KenCT's Profile

An easy walk from Central Station, this guest house is located on the fourth, top, floor of a building directly on Stroget. Rooms are simple, but comfortable. The owners, Klaus and Kristan are excellent hosts. They offer a continental breakfast, free wi-fi, a computer with access to the Internet, and lots of local advice. The convenient location can be a drawback, though, if you're visiting in warm weather. There is no air conditioning and if you open a window you must deal with the noisy street below.

Built as the Pickwick Hotel in 1926, the hotel retains much of its historic character, with amenities of an up-to-date boutique property. Rooms are small, bordering on tiny, many with views of an air shaft. But they are well-organized, with features you might expect in a far more expensive hotel: premium bedding, flat screen television, refrigerator, and microwave. Located downtown, a quick bus, trolley or cab ride to the airport, Hillcrest, and most other tourist attractions.

Very gay-popular restaurant with outdoor seating in warmer weather. Except for a terrific Caesar salad, food is rather average, but the price is right and the service is friendly. On the second floor is DIK bar, a favorite among older locals and tourists, too.

Gets really packed at night, but I really like to settle in at one of the outside tables during happy hour to watch the continual parade of SoBe locals and tourists Skip the frozen cosmopolitans which are usually a "special." They taste like cough syrup slushies.

Just a heads up for those without cars. Hotel Circle is not really walkable to Hillcrest, nor is mass transit, i.e. the bus, particularly convenient.

Everybody knows about Friday Happy Hour at Top of the Park. Packed with locals and visitors, lots of standing and modelling. Amazing views, airplanes flying so close overhead that you feel you could touch them. But the restaurant/piano bar at street level has its own following with a nice bar menu and entertainment beginning every night at seven.

When I walked into my room, I nearly dropped my luggage. The suites are bigger than a lot of apartments. Full living room, kitchen, bedroom, walk in closet - all decorated in mid-1940's style, well-maintained but not updated since. This means no air conditioning! The Top of the Park is THE place to be on Friday evenings and the piano bar/restaurant as street level is one of my favorite places to hang out.

I'll reluctantly come to the defense of the Hillcrest Inn. The location is great and the location is great. That disinfectant smell is weird, as are some of the clients, but I'm not above staying there if I want to stay in Hillcrest and don't want to rent a car.

Always dimly lit no matter what time of day, with regulars, mostly older, dropping by for a cocktail or two before moving on. Patrons are genuinely friendly and welcoming to visitors. Definitely an attitude-free zone.