Inside the Marriott test kitchen: trying Courtyard’s new Bistro concept

by McLean Robbins on


Several weeks ago, we were invited to Marriott‘s Bethesda, Maryland headquarters to meet with hotel executives and experience the “belly of the beast,” so to speak – the Marriott Test Kitchen, where dishes for the chains’ more than 1,000 restaurants are created, tested and perfected.

For this experience, we, along with several other food and travel bloggers, offered our opinions on dishes for the chain’s new “Eat. Drink. Connect.” Bistro concept, which was first unveiled 2007 and is expected to be implemented across all U.S. Courtyard hotels by 2012. At present, more than 338 hotels have the Bistro concept in place.

Current travelers are embracing the “grab n’ go,” quick casual model made popular like chains like Panera, Atlanta Bread Company and even Starbucks rather than taking time out of their everyday routine to enjoy a full meal. In addition, executives noted, hotel guests wanted customizable options, healthy choices, media integration and the ability to take their orders on the go if necessary. To meet 24/7 connectivity needs, the Bistro features recharging stations, free Wi-Fi, casual table settings and media “pods,” geared towards on-the-go business travelers who need a quick yet quiet space for an impromptu meeting.

The concept evolved from the brand’s original lobby design, which featured a large breakfast buffet setup that remained in place at any hour of the day. The new design will feature a central counter-style ordering system and a order and pickup setup, including hot and cold choices for breakfast and dinner daily, plus separate “shared plates” and cocktails in the evening hours. Five pricing tiers, maxing out generally at no more than $12-$15 per entree, ensure affordablity. Seasonal promotions keep things fresh and allow frequent travelers variety, while brand ties with names like Starbucks, Sam Adams and Stella Artois keep travelers feeling as if their money is spent on name-brand goods.

The goal? To keep travelers in the hotel at mealtimes, incorporating fast and fresh dishes that suit both their lifestyle and budget.

While visiting the test kitchen, we had a chance to sample a variety of dishes across the menu, including breakfast, appetizer, dinner and dessert options. Our biggest delight? Most dishes, even those that tasted custom-made, like a turkey burger and French Dip sandwich, can be prepared in under five minutes. Salads were made-to-order, meaning that sides like nuts, cheeses or dressings could easily be eliminated if necessary, and each segment of menu items included healthy items that still felt hearty – including an egg white breakfast sandwich, hearty salad with chicken, and falafel wrap for the evening.

While we weren’t wowed by every dish on the menu – the Turkey burger had nearly as many calories as its beef counterpart and lacked flavor; one potential salad addition had a cloyingly sweet dressing – the overall presentation, quality and flavors of the food were surprisingly good. In fact, the menus had more variety and generally much better dishes than their quick casual counterparts, adapting to a variety of palate preferences and health preferences.

Design briefs (including the video below) show an infinitely friendlier space, one where we’d feel comfortable spreading out and working during the day. Overall, however, we’re intrigued by the concept. While our actual dining experience took place in the completely controlled conditions of the test kitchen, the preparation and serving methods, which include quick-cooking ovens and mostly pre-prepped meals, seem to leave little to chance. Were we traveling in this quality of hotels, a bistro option such as this, with the addition of amenities like free Wi-Fi, may sway us to book a reservation here versus a hotel that didn’t have easily accessible on-site meal options.


Marriott provided transportation reimbursement for this experience, but this writer’s opinions are solely her own.

Chicago’s Park Hyatt turns on heat lamps on picketing unionized employees

by Grant Martin on

Ouch. Were there any worse time to stage an outdoor protest in Chicago it would be this week. The temperature has been surging past 95 degrees for the past three days, and terrified residents are darting from air conditioned homestead to transportation to office.

The union workers at Chicago’s Park Hyatt are taking a stand though, and on schedule were protesting over the course of this past Thursday. At issue? They’re concerned with Hyatt’s ability to contract non-union workers in the future — and by extension the security of their current jobs. You can read more about their grievances over at the Chicago Tribune.

Naturally the strike is all within the rights of the unionized workers and the Park Hyatt has to respect their space — except that they turned on the outdoor heat lamps during the protest. The move, blamed on one unruly manager, caught the attention of WBEZ yesterday morning, and since that time the hotel has been on the defensive, issuing the following statement.

“Hyatt regrets the events that occurred at the Park Hyatt Chicago and apologizes to everyone who was impacted by them. After looking into the incident, we have determined that the decision to turn on the heaters was made by a manager. It was clearly a decision that was not in line with our values or with our corporate policies. We have a long history of respecting our associates’ rights and caring about their well-being and this unacceptable behavior is certainly is not illustrative of that history. We can assure you that this was an isolated incident and such a thing will not happen again”

[flickr image via Michael Lehet]

The Haven By Norwegian a new boutique hotel chain, at sea

by Chris Owen on

Norwegian is known as the cruise line of Freestyle Cruising, a concept that is all about giving passengers the freedom of choice to have their own style of vacation. Last year’s debut of Norwegian Epic brought in a new era in at-sea entertainment, dining and accommodations. Looking forward to 2013 and 2014, Norwegian has two new 4000-passenger ships called Project Breakaway in the works. Recently, the line revealed some details of the new ships and an innovative luxury ship within a ship area full of suites called The Haven by Norwegian.

“Norwegian was the first cruise line to introduce the ship within a ship complex with the introduction of Norwegian Jewel in 2005,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian’s chief executive officer in a release. “These private enclaves at the top of the ships are home to our most luxurious, well-appointed and spacious accommodations offering the utmost in service and elegance. With the introduction of the suite complex on our Breakaway ships, we felt it was appropriate to brand this space as The Haven by Norwegian to better identify and describe the unique luxury cruising experience we offer.”

Officially called The Haven by Norwegian, the company announced that the suite complexes on five of its existing ships, Norwegian Epic, Gem, Pearl, Jade and Jewel, will also bear the same name, contributing to a boutique hotel sort of feel.

Guests booked in the luxury accommodations will enjoy an array of amenities, including private 24-hour International Institute of Modern Butlers-trained butlers and concierge service. The Line is also adding a poolside valet in the private Courtyard area who will provide more personalized service poolside. In-suite dining has been enhanced to white tablecloth service too.

Guests booked in The Haven by Norwegian ship-within-a ship will also enjoy priority embarkation and disembarkation, a distinctive platinum keycard, a priority boarding of tenders to shore, in-suite espresso/cappuccino machines, gourmet treats delivered each evening, the Bliss Collection by Norwegian pillow-top mattress, fine linens, feather duvet and pillow menu along with plush bathrobes, slippers, over-sized towels and more.

“When I described the design theme for Breakaway’s staterooms recently I called it ‘modern boutique hotel meets the sea'” added Sheehan. “Now with The Haven by Norwegian, we truly have our own private boutique hotel on Norwegian Epic, Gem, Pearl, Jade, and Jewel, along with our new Project Breakaway ships, offering the ultimate in luxury and service at sea.”

Details of the two Project Breakaway ships will be released in the coming months and Norwegian has set up websites with more details of Project Breakaway and The Haven.

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Summer campsites available in Yellowstone

by Kraig Becker on

Visitors to Yellowstone National Park this summer have an unexpected option when it comes to choosing where to stay. Typically this time of year the park’s campsites are booked solid and impossible to get into without a reservation made months in advance. But unusually heavy spring snows has led to a high number of cancellations and a low level of occupancy, meaning there are plenty of campsites available heading into the busy late summer season.

This past winter was an unusually harsh and long one, with record setting snows across the western United States. Those snows continued into the spring, and cooler than normal temperatures kept the ground covered for far longer than was expected. But the warm weather has arrived at last, and the snows have now given way to the brilliantly colored wildflowers and green meadows of summer. Those views, combined with Yellowstone’s trademark wildlife viewing, have reminded travelers why the park is amongst the most popular in the U.S.

Thanks to the unpredictable spring weather, visitors who had been planning to camp inside Yellowstone elected to make other plans for their accommodations. This has opened up the availability of campsites, particularly for August and September. Park officials report that visitors who would like to camp, either in a tent or an RV, will likely have no problems staying in the park for the remainder of the summer.

Yellowstone has always been one of the crown jewels of the American national park system and the experience is made all the better when visitors can stay inside the park itself. It seems that the weather this year has made that a more viable option than ever, and summer is a great time to camp in the world’s first national park.

To book a campsite, cabin, or lodge inside of Yellowstone click here.

In Transit TV on the hostel’s demographic

by Grant Martin on

Every budget traveler has been there before, the tired, dusty hostel, the new group of road weary travelers and the parallels, the parallels the parallels. Suffering from the shockingly high hotel prices in Moscow years back, Gadling Labs ended up at a hostel that just wasn’t stirring our kettle. No surprise, a tenacious young Australian wooing Japanese girls with his guitar, a few drunken Western Europeans, a crowded computer terminal and two tired Americans dodging mosquitoes and shots of vodka.

Some good gentle teasing of the hostel clientele is summed up pretty well in In Transit TV‘s dispatch from last year. While it’s mostly in jest — which only makes it more endearing — it’s an interesting narrative on hostel culture and a clip well worth the click. Take a look below.