Grand Rapids, Michigan: Embassy Suites Downtown

April 2019, 1-night, weekend, king balcony riverview #740

We had initially planned to stay at this hotel on April 19th with points after the grand opening. At the last minute, we won tickets to a show at 20 Monore Live, and learned this hotel was opening before the grand opening day with a staycation discounted rate for Facebook followers. We booked that rate, and stayed here the first weekend in April before the grand opening instead.

Looking out of guestroom 740 Embassy Suites Grand Rapids

Diamond perks and check-in

I was able to reserve a balcony riverview room with the promotional rate when I made the reservation. I chose my room when I checked in on the app before we arrived, although the hotel floor plan was not loaded yet, so it was difficult to decide which room to choose. I have included a room diagram photo farther down in this post for reference. The check-in process when we arrived was professional and efficient.

Bedroom and balcony guestroom 740 Embassy Suites Grand Rapids

King balcony riverview guestroom 740

We loved this guestroom! It was comfortable, well insulated, the view was fabulous, and it there are several extra features in the guestroom, and in this hotel.

Nightstand showing features in guestroom 740

Some of the cool features we liked in the guestroom:

• Suitcase bench in the bedroom - many newer hotels have this now, and I like it much better than a folding luggage rack.
• MANY charging outlets! 😄
• Illuminated numbers showing the time on the clock sides - how insightful! This is the first time I have seen a clock like this. When I am working or traveling, I often turn the bedside clock to face the bed, so I know what time it is if I wake up during the night. This is especially important to me when I have an early morning flight.
• Plush bathrobes and slippers in the closet.
• The local artwork.
• The shower! Spacious walk-in shower with dual shower heads, and controls located on the opposite wall instead of directly under the spray.
• Complimentary water for all Hilton Honors members.
• The sliding doors between the rooms.

Luxurious bathrobes in closet located
between bedroom and beverage station

There were two flatscreen TVs in the suite; one in the bedroom, and one in the living room.

The beverage area across from the bathroom included a Keurig coffee maker with supplies, microwave, and small fridge - all Embassy Suites have these features. A safe was also located in this area.

Sitting area guestroom 740

The sitting area of the guestroom included a sofa sleeper and work desk with chair. A soft chair was located in the bedroom.

Shower in guestroom 740

The spacious bathroom is located across from the closet and beverage area. The shower, as I already mentioned, is fabulous. Unfortunately, my photo does not show the large square ceiling shower head. This was my husband's first experience using a shower that has the controls on the opposite wall, rather than under the spout, so you do not get wet when turning the knobs on. He loved this feature. I travel more frequently than he does, so I have appreciated this before.

Artwork in suite 740 Embassy Suites Grand Rapids

I am sharing a few more photos, as there are not many on the hotel website yet at the time of this review. You can enlarge photos by clicking on them.

Guestroom 740 at Embassy Suites Grand Rapids

The sunset photo was taken from the balcony in guestroom 740. There was no furniture on the balcony at the time of our stay, and my understanding is that there will be chairs on the balconies soon.

Guestroom diagram

Food & Beverage

Breakfast is served on the bottom floor near the reception area. This is included with the room rate, and it was excellent. Breakfast foods were typical of what I usually see at Embassy Suites, and I thought the quality and service was better than other locations I have stayed in. Although the area was busy, the wait for special order items (eggs and omelets cooked to order, waffles) was minimal. It looked like it was a challenge for staff to keep up with everything, and for the most part, everything went very smoothly. Some of the foods I recall in addition to the special request items: fruits, pancakes (with warm syrup--yummy!), cereals, breads, muffins, and bacon. Cafe type foods and beverages are available for purchase at Whitewater Cafe, which is located between reception and the breakfast room.

Greens on the wall extending up from floor one (soothing water flowing in the foreground);
photo taken from floor two

The evening social hour is in the bar area (Whitewater Lounge) on the second floor. The bar counter is a large circle with seating inside and outside. Seating was comfortable, and the atmosphere was pleasant.

Looking toward lobby from floor two near elevators 

Beverages at the evening social included Bud Light, Sutter Home wine, and mixed drinks. Premium beverages could be purchased for an upcharge, or at full price. The cocktail menu prices for mixed drinks is reasonable.

Whitewater Lounge cocktail menu

Limited snacks are available for purchase in the bar. Complimentary snacks consisted of Gardettos and chips. Big E's Sports Bar and Grill is located on the bottom floor next to the breakfast room. This location was packed the evening of our stay.

Whirlpool tub with partial view of outside patio

Pool area

This hotel has an inside swimming pool, and an inside/outside whirlpool tub. The whirlpool tub was warm and spacious. There is plenty of seating inside around the pool, and outside on the patio. In addition to the loungers, there was a table with chairs outside, that is not visible in my photos.

Misc. and overall

We loved this hotel, and already have plans to stay again in the fall. Self and valet parking is available. Sixth Street Park and Riveredge Trail are across the street from the hotel. It is an easy walk from the hotel to downtown Grand Rapids. There are also some businesses very close to the hotel. A couple we have visited and enjoy are CityBuilt Brewing, and Gray Skies Distillery.

Table in front of elevator

Things we loved about this property:

• The decor, the style, the quality.
• The inside/outside whirlpool tub. Warm, with plenty of room! I love that this can be used outside during cold weather.
• The spacious and comfortable seating areas, including the outside patio: around the pool, in the lounge, and in the lobby.
• The round bar with seating inside and outside.
• The view! Even if you do not have a balcony room, you get the fabulous river view from the pool and lounge areas. I think this is more enjoyable being outside and not having to look through a window.
• The staff is amazing. We stayed one of the first weekend nights when employees were still being trained, and the situation sometimes appeared overwhelming in terms of keeping up with guests' needs. Everyone smiled, presented a professional attitude, and expressed genuine interest in meeting guests' needs.

View looking north from balcony in guestroom 740

I hope you enjoy this new hotel as much as we did. Please let me know if you have any questions!