HotelChatter

laidback luxury at the James

$159 got me a night in a double room at The James, thanks to a promotion via Travel Zoo. It would have been $129, but there were three of us scheduled to have a girls' night in when I booked. A friend ended up getting sick, so it was just me and another gal pal for a chill night of watching our 42" plasma screen tv, marvelling over the threadcount, and fighting over who got the Kiehl's products (I won).

Didn't get a chance to eat at David Burke's Primehouse -- it being a Friday during Lent, we made for the seafood at Joe's Stone Crab, a mere two blocks away. We returned from dinner to find that we'd been treated to turndown service. I'm not used to staying at nice boutique hotels, so I was excited to find the stereo playing softly, robes and slippers laid out, the lights dimmed, and a dish of pralines to munch before falling asleep in those awesomely cushy beds.

Rooms usually go for $200+, and I have to say I'd come back at that rate (or less, of course) if I wanted to treat myself. We were in the middle of the city, but the room was quiet and tranquil. The staff was friendly. I didn't get a chance to see how response times were, as I didn't ask for extra towels (though I was tempted to ask for extra Kiehl's body wash to take home). The desk and lobby staff were friendly and professional.

My only complaint, and it's a minor one at that, was that there was no placard by the elevator bank indicating in which direction we should go to find our room. It only took a few steps in one direction, though, to figure out I needed to walk the other way. I look forward to future stays.