NCAAs and lobby bars...

[cto]

If we ever play an NCAA tourney game in Chicago, I hope the SU team gets assigned to the Palmer House Hotel

One of the best parts of these weekends (aside from winning the games) is hanging out in the lobby of the team hotel -- especially if it has a large lobby bar (e.g., New Orleans Marriott in 2003). On the other hand, a really bad lobby bar can make a bad game experience even worse (e.g., Jacksonville in 2006).

Anyhow, I stayed at the Palmer House in Chicago this weekend, and it had the largest, best lobby bar I've ever seen. All I could think of while in the bar was "Wow, what a great venue." if we ever get sent to Chicago, I want us to stay there.

Any other nominations for a great hotel lobby bar in a potential NCAA city? (Not just the Final Four. -- but for any weekend of the tourney).

 

[samspann1]

How about the Hotel Lafayette in Buffalo, for this March?

Not a large hotel, by any means, but they have a cool bar and a nice lounge area. Plus, you can't go wrong with Butterwood Sweets.

http://thehotellafayette.com/

 

[jekelish]

If we ever wind up in Dallas I have no clue where we would stay but we could do worse than the Hyatt at Reunion Tower. Beautiful hotel plus great lobby bar, not to mention the rotating bar/restaurant in the tower.

Plus I know the NCAA has had conventions there so it'd have to be on the radar.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If we ever play an NCAA tourney game in Chicago, I hope the SU team gets assigned to the Palmer House Hotel

One of the best parts of these weekends (aside from winning the games) is hanging out in the lobby of the team hotel -- especially if it has a large lobby bar (e.g., New Orleans Marriott in 2003). On the other hand, a really bad lobby bar can make a bad game experience even worse (e.g., Jacksonville in 2006).

Anyhow, I stayed at the Palmer House in Chicago this weekend, and it had the largest, best lobby bar I've ever seen. All I could think of while in the bar was "Wow, what a great venue." if we ever get sent to Chicago, I want us to stay there.

Any other nominations for a great hotel lobby bar in a potential NCAA city? (Not just the Final Four. -- but for any weekend of the tourney).

I've stayed there. I believe that they claim that they invented brownies for an event held at the hotel some 100+ years ago - there was a little screen in the elevator with hotel trivia like that . Pretty slick hotel.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Orangezoo]

If we ever wind up in Dallas I have no clue where we would stay but we could do worse than the Hyatt at Reunion Tower. Beautiful hotel plus great lobby bar, not to mention the rotating bar/restaurant in the tower.

Plus I know the NCAA has had conventions there so it'd have to be on the radar.

love that hotel- stay there everytime in big d for work.

 

[tptcuse]

If we ever play an NCAA tourney game in Chicago, I hope the SU team gets assigned to the Palmer House Hotel

One of the best parts of these weekends (aside from winning the games) is hanging out in the lobby of the team hotel -- especially if it has a large lobby bar (e.g., New Orleans Marriott in 2003). On the other hand, a really bad lobby bar can make a bad game experience even worse (e.g., Jacksonville in 2006).

Anyhow, I stayed at the Palmer House in Chicago this weekend, and it had the largest, best lobby bar I've ever seen. All I could think of while in the bar was "Wow, what a great venue." if we ever get sent to Chicago, I want us to stay there.

Any other nominations for a great hotel lobby bar in a potential NCAA city? (Not just the Final Four. -- but for any weekend of the tourney).

Love that lobby! I have stayed at that hotel many times. It is beautiful at Christmastime. They hold the original Tuba Christmas there. I believe that one of the board admins shows an admiration for all things tuba.

 

[bevosu]

The Palmer House...If you were hanging around the lobby (bar) back in the 60's you might have run/ran? into this guy.

The Chairman of the Board.

 

[reedny]

How about the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa in a couple of weeks!! Pretty nice lobby there.

 

[llandz]

If we ever wind up in Dallas I have no clue where we would stay but we could do worse than the Hyatt at Reunion Tower. Beautiful hotel plus great lobby bar, not to mention the rotating bar/restaurant in the tower.

Plus I know the NCAA has had conventions there so it'd have to be on the radar.

That works for me!! I just stayed there for the 2nd time this summer. My son lives in Dallas, and has Diamond Club status with the Hyatt. I had the top floor facing the Omni. The Omni has a great light show. Unfortunately this last time it was a Mary Kay convention, and they put big "k" up one night, and "Mary Kay 50 years" the other night. Booo.
It is still a ways from Arlington. I haven't been by Arlington and don't know the hotels there if any good ones.

One person mention the bar in the Reunion tower. That is part of a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Fun to go to, but not the best bar to see lots of people and fans. The bar in the hotel lobby/restaurant area is better because it is large and open to lots of seating.

I will see you all there when we win the NC!!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I've stayed there. I believe that they claim that they invented brownies for an event held at the hotel some 100+ years ago - there was a little screen in the elevator with hotel trivia like that . Pretty slick hotel.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

I decided to look this up, and you can try the recipe if you'd like -

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/THE-PALMER-HOUSE-BROWNIE-50027879

 

[jekelish]

That works for me!! I just stayed there for the 2nd time this summer. My son lives in Dallas, and has Diamond Club status with the Hyatt. I had the top floor facing the Omni. The Omni has a great light show. Unfortunately this last time it was a Mary Kay convention, and they put big "k" up one night, and "Mary Kay 50 years" the other night. Booo.
It is still a ways from Arlington. I haven't been by Arlington and don't know the hotels there if any good ones.

One person mention the bar in the Reunion tower. That is part of a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Fun to go to, but not the best bar to see lots of people and fans. The bar in the hotel lobby/restaurant area is better because it is large and open to lots of seating.

I will see you all there when we win the NC!!

Ha! When I posted that I completely forgot the Final Four is in DFW this year.

Also, it may have changed but when I was there the Reunion Tower has a couple different levels. One is the restaurant, but another one is an actual lounge/bar from what I understand? Or is that incorrect? Still, it's cool to go up there even though it can cause a bit of motion sickness...

 

[Chicago44s]

If we ever play an NCAA tourney game in Chicago, I hope the SU team gets assigned to the Palmer House Hotel

One of the best parts of these weekends (aside from winning the games) is hanging out in the lobby of the team hotel -- especially if it has a large lobby bar (e.g., New Orleans Marriott in 2003). On the other hand, a really bad lobby bar can make a bad game experience even worse (e.g., Jacksonville in 2006).

Anyhow, I stayed at the Palmer House in Chicago this weekend, and it had the largest, best lobby bar I've ever seen. All I could think of while in the bar was "Wow, what a great venue." if we ever get sent to Chicago, I want us to stay there.

Any other nominations for a great hotel lobby bar in a potential NCAA city? (Not just the Final Four. -- but for any weekend of the tourney).

Love the Palmer House CTO...a friend of mine use to be Concierge there. Were you in town for Lollapalooza?

 

[cto]

Love the Palmer House CTO...a friend of mine use to be Concierge there. Were you in town for Lollapalooza?

I was not in town for Lolapalooza, but I sure experienced it ... being at a hotel two blocks from Grant Park. Tens of thousands of kids on Monroe Street (on the street, the sidewalks and in the Palmer House) when the shows ended. I was there to visit friends and to see some theatre ("Death and Harry Houdini" at the Chopin Theater, plus the "Magic Show" at the Palmer House).

 

[llandz]

Ha! When I posted that I completely forgot the Final Four is in DFW this year.

Also, it may have changed but when I was there the Reunion Tower has a couple different levels. One is the restaurant, but another one is an actual lounge/bar from what I understand? Or is that incorrect? Still, it's cool to go up there even though it can cause a bit of motion sickness...

The actual tower observation area has been closed this summer for renovations. There is the Wolfgang Puck restaurant, which revolves and has a couple of bar areas. That is all that is there right now. And no one gets more motion sickness than I do. I get sea sick on a raft in a swimming pool. But I had no trouble up there, I went there 2 times to eat. Maybe the slightest twinge, but not bad.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Hold your horses everybody. We're in the ACC now. We'll be staying at a Days Inn preferably with a conjoined Denny's for our NCAA tourney games - it's part of our culture now even when the conference season is over.

That said, I could, and frankly should, be talked out of the Days Inn/Denny's combo in favor of something a little more down to earth that has a Waffle House near by.

 

[realorange]

Hold your horses everybody. We're in the ACC now. We'll be staying at a Days Inn preferably with a conjoined Denny's for our NCAA tourney games - it's part of our culture now even when the conference season is over.

That said, I could, and frankly should, be talked out of the Days Inn/Denny's combo in favor of something a little more down to earth that has a Waffle House near by.

Hey! Don't forget the South's finest. Huddle House.

 

[cto]

Hold your horses everybody. We're in the ACC now. We'll be staying at a Days Inn preferably with a conjoined Denny's for our NCAA tourney games - it's part of our culture now even when the conference season is over.

That said, I could, and frankly should, be talked out of the Days Inn/Denny's combo in favor of something a little more down to earth that has a Waffle House near by.

Ain't true. When we were in the regionals in Memphis a few years ago, we were in some dump of a hotel and UNC was in the PEABODY! We all decided they were getting special treatment because they were ACC and UNC.

 

[IthacaMatt]

If we ever play an NCAA tourney game in Chicago, I hope the SU team gets assigned to the Palmer House Hotel

One of the best parts of these weekends (aside from winning the games) is hanging out in the lobby of the team hotel -- especially if it has a large lobby bar (e.g., New Orleans Marriott in 2003). On the other hand, a really bad lobby bar can make a bad game experience even worse (e.g., Jacksonville in 2006).

Anyhow, I stayed at the Palmer House in Chicago this weekend, and it had the largest, best lobby bar I've ever seen. All I could think of while in the bar was "Wow, what a great venue." if we ever get sent to Chicago, I want us to stay there.

Any other nominations for a great hotel lobby bar in a potential NCAA city? (Not just the Final Four. -- but for any weekend of the tourney).

The Palmer House is an older, classic place, isn't it? I remember attending a convention there in the mid-90s. It reminded me of one of those grand old hotels that could have used a sprucing up.

 

[cto]

The Palmer House is an older, classic place, isn't it? I remember attending a convention there in the mid-90s. It reminded me of one of those grand old hotels that could have used a sprucing up.

It's a seriously cool old "grand hotel" from the late 1800s, the longest continually operating full-service hotel in USA (at least that is what they say). But it's very updated with 4-star amenities. I had a great room, really nice bathroom... and I loved that lobby bar! Plus it is very well-located.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It's a seriously cool old "grand hotel" from the late 1800s, the longest continually operating full-service hotel in USA (at least that is what they say). But it's very updated with 4-star amenities. I had a great room, really nice bathroom... and I loved that lobby bar! Plus it is very well-located.

Yeah, I had a great stay about two years ago. Didn't look to be in need of updating at all. Very classy, very comfortable. My colleague and I were walking around to get dinner and came across some of the buildings for DePaul's campus. He didn't believe me at first when I told him we were in Big East country.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Ain't true. When we were in the regionals in Memphis a few years ago, we were in some dump of a hotel and UNC was in the PEABODY! We all decided they were getting special treatment because they were ACC and UNC.

Ah, the Peabody and those ducks. Memphis is kind of a dump, imo but after comparing BBQ this summer between KC and Memphis I must give the nod to Memphis dry rub. I heard Rendezvous on Beale St was a tourist trap and went to The Bar-B-Q Shop in midtown. Excellent!

Now did I read that East Regionals will be at MSG? If so, then the hotel bars at the Hudson, Standard, and Ace hotels are so dynamite!

 

[IthacaMatt]

It's a seriously cool old "grand hotel" from the late 1800s, the longest continually operating full-service hotel in USA (at least that is what they say). But it's very updated with 4-star amenities. I had a great room, really nice bathroom... and I loved that lobby bar! Plus it is very well-located.

After I typed my note, I figured if you had stayed there CTO, they must have fixed it up. That hotel was the site of the first "World Wide Web Conference" in the USA (and only the 2nd one overall, after the first one they held in Geneva at CERN). Great memories of that trip, where I met Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the web, while attending on behalf of IBM.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yeah, I had a great stay about two years ago. Didn't look to be in need of updating at all. Very classy, very comfortable. My colleague and I were walking around to get dinner and came across some of the buildings for DePaul's campus. He didn't believe me at first when I told him we were in Big East country.

Well, I was there in '94, so surely they spruced it up afterwards.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Ah, the Peabody and those ducks. Memphis is kind of a dump, imo but after comparing BBQ this summer between KC and Memphis I must give the nod to Memphis dry rub. I heard Rendezvous on Beale St was a tourist trap and went to The Bar-B-Q Shop in midtown. Excellent!

Now did I read that East Regionals will be at MSG? If so, then the hotel bars at the Hudson, Standard, and Ace hotels are so dynamite!

I've stayed at the Peabody in Little Rock a couple of times. Cool town, nice stay. Never minded when business took me out that way.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I've stayed at the Peabody in Little Rock a couple of times. Cool town, nice stay. Never minded when business took me out that way.

Little Rock is nicer than I thought and bigger as well. I think it's skyline is bigger than Memphis', imo. Fayetteville is definitely a nice and cool college town. One of the nicest SEC towns. Probably second to Athens.