Hotel Syracuse Secrets

The Grand Ballroom with painted sky ceiling.

On the two-night press trip based at what was formerly the Hotel Syracuse, now the Marriott Syracuse Downtown. The place feels steeped in history; it opened in 1924.

Writing from the business center, so I can separate my room from my work.

Notes:

1. The restored bowed doors on the rooms are servidors. Made from mahogany by a famous casket company [the one that built JFK's casket], they opened from inside the room so guests could place clothing inside the panel to be cleaned and pressed. Then they would call the porter, who would open the panel from the outside with a skeleton key, pick up the clothes and later return them. I read that some people praised them because it meant they didn't have to tip the porter.
2. Andy Warhol slept here. So did Allen Ginsberg, Bob Hope, Mae West, Ringo Starr, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Carter, JFK, John Lennon, Nat King Cole, Paul Newman, Richard Nixon and Rose Kennedy.
3. The ballroom is ball gown beautiful. The old glass ceiling was falling apart and was replaced by a pretty arched ceiling painted with blue sky and white clouds. This is a popular wedding destination.
4. A restaurant named for the Finger Lakes. There are 11 Finger Lakes, so the hotel restaurant is named Eleven Waters.[Tomorrow we will venture out and see some of the region.] The restaurant makes its own butter, pours local wines and uses local ingredients. My favorite dish on the tasting menu tonight was the Sausage Cavatelli, made with Utica greens.
5. Local lobby nibbles. In the afternoon, the round table in the lobby holds a big urn of fresh cider from Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards, local cheeses and today, squares of moist cake dotted with rosettes of peanut butter whipped cream. Yes, you read that right.
6. Luxe suites. The Presidential Suite and Bridal Suite are very pretty. The former may be yours for $1,200 per night and includes two bedrooms, two soaking tubs, a kitchen, dining room/conference room table and more. The latter has glam white chairs facing the mirror, just like at beauty salon, so you and your bridesmaids can get wedding hair and makeup done. Your mom and others can sit on the fashionable curved sofa, watching eagerly.

Better get upstairs now. Want to tweet for ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME Magazine--some cool Stickley furniture here. Local Stickley company made furniture for the hotel's opening in 1924.

Good night.