cbsnyber1
Hanging Out in the Dry Tortugas
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2008
- Messages
- 640
We stayed at PBH Dec. 12 - 18 and I wanted to pass on these opinions and observations:
The hotel is glorious - but huge. We had room 2578, which is a deluxe in the, I guess, north wing (we could see both the beach and villa pools from the fifth floor when walking back to our room). Our room overlooked the villa pool. It was a hike from the boat dock back to the room, or even to the lobby. Room was nice, but the separate shower lacked a good shower head and it was hard not to spray the bathroom when firing it up. I thought it would improve things if the toilet was separate from the shower/bath area.
Housekeeping was excellent. We left a tip every day, and always had an abundance of towels and toiletries. The staff at the PBH is outstanding, as has been previously reported on these boards - they are first rate in every respect.
We had club level, and the club lounge is located off the lobby. I've stayed at the GF, HRH, and Yacht Club - club levels in the past, and their lounges are on the same floor as the rooms - I much prefer that arrangement. At PBH you could not just slip down and grab a few snacks or drinks and head back to the room - you could, but it was not convenient for us given our outlier location.
The pools were glorious - the beach pool was our favorite. We literally could have spent our vacation there given the warm waters, great service, nice slide, and attentive staff. We did spend most of two afternoons there - I could go back right now.
The club level was a bit of a disappointment in its offerings. Breakfast was adequate (no hot foods, however, other than oatmeal and cream of wheat), late afternoon (4:30 - 6:30) was the best (hot foods, selection of beers and wines, and assorted hors d'ourves), but in between was pretty lame. I thought the Hard Rock had a better club level, but that was a couple years ago so things might have changed. However, the club level had two computer stations with free Internet, numerous newspapers, a huge big screen TV, attentive and engaging staff, and a great view of the harbor, so it was a nice place to relax during the day.
We ate only at Sal's during our stay, but that was first rate - sandwiches and pizza were outstanding. We really wanted to try Mama Della's but it never fit into our schedule. We had a few nitecaps at the Thirsty Fish and at the Bar American - I could easily have shut down either place, great atmosphere, great bartenders. Definitely worth a visit!
Overall - very enjoyable stay, and I recommend it for those seeking a more relaxed atmosphere near the parks. But both the HRH and RPH are better located in relation to the two parks, and I really missed the HRH vibe I remember from a past stay (we stopped in for a visit - definitely a big energy boost over the PBH). If I planned a future trip, I would likely choose between the HRH and the RPH, only because they seem to fit our personalities better than the PBH. We did check out the RPH when we ate at Tchoup Chop - it did intrigue us, so maybe we'll give it a try next time. But I feel the Hard Rock calling me. . .
The hotel is glorious - but huge. We had room 2578, which is a deluxe in the, I guess, north wing (we could see both the beach and villa pools from the fifth floor when walking back to our room). Our room overlooked the villa pool. It was a hike from the boat dock back to the room, or even to the lobby. Room was nice, but the separate shower lacked a good shower head and it was hard not to spray the bathroom when firing it up. I thought it would improve things if the toilet was separate from the shower/bath area.
Housekeeping was excellent. We left a tip every day, and always had an abundance of towels and toiletries. The staff at the PBH is outstanding, as has been previously reported on these boards - they are first rate in every respect.
We had club level, and the club lounge is located off the lobby. I've stayed at the GF, HRH, and Yacht Club - club levels in the past, and their lounges are on the same floor as the rooms - I much prefer that arrangement. At PBH you could not just slip down and grab a few snacks or drinks and head back to the room - you could, but it was not convenient for us given our outlier location.
The pools were glorious - the beach pool was our favorite. We literally could have spent our vacation there given the warm waters, great service, nice slide, and attentive staff. We did spend most of two afternoons there - I could go back right now.
The club level was a bit of a disappointment in its offerings. Breakfast was adequate (no hot foods, however, other than oatmeal and cream of wheat), late afternoon (4:30 - 6:30) was the best (hot foods, selection of beers and wines, and assorted hors d'ourves), but in between was pretty lame. I thought the Hard Rock had a better club level, but that was a couple years ago so things might have changed. However, the club level had two computer stations with free Internet, numerous newspapers, a huge big screen TV, attentive and engaging staff, and a great view of the harbor, so it was a nice place to relax during the day.
We ate only at Sal's during our stay, but that was first rate - sandwiches and pizza were outstanding. We really wanted to try Mama Della's but it never fit into our schedule. We had a few nitecaps at the Thirsty Fish and at the Bar American - I could easily have shut down either place, great atmosphere, great bartenders. Definitely worth a visit!
Overall - very enjoyable stay, and I recommend it for those seeking a more relaxed atmosphere near the parks. But both the HRH and RPH are better located in relation to the two parks, and I really missed the HRH vibe I remember from a past stay (we stopped in for a visit - definitely a big energy boost over the PBH). If I planned a future trip, I would likely choose between the HRH and the RPH, only because they seem to fit our personalities better than the PBH. We did check out the RPH when we ate at Tchoup Chop - it did intrigue us, so maybe we'll give it a try next time. But I feel the Hard Rock calling me. . .
We have never stayed club level as I would rather use that money toward room service. Room service at PBH was great by-the-way. Wonderful food and A+ service. Can't WAIT to go again!
