stars
I love old things, and promote updating rather than building new. But I have to say, I felt a little irked at the condition of the hotel. I felt bad because the hotel probably doesn't make enough money for a restoration, and they probably have tough competition with the nearby hotels. Although there was semblance of character, I didn't really want to touch anything, or get too close. In the rooms it looks as if they painted on top of oil based paint with water-based paint - so the paint was peeling off. And the bathrooms were teeny, with a teeny sink and no place to put toiletries. And walking down the hallways to our room felt like an 60's horror flick.
With a little tasteful restoration, this place could have more charm than any spanking new hotel around, with its historical edge of course.
And I must note, ALL of the staff we encountered were VERY friendly and quite helpful. The luggage helper even helped us with the AC unit, and sent a repair guy for our missing knob.
BUT, my husband liked it. So there.
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The lobby of the Biltmore hints at the grandeur that previously reigned at this historic hotel. Upon exiting the elevator onto the floor of my room the facade began to crumble. The walls and carpeting indicated that the Biltmore had seen better days. The disappointment continued as I explored my room. It was apparent that layer after layer of paint had been applied to the trim over the years and it was now in need of stripping. The furnishings varied from odd to tacky.
Don't get me wrong, the Biltmore isn't bad. Despite the worn-out look, my room was basically clean and comfortable. The staff was great. However, given its history the current state of the hotel is a disappointment. It's a shame that such a historic building wasn't treated with the care it deserves over the years.
On the positive side, the location of the Biltmore is great for exploring Providence and the rates are among the more reasonable for a downtown hotel. The in-hotel Starbucks is convenient and there are plenty of restaurants and stores within easy walking distance.
Providence is a cool little city with a lot of history and it deserves a historic hotel. The Biltmore should be that hotel. Here's hoping that the Biltmore will eventually undergo a proper renovation and become a destination hotel for Providence.
Lets start with the booking process. Two days after i booked my junior suite, two kings and a "sofa bed" (really just an ugly unfortable sofa) they lowered their prices by 50 dollars, a little frustrating but no big deal. Upon checking in it was apparent to me that they had already checked someone in under my name and in my room! They had me sign a sheet that had someone elses name on it, someone elses address, and someone elses phone number! (sorry paula davis!) I informed them this was not my name and other info but he ( a young man whom i later saw at the club acting like a moron) said to sign it anyways! So i did because i wanted to get into my room and drop all my stuff off.
THE ROOMS are not very nice, maybe I got a leftover room that no one ever uses but I am assuming this is the way all their rooms are. They do have one flat screen tv but NO Hi definition cable. Basically the picture looked like hell on a 42 inch screen. The room did smell funny, the chairs were used and had some stains on them and the room was annoyingly dark even with every light on, probably the most annoying thing. The ceilings were definitely cracking in several places and the wall paper in the bathroom was peeling..... The bathroom has a huge hole behind the mirror which could easily be seen when taking a shower. Upon checking out I they charged me for TWO cars in the garage which im sure the paula davis had something to do with when in fact I only had one..... I was not happy but for 250 split between 3 people it was not the worst experience ever.
Front lobby is nice, Wedding room is large and has tall ceilings... the average room could definitely be better.
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Nice sized rooms, but definitely not plush. No robes. No full length mirrors. Our suite had a living room with a couch plus two chairs, but all the seating was rather worn and uncomfortable. After housekeeping did their thing, the room smelled really musty (like dirty water...ew!)
We ordered room service for breakfast twice. The first time I was really pleased with my french toast, but the second time, I was totally disappointed with my doughy, lead-like pancakes. Also, it's too bad the the syrup comes in little tiny Aunt Jemima packets and the cream comes in little containers. Room service is way too expensive for this McDonald's experience. Not to mention, McDonald's pancakes taste better!
The elevator to the roof thing that they are so proud of hadn't been working for three weeks when we were there.
So, in conclusion, there are several signs that point to fancy pants hotel (Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, McCormick & Schmick's), but the hotel drops the ball on upkeep and details (see Aunt Jemima syrup packets).
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We stay here every time we go home to visit family and friends. The regular rooms are very large and "historic" but my wife "needs" a higher level of accomodation which the Suites upper floors provide.
Excellent renovated rooms with nice new giant bathrooms and flat screen TV's etc with excellent views of the city. Only reason no 5 stars is that the price is a little high for my tastes ($250+) but the central location of the hotel and the views and the historic vibe of the place as well as the excellent Mccormick & Schmick's restaurant with fantastic Happy Hour menu make up for that.
This is an all-suite, king and California king only hotel. Like many of the other reviewers have mentioned, there's a Starbucks and a McCormick & Schmick's right in the hotel and it's a short walk away from Providence Place Mall.
Our suite was very comfy, the bed was a nice huge California King bed and we got a pretty good deal booking through Hotwire. I can't say that it's a mindblowing stay but staff was courteous, friendly and efficient. Room service food is so-so but the M&S restaurant had a great value happy hour from 3pm to 6pm and from 10pm to midnight where you can get drink specials and appie specials from 1.95.
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A few of us ended up staying in the Biltmore when the Downtown Courtyard Marriott across the street was full. I had always assumed that the Biltmore would prove to be too expensive for the corporate travel office. Instead, I ended up with a HUGE room on the 11th floor at a rate cheaper than the Marriott!
Two secrets:
1. There is a cheap rate for stays from Tuesday through Thursday.
2. There seem to be two room sizes here: cramped and immense.
One of the staff related that most of the rooms were of the larger type which had just been renovated. The smaller ones, he went on to add, he wouldn't stay in for free.
My room had two California King beds in the bedroom with a large wall-mounted plasma TV, a large living room with the usual couch, desk, etc. and another TV, a walk-in closet and a divided bathroom.
Guess where I'm going to be staying on my next Providence trip?
The M&S bar downstairs is nice and close to the room at night and the adjoining large Starbucks is excellent for recovering the next morning.
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Pros: Location good if you want to be in town. Reasonable rates compared to some of the other hotels. Large rooms in some cases, with nice TVs and double king beds. Red Door downstairs. Historic lobby decor.
Cons: Historic furniture in the sitting area of your hotel room (worn velvet, musty couch). Like all Red Doors, this Red Door is crappy for manis and pedis. Inefficient front desk staff -- I waited like 20-30 minutes to check out on a Sunday morning because they'd screwed up the express checkout slips (which they claimed they never screw up), and there was no apology. Historic smell here and there.
Pro or con: Historic hallways -- you might like this feeling of being in an old-school hotel, or you might hear "redrum. redrum" each time you go back and forth to the elevator.
Tips - if you're on a weekend, ask to be on a floor away from any noise because they have wedding receptions there, and the floors near the ballroom can get pretty loud, historic structures being what they are.
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Classic character intact.
Step into the worldly charm of this great Providence landmark. From lobby to the rooms, the place has done a good job of maintaining its original character while everyone else is too eager to throwaway the old for something new and shiny.
Competent friendly staff. You only get snob if you give snob.
Quiet, spacious, and nicely appointed rooms. Something very New York like about it.
There's a Charfucks off the lobby that needs to go. I think they could do better than a chain restaurant.
Be sure to check out the water line mark in the lobby that shows where the hurricane once flooded the city.
Ride the glass elevator if you can. It always seems to be broken when I'm there.
P.S. Don't tell daddy that Paris is recommending a non-Hilton hotel.
Great place to stay if you're in town. I got put up here for a business trip. The staff is friendly and attentive.The hotel has an older classical feel to it. However, most of the rooms have been remodeled. The executive suite came with a 40" LCD TV and the beds are really comfortable. I had a good night sleep during my stay there.
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I'm giving this place 3 stars ONLY because they have a Starbucks downstairs. I know this is a historic landmark in Providence but I had less than a comfortable stay there during my alumni weekend. First, I booked the room and requested 2 beds, but since I booked through hotwire, there was no guarantee...fine. When I checked in the lady was rude and when I requested the double beds, she said they didn't have any and "plus they couldn't adjust reservations," whatever that means. We asked for a cot, $20 a night and it barely fit in the room, which takes me to the review of the room. The king bed was big and very comfortable, but the room was TINY and so was the bathroom. The walls were paper thin too. I was talking to my friend at 9am on morning and the people next to us started banging on the wall because we were too loud. Also, when their phone rang, not only could I hear the phone, but I could hear their conversation word for word. Unreal.
It was a busy weekend, but there were definitely empty rooms on my floor, at least on Friday night...Also, the parking situation sucks,. They only have valet and it's $24/nt. What is this? Boston? It sucks trying to get my car; I had to call ahead and wait 15 min- 30 min for my car. So annoying.
Providence doesn't have too many hotels, but there are definitely better options. Not staying here again.
Oh and I've also stayed in their junior suites which are completely different, and almost for the same price (plasma TV, regular TV, couch, 2 California kings). Why such the inconsistency in the accommodations??????
My complaints are mostly with the rude service, valet, and paper thin walls.
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I have stayed at the Biltmore several times over the years. My first was in 1993 after a Phish show at the near by Preforming Arts Center. I had so much fun here, I was worried that by coming back I would ruin it in my mind. Well, I have been back three times since, always on the night before NYE with a friends band as we make our way to New York for the big night. Each time I am amazed at the size of the rooms. I mean, honestly, they are freaking huge... You can definitely fit 5-6 people in there no problem.
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I wish the beautiful lobby matched the rest of the hotel. Walking into the lobby, I felt like I was walking into another era, where hotels weren't quite so homogenized. Of course, walking into my room, I missed those homogenized hotels. Everything was clean and neat, but clearly old and a little worn down. And maybe it was just my room, but there was a definite lack of sunglight that was sort of depressing, probably due to my view of the roof of another building. Also, as a gym rat, I was really dissapointed by the Biltmore's lackluster gym. Still, the service couldn't have been sweeter and, unlike Eric, I loved having the Starbucks attached! Saved me cash on room service in the morning!
i'm apprehensive to write a long review because no one reads the long ones, but i need to tell it somehow.
i wanted to give this place 2stars, not really sure why, but i didn't and i hope by the end of my review i might change my mind. i mean it's a only a 3 1/2 star hotel to begin with but i didn't know that before i got here because the higher powers that send me on business trips hardly pick below mid-to-high class hotels. i don't want to sound snobby because if it were my own dime i'd be at a roach motel. upon arrival, i cab up to this UGH-ly brick all over building with windows that look the size of peep holes from the outside. and an UGH-ly bright blocky neon BILTMORE sign atop it.
Ok, outside aesthetics aside, what a poorly structured lobby. i checked in at 3am a few nights ago now and i get to my room and it's a cripple room. i instantly understand that karma came back to me when i complained at a different hotel that i got a cripple room (and didn't ask for another one) and that i'm such a politically incorrect or just a mean insensitive person because i called it that. now that i've set the stage for no one to want to hang out with me when i post a talk thread begging someone to suggest and possible meet me at a cool place later on tonight. This section is not meant for me to complain in, it's to be informative to those who receive this room. The spacious handicap rooms really don't bother me. but the flat bathroom so the shower sprays all over the entire floor and with the table in the 'shower' area in the way and low everything that i actually will need the wall bars don't appeal to me. the entire room's floor is slanted AND bumpy, and 2 wheels on the bed were broken/bent, so the bed slants as well (and not against the slope either). i get one hour of sleep. since i'm in a cripple room, i'm right across from the elevators. they have a loud high pitched "bohp" each time any button is pressed- inside or out, and each time either one of the FOUR elevators reaches a floor. "bohp. bohp. bohp. bohp..." i wake up in the morning only to be forced to take a cold shower.
fine, i asked for a new room. i get transferred to a very small tightly packed, extremely dark room that smells like ass. at least i have hot water and a tub this time. the bathroom has space enough for just little old you and the ceiling is falling apart. it's structured really inefficiently and all you want to do sometimes is pee without a hitch. removing the bathroom door would help a lot, but there's nowhere for it to go. oh, and don't forget to jiggle the handle when you're done or the toilet will run all day/night. towels are misplaced, out of reach, and when you do reach one, there's no counter to put it down on for easy accessibility next time you need it. i don't always need to look at myself, but one half body mirror in the whole room? boo. and when i went to bed, there was this suff that looked like boogers caked into the the sheets. i slept as far away on the other side of the king sized bed as i could. i damn near fell off the bed.
my room and our meeting room's temperature control is either air conditioning on (full blast) or air conditioning off.
you will get spammed being on their wireless network, and i mean attachment spammed.
the quick buttons at the top of the phone do not work, and their little book does not have a good directory for calling for the things that the buttons don't work for.
and where the fuck are the ice machines?! there's none on my floor. none. 5th floor. the dude told me they didn't put one back here yet. 7th floor and up he said. ice and soda machines, 7 and up. one star.
front desk people- not very likable. other staff- likable. i will not come back here.
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