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CHRISTOPHER VILLANO
by Bob & Tanya Waite
Tanya is packed and is very ready to go to the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. She packed last night, but since I pack faster, I wait until today. “I want to go!” she says. It is 11:30 and I know that according to Google it takes one hour and 39 minutes. Our check-in time is 2 p.m. Ever since Tanya saw the beautiful photos of the Lancaster Marriot that I showed her a week before, she simply cannot wait to get there.
Driving into downtown Lancaster’s historic district we notice an abundance of Federal style homes, boutiques and art galleries. We can’t help but notice the impressive edifice of the tallest building in Lancaster. The Lancaster Marriott Hotel and Convention Center is built in the Beaux Arts style that became part of the late 19th century American Renaissance movement. It is tastefully ornate and very impressive. As Tanya says, “Wow!”
Walking through the rotating doors we enter the lobby. Unlike most hotel lobbies, it is not built around the front desk. In fact the desk, manned that day by Ethan, is on the side. The lobby is spacious with many sitting areas, potted trees, tables, and even work areas with access to electricity for laptops and USB ports to charge phones. At the far end of the lobby you can see the Lancaster County Convention Center, which is housed in the same building as the hotel.
After leaving the lobby we proceed to our room on the 19th floor. The room is a corner suite, known as the Presidential Suite. Coming in from the hallway, with its gray luxury tiled floor, we are stunned to see the double dark wooden doors to our room. Although, not yet renovated, the suite is magnificent.
I forgot the smelling salts. Tanya is ready to swoon. She takes a deep breath, wobbles a little, but she is still standing as she looks at this palatial suite. I too, am dazzled. I say, “Well.” She is quiet, almost reverent as she begins her self-tour. Under her breath I can hear her whispering, “Thank you Jesus, thank you Lord.”
The hallway leading into the spacious living room/ dining room has a walk-in closet on one side and an entrance to the sizable kitchen on the other. Usually we don’t have enough closet space in hotels but this is as Tanya says, “the bomb diggity!” The kitchen has a full-size refrigerator, a microwave, a sink, a dishwasher, dinnerware, utensils. silverware and a Keurig coffee maker.
The living/dining room is a combination living room, entertainment center and dining room. In the back of the room is a dining table with six chairs and hanging over the dark cherry table is a chandelier with teardrop lights hanging from it. On the wall is a round mirror with what seems to be sunbeams made from dark metal surrounding it, making it an interesting piece of sculpture. Sitting on a desk like table are two abstract sculptures.
The front of the room (living room) is comfortable, having a gold colored sofa contrasted with burgundy pillows. There are square end tables at each end of the sofa. The chair is upholstered in fabric with a kind of striped pattern, colored in several hues of lavender and gray. The sitting furniture surrounds a coffee table that looks like a large chest. The TV is placed on top of a dresser against the wall. Leaving the living room, we enter the bedroom, but before even noticing it, Tanya’s eyes are focused on the huge bathroom, that has a shower, jacuzzi, two sinks and a separate room for the toilet. The shower is spacious and has body massage jets. In the bathroom is another spacious walk-in closet.
The bedroom is light and airy. Large windows on each side of this corner room give us a breathtaking view of Lancaster and in the far distance we see the rolling hills of rural Lancaster County.
In the bedroom, above the bed, is a painting by a Lancaster artist on wood. The bed has a plush mustard colored headboard, and by me immediately flopping on it, I can tell it is going to be one of the most comfortable beds in which I ever slept. In the corner of the room is a gold vanity with a glass top and mirror. There is also a red chair that offers tasteful contrast.
It is 3 p.m. and we decide to take a walk around the hotel. Coming down the elevator, we look into Plough. Plough is one of two restaurants that are a part of the Lancaster Marriott. We are eating lunch there tomorrow, but we are attracted now by the sleek bar floating in the center of the room. We sit at the end of the bar.
We sit at the end of the bar because, as part of the COVID safety measures, the sides are closed, and there are plexiglass barriers between seats. We are waited on by Christine, who is a very friendly bartender and waitress. I order a Dewar’s on the rocks and Tanya gets a Margarita. Christine hooks us up. We sit and talk, thinking about tonight when we go to the Exchange which is in a separate tower of the Lancaster Marriott.
After spending an hour at the bar, we take a walk around downtown Lancaster. The area is clean and the buildings are almost all 19th century, including quite a few from the Federal period. We pass and peep into several boutiques and art galleries. Around 5 p.m. we go back to the room and watch some TV. We both drift off for a few minutes. Waking up at 6:30, we realize it is time to go to the Exchange.
The Exchange is a rooftop bar and restaurant on the top of a 12-story tower that is part of the Lancaster Marriott. The refined rooftop features an extensive beverage-driven menu spotlighting creative twists on the classics and quirky, creative cocktails, alongside thoughtful wine and beer selections showcasing seasonal and local flavors. We enter the building, which has 100 rooms, and take the elevator directly to the restaurant. Once inside we sit at a table waiting to go onto the beautiful rooftop.
Sitting on what feels like the top of the world, we see more than we can from our suite. We begin with drinks. I have a scotch on the rocks and Tanya has a Margarita. Even though we can bring up the menu with phones, we ask for paper menu and look at the selection of casually-styled comfort food. The menu has some interesting selections such as Beet and Ricotta Hummus, Pickle Brined Fried Chicken Plate, Philly Cheesesteak Sausage and more. I order as an appetizer to share, Pickle Brined Chicken Nuggets with hot honey, Jalapeno BBQ, pickles and sesame. We are delighted at their crunchy texture and love the sauces, especially the Jalapeno BBQ.
For dinner I order the Exchange Burger with caramelized onion, aged cheddar, lettuce and pickles—delicious, tender and tastefully sloppy—just the way I like it. Tanya goes with the Buffalo Fried Chicken Sandwich that comes with pickles, lettuce, ranch dressing and hot sauce. She loves it!
After the scrumptious dinner, we are tired from a full day and decide to leave, even though there is a lot going on—music, laughter and comradery.
Back in the living room we use my iPhone to bring up Netflix on our TV. We watch Flash. A little later, Tanya dips in the jacuzzi. I pass. She would boil me. Her idea of warm is way too hot for me.
Waking up to coffee and Tanya humming, something she does when she is happy, I remember that soon we have a tour scheduled with Joshua Nowak, director of sales and marketing.
Josh shows us the Convention Center and the hotel and he gives us some very interesting information about the history of the Lancaster Marriot at Penn Square. It was once a very popular department store. The façade is on the National Registry. He is very knowledgeable about the City of Lancaster and why the Lancaster Marriott is a great place to stay. “You’re coming to a wildly historical city and you are entering through a façade that dates back to 1898.”
As we tour the Lancaster Convention Center he shows us the Montgomery House that is enclosed within the building. Originally the home of William Montgomery, an affluent Revolutionary War veteran, who entered the war as a teenager and rose from rank of private to being a colonel. Since then the house was home to several families, a YMCA, hardware store and became part of the department store. This Federal-style house is now restored and is part of the convention center, used for smaller meetings.
Also enclosed within the Convention Center is an archeological dig, encased behind glass, that once was the site of Thaddeus Stevens’ law office. What they found was a cistern that was built in such a way that escaped slaves fleeing the South during the days of The Fugitive Slave Act could hide while running from slave catchers. It has been designated as an official stop on the Underground Railroad. The area is leased by the Historical Society.
We are then taken back to the hotel and visit the Marriott M Club Lounge. The M-Club is a bonus for Marriott Loyalty members. There guests can get breakfast, evening cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. There is a working area and a relaxing area.
We eat lunch at Plough, which is on the first floor of the hotel. Having gone to the bar yesterday, Tanya and I are excited to sit and eat. We heard about the creativity of Chef Ryan McQuillan and how he has infused flavors in New York City, Philadelphia and at the renowned Talula’s Table in Kennett Square where prospective diners waited a year in advance to savor one of his farm to table dinners.
Our server is Christine, who was tending the bar yesterday. She remembers us from yesterday and takes our order for drinks. Tanya orders a Margarita and I order Cabernet Sauvignon. We peruse the lunch menu and each pick out a sandwich for lunch. Tanya orders the Beer Battered Fish Sandwich with lettuce, pickles, malt vinegar, aioli and a brioche bun. I order the Pork and Provolone Sandwich that has Eleven Oaks Farm pork, roasted red pepper, onions, Calabrian pepper, mayo, Ciabatta. We also order French Fries. We are completely sated after eating lunch.
It is afternoon and we decide to take a scenic drive through the rural areas in Lancaster County. We love finding backroads and following them until we are almost lost. The neat, well cared for Amish farms with clothes hanging from clotheslines, horses, cows, goats and hardworking farmers gives us a view of how cluttered modern life can be. We see families in buggies and vibrant markets.
We return to the hotel around 6 p.m. and decide to chill for the night. We turn on the TV and watch some more old episodes of Flash. Tanya packs while I read my Kindle. We are a little sad that we have to leave, but the good thing is that checkout time in 12 noon, which means we get to stay an hour more than we anticipated.
The Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square is located at 25 South Queen Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. To make reservations, call 717-239-1600 or visit www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lnsmc-lancaster-marriott-at-penn-square.
Bob Waite is the editor of Bucks County Magazine and Tanya is his wife, travel companion and the co-writer of this department.