HotelChatter

Check-In
We arrived around 9 p.m. Friendly doormen in orange sweaters were there to greet us, and check-in was swift and smooth. We got the immediate sense of being in a Morgans property, but on a smaller scale than our most recent experience with the group at the more spacious Mondrian South Beach. (The Ames is a boutique hotel and feels intimate.) It was day two for the hotel, but opening night for the restaurant, Woodward, which we noticed was buzzing with activity as we headed up to our room on the sixth floor.

Room Reaction
As soon as we opened the door we saw lots of white, charcoal, and mirrors. In short: sexy and very Morgansesque. We were in a Superior King, which at 350 sqft seemed cozy but not tiny. The mirrors and flowing white curtains helped create an airy feeling—and oh, what’s that behind the curtains separating the bedroom from the hall and bathroom? A peekaboo shower!

Aside from the desk, lounge-chair and side table, there was also a cute dressing table with a lit-up mirror and stool to perch on. Some Ames- and Boston-centric decorative plates hung on the wall above the bed but otherwise the overall design was minimalist. The bedside lamps and bathroom lights had dimmers, which amplified the sex appeal. The room had a faint smell of new paint and fresh wood, but that didn’t bug us as much as the dirty floor. We noticed this errant cap from some unknown product on our floor, which also had a few sticky stains which we made sure to avoid walking on.

Internet Connect
There was an Ethernet jack amid the many (at least 11) electrical outlets, and in-room WiFi is also available. But at $15 for 24 hours of use, we stuck to our Blackberry’s mobile signal to do our web surfing.

Amenity Madness
Morgans standard-issue agua by Korres bath products, which we like despite their miniscule size. A decent-sized flatscreen TV, and an iPod docking station with a remote control. The mini-bar included a Morgans-branded CD, and Boston lobster candies. A classy umbrella hung in the closet. What we really missed was the folder or book outlining the hotel’s features. This is usually our first stop in a hotel room and without it, we felt a little at sea about what the Ames had to offer us beyond our own four walls.

Bar and Dining Scene
Likewise, there was no room-service menu, but housekeeping sent one up quickly when we asked. The food itself arrived quick enough, however our beer would be delivered separately in just a few minutes, we were told. Twenty minutes later, our fries had started to go cold when the beer finally arrived. The lobster sandwich, however, was delicious. We also dined at the hotel’s restaurant, and will deliver a Woodward report here on HotelChatter tomorrow.

What We Liked
The bed, watching TV from the peekaboo shower (before the glass steamed up), the sexy design, the simplicity.

What We Didn't Like
The dirty floor, the high-pitched drone the bathroom light made when we used the dimmer, the traffic noise at night and construction noise in the morning. The faint but audible dings from the elevator, which was right outside our door. (Tip: ask for a room other than the -07 and -08 on your floor. Those are the ones right opposite the elevators.)

Bottom Line
We paid $225 + tax for a Superior King. That’s a special rate that is still available, although you can get even better deals depending on the date. For example, a Standard room (queen bed) goes for $195 + tax this Wednesday night, and on Friday night that drops to $165. The rates look like they bump back up into the $200+ range from this weekend, however.