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Renaissance Providence Hotel
Rating Details »
5 Avenue of the Arts
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 276-0010
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 276-0010
- Price Range:
-
$$
12 reviews for Renaissance Providence Hotel
This is a very unique hotel, housed in an old masonic temple. It is right next to the state house. Our room was spectuacular (301) and we had an amazing view of the capital. The bed was super plush and all the amenities were top notch! They have a gym on the 7th floor, replete with *free* granny smith apples for you to enjoy post workout! Aveda toiletries and starbucks coffee for your own private brewing.
A great getaway at a great price (check priceline for a fab deal!)
Oops I should have reviewed this stone behemoth while the memory was still fresh.
In short, it's the best hotel in Providence. A frugal stab on Priceline for a 4 star hotel in Providence by the gf preceded my "OMG let's stay at the rEnnaisance yelp says it's pimp" by about a minute or so such that the immediate response was "lol looks we're staying there"
I worked the charm and we got a great corner room on the upper floors facing the state house. A few thorns in my pickle like the overpriced parking but overall a fine establishment and a wonderful overnight.
We stayed here last weekend while in town for a wedding.
The room was basic - but the bed!!!! WOW!!! 9 super plush down pillows on the bed! I am a big pillow fan - I like to sleep with lots of pillows surrounding me and this fit the bill to a T. The bed was one of the best we have slept on. 600 thread count sheets. I could have lounged all day long in that bed.
The bathroom was excellent too - huge!
The valets were sooo nice to us. We mislocated our iPhone (the man was starting to get upset because the co-pilot *moi* couldn't recall if she actually took it to the room the night before or left it in the car) so we had to pull all the luggage back out of the car and march back up to the room and search. Everyone was really nice and tried to help us by searching the vehicle and lost and found etc. We did find our phone .... in the man's suit pocket... *ahem*
I would absolutely stay here again. It is also really close to good restaurants about a block away.
If Yelp had 3 1/2 stars this hotel would get it. Nice big hotel on the top of a hill with views of Providence. The hotel has a good location but not in the heart of downtown; great bell hop and valet service. We ordered room service (OK, it was 1:00 AM) and all they had were cold cut's and cookies. Basically the hotel is just like a Marriott; bright, clean, well appointed with all the amenties. The best part of the hotel is the lounge downstairs which is very swank and trendy; ambient lighting, copper bar and cool looking graffiti walls. We ordered martini's but they came in regular glasses, apparently, the manger was trying out something new. Why mess with tradition? Al in all it was a nice hotel, but I would look for something a little more unique (unless I was a business traveler).
Clean rooms and bathrooms. Using quality aveda products in the room. No pool. Parking Valet can be slow getting car.
We booked the hotel on Priceline, so we really weren't sure what to expect. Wow. By far one of nicest Marriott/Embassy etc type hotels I have stayed at. The service here is impeccable. They were more than accommodating when we asked for our car 2x and then had it re parked...2x. The rooms are so spacious and beautifully furnished. It is hard to believe it is part of the Marriott chain.
The downstairs bar is nothing special and houses a really really weird mix of people. Sadly we were only at this hotel for one night, but if you do end up staying in Prov. for more than one night, this is the place to stay. It looks like the rates would be through the roof, but it is extremely affordable for the same luxury you would pay 3x the price for.
We didn't stay here, but I stopped in to see if they had a map of downtown. Everyone from the doorman, to the conceirge and front desk person was so friendly. Not only did they give me a map of downtown, they also gave me printed directions to Federal Hill.
I will definitely stay here when I strike it rich! :-)
***I should have checked out the prices before I said my above comment. I just expected it to be expensive from the looks, not so. Expensive looking it is, but affordable.***
I am in this hotel as I type. This hotel is class! It's no Ritz Carlton class but it is one REALLY nice one! New hotel but a historical landmark. It was a Masonic Temple way back in the day. Unfortunately, it was never finished because the Masons ran out of money (I think that's the story). For decades, it had been abandoned and was a haven for graffiti artists. They took pictures of the graffiti before it was renovated. The photos were framed and displayed all over the hotel. Neat -O! Thus, the theme of the hotel is "The Celebration of Art and Inspiration".
The room is palatial and the bathroom is the biggest I have ever seen in a hotel with marble floors. I agree with the first poster about the shower. Not that much water pressure but nothing to scream about. They give you a bathrobe.There's a phone next to the toilet just in case you need something. *Shrug* The staff are friendly and eager to please (not in that way). They are young and not really seasoned. They get flustered easily w/ any sign of stress.
When I came back to my room in the evening, a fresh bathrobe was laid on top of my bed with 8 pieces of chocolate and a card. Nice touch! I felt pampered. They also have free wifi! It's easy to get lost in this hotel. The layout is very labrynth-like. I took me 20 mins to find where my conference room was!
Location is not in the center of urban activity, but you get a magnificent view of The State House. AND AND AND...as you exit the hotel and turn to your right and walk down a small hill, is a MEGA MALL with over 200 stores and a multi-cineplex. Shopping galore and lots of places to eat here.
My only major gripe about the hotel is the noise in the hallway. You can hear a lot of activity and it gets really annoying if you are trying to sleep. Despite that, I would definitely stay here again.
This place has a lot of potential but it still has a lot of kinks to iron out. The decoration and rooms are wonderful, no doubt about it. The room we got was very spacious and comfortable.
But the reason I can only give it 3 stars is because the service is still very inconsistent. The staff is certainly friendly, but consider the following annoying encounters:
1. We stayed on the 2nd floor and so I wanted to take the stairs. The woman at the front desk told me there were stairs right near my room. Then when I was using the stairs this security guard yells at me for being in the stairway which apparently is "backstage" whatever that means and is for staff only.
2. We had a reception in the basement and there were no pitchers of ice water, only bottled water or alcohol.
3. It took nearly 15 minutes to clear up my bill simply because I wanted to split it with my roommate.
4. The valet left my car keys in the car for about 5 minutes before I showed up to pick it up.
Anyway maybe I'm just picky, but these are things that shouldn't happen at a hotel with such high ambitions. Now maybe it's because it just opened this past June and so they're still working things out... let's hope they figure it out.
It's about as nice as a hotel can be.
I've traveled nearly world-wide, and stayed in hotels ranging from 5-star to "I think a star might have driven by here once" and this is a truly special place to stay.
THE BUILDING was originally intended to be a massive Masonic Temple. It was abandoned in the midst of construction in 1929, as the Freemasons ran out of money for the perhaps overly-ambitious temple and office project they had planned just prior to the Great Depression. The building stood as an empty shell for more than 70 years, a white elephant home to crackheads, squatters and graffiti artists literally in the shadow of the State Capitol. More than a half-dozen plans (including several that recommended demolition) have come and gone over the years, most failing for lack of funds, or architectural insensitivity. Fortunately, even the demolition plans lacked funding, Now, it has been lovingly and painstakingly restored to the grandeur the Masons had intended, with architectural details inside and out that echo the builders' original intent. It is a massive 9 story Greek Revival structure, an elegant bookend to the gleaming white marble State House just across street.
THE HOTEL is top-notch, with an emphasis on interior design and decor that creates a truly distinctive environment at every turn. The Masonic square and compass icon adorns architectural iron work, marble tile and even custom furniture in the lobby. Even the graffiti which once marred every surface of the decaying building's shell has been turned into art, with framed examples pulled from the building located in every room, and local "taggers" invited to decorate doors and accent walls during the building's renovation, providing a somewhat jarring yet integrated juxtaposition in the finished product. This is no cookie-cutter chain hotel (though it is a Marriott property). While not inexpensive (around $200-$250 a night, priced similarly to other downtown hotels) this is a truly unique spot, with staff, services and amenities that are first class in every respect. There are spacious, intriguingly decorated rooms, amazingly comfortable beds replete with a half-dozen comfy pillows, gorgeously appointed bathrooms, free wired and wireless high speed internet connectivity, spacious working desk areas, 24-hour room service (with a 24-hour fitness center to work it off), and stunningly quiet sleeping. My room also had a 40" flat-screen HDTV, a safe, refrigerator, a glass-walled shower big enough to dance the Watusi in, Starbucks coffee and a Cuisinart coffee maker with a thermal carafe. There is a happening nightspot called Temple, a bar, restaurant and singles haven located on the 2nd floor serving both guests and locals who filled it to capacity on Saturday night. Every staff encounter was impressively pleasant and designed to please. From door staff to housekeeping to desk clerks, everyone worked hard to please and to handle every request quickly and efficiently.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD could not provide more access to Providence, nor more history and fun at your doorstep. Located just across the street from the Capitol, and just a block away from the massive (yet architecturally integrated) Providence Place mall, much of Providence is at your feet as you exit. It is convenient to major highways and part of a vibrant urban core resurgence that makes downtown Providence one of the hottest reborn cities I have visited in many years.
THE STYLE is what comes through in very way, little touches that make the hotel truly memorable. As we were driving there, I called the hotel for directions since I had forgotten my printed copy. Instead of simply giving me directions, the staffer literally "talked me in," staying on the line until I had turned into the driveway. Nice. The complimentary morning newspaper is not tossed on the floor at your door, but rather placed in a stylish monogrammed burlap tote hung neatly from each room doorknob. The electronic room keycard is adorned with graffiti as well, and slips into a cardboard "frame" when presented to the guest. As I was checking out, the desk clerk directed me to a nearby guest computer terminal and printer so I could complete our check-in and print boarding passes on our way to the airport.
This is a class act. If you want to visit Providence (a city I used to call home) and experience a resurgent downtown, exciting nightlife, and stay in elegant, cutting-edge surroundings, try the Renaissance. It is a fitting brand name for a hotel that was literally reborn from a decaying empty shell.
This new addition to the Marriott family opened in June 2007. It is new and untainted by years of wear and abuse. The decor is dazzling and modern, while at the same time classic. A high class hotel, and the best one around Providence.
However, it is fairly apparent that there are still glitches to be worked out. For example, the shower head looks really promising but then you get a trickle of water barely fit to be classified as drizzle.
The hotel staff is generally friendly but seems unable to handle stress caused by too many guests checking in at the same time. They also seem socially awkward at times, casually chatting when no one is at the desk and running to their action stations as soon as someone walks in the door.
The room I stayed in was extremely comfortable. Tons of plush pillows, huge bed, good spacious layout, and a plasma TV. The bathroom was well equipped with amenities and the tub was pleasing to relax in.
Advertised as a "room that works," there was a large desk and sofa for workspace.
The room service items you can order are intriguing. They have ready made baskets available including one called the "Party all Night" which consists of champagne, an INTIMACY KIT, and whipped cream.
Heh heh heh..
Temple is the restaurant of the hotel, with bar open til 1am. It matches the rest of the hotel in manner and decor. I went down there for a snack and a few drinks and came back refreshed.
Stay here for the comfort and location. Right across from the beautiful capital building (I can see it out my window), it is on the outskirts of Downtown. Close enough to walk anywhere and far enough to not feel too urban.
Try your luck with this hotel. I don't think you could be disappointed.
Undoubtedly the best hotel in town. The Biltmore is a classic; the Westin: a safe bet. The Renaissance, however, stands above both. Opened in 2007, the hotel was built in what was the Masonic Temple - across the street from the State House and next door to Providence Place. Large comfortable - and colorful - public areas give way to smart large and comfortable rooms. Bold stripes and colorful fabrics define the look and feel of the Renaissance. The bathrooms are bathed in marble and have all of the requisite modern four star luxuries - and even a bit more. HD Plasma televisions in the bedrooms and high thread count sheets and pillows round out the ranks of this luxury New England hotel. Service was friendly, professional and outgoing. They truly act as though they're pleased to see you. I had a couple of beers at the downstairs restaurant, Temple, and service - and prices - were reasonable and attentive.
