After a brief check-in process, we receive keycards for our corner suite in the totally new part of the hotel, and giddily proceed to the fourth floor. Inside our home for the night, we are immediately impressed by the sleek artistry of these lodgings โ appointed with earth-toned furniture and fixtures, the long wood-floored living room presents a warm atmosphere limned by multiple windows and enhanced by statuesque petrified logs and vibrantly healthy orchids.
Passing the suede couch and the sizable corner desk, we step over the shag carpet to check out the bedroom, also bathed in natural light from another oversized window. Beneath huge skylights inside the attic, the indoor spa features a medium-sized pool, hot tub, and saunas, all available to hotel guests and the general public year-roundโฆ but during warm months, the adjacent open-air rooftop lounge area is a genuine urban oasis complete with lush gardens, comfy deck chairs, and a heated pool.
Were it not for our hardening goosebumps, we could stand here gazing at the sweeping vista for many minutes, but soon we plunge into the warm water and let all stress melt away while doing some lazy laps. In recent years, this downtown neighborhood evolved from being a gritty district of unremarkable restaurants to becoming a magnet for discerning gourmets; just a few months ago, the epicurean ESCA eatery opened right across the street from the Continental.
We awaken just before sunrise feeling refreshed, make a cup of instant coffee, and sit at the desk to check our e-mails โ but we discover that this part of the room has only one electrical socket, where the desk light is plugged in; to charge our laptop, we must unplug the lamp.
While much has changed between that time and now, we realize that patrons who were relaxing in these same premises over a century ago probably felt the same sensations of overwhelming satisfaction that we enjoyed during our stay.
