Review of The River Inn of Harbor Town in Memphis, Tennessee

Last weekend, my husband Bill and I visited his father and stepmother, who live near Memphis, Tennessee. We decided to stay in a hotel so that we'd have our own space and I'd have something to write about. In the course of searching for hotels, I ran across a listing for The River Inn of Harbor Town. It had excellent ratings on Trip Advisor and Expedia.com, so I decided to check out its Web site. There, I found impressive pictures of luxuriously appointed rooms. Expedia had priced a standard room at The River Inn at $169 per night plus tax. I also had a coupon for $50 off, which would just about cover the taxes. After taking a good look at the pictures and reading about The River Inn, I decided it was just the place for us to hang our hats in Memphis for two nights.

Hotel location

The River Inn is located in Harbor Town, which is a ritzy new neighborhood near downtown Memphis. Established in 1989, Harbor Town features beautiful new homes, condominiums, and businesses that overlook the Mississippi River. Located on a peninsula known as Mud Island, the area also features a park, jogging trails, and bike paths. The River Inn, which has been in business since the fall of 2007, is actually just steps away from the Missisippi River and many rooms in the inn overlook the river.

Parking

As Bill and I pulled up to the hotel, I worried a little about where we'd park. I needn't have worried. The River Inn had an open parking spot right in front of the hotel. Behind the hotel, there's a large lot that will accommodate plenty of cars. There is no charge for parking.

Checking in

Bill and I had pre-paid about $350 for our standard room, so we presented a credit card just for incidentals. The young man who took care of us was very friendly and welcoming. He offered us a complimentary glass of wine or champagne while he got our key cards for us. While we were checking in, I took in the lobby, which was warm and inviting. A fire burned in the fireplace and several comfortable looking chairs were situated in the lobby where guests could read a complimentary newspaper or magazine.

Right next to the lobby is the Little Bar, which is very aptly named. The Little Bar is in an elegantly appointed narrow room between the lobby and the hotel's fine dining restaurant, Currents. There are five barstools at the bar and four tables behind the stools. It's a very comfortable place to enjoy a drink prepared by an excellent bartender.

Our room and the book nook

The River Inn is actually located in two buildings across the street from each other. Our room was in the main building where we checked in. When we reached the second floor and the elevator door opened, I was delighted to find a charming book nook which featured two comfortable chairs and several bookshelves with books to read and board games. In the corner of the shelves was a spot for coffee service in the mornings.

Our room, number 204, was located in an alcove just behind the book nook. We opened the door and our mouths dropped open as we took in the way our hotel room was decorated. There was a beautiful wooden queen sized four poster canopy bed outfitted in stark white linens and decked out with six fluffy pillows. There was a small table by the window with two chairs, a silver ice bucket and tongs, and complimentary still and sparkling water. The armoire in front of the bed had a flat screen LCD television, DVD player, and a small refrigerator. On of the bedstands had a small CD player/alarm clock. A desk next to the armoire had an outlet for an ethernet cable, a lamp and a telephone. Another telephone was on the bedstand that didn't have the CD player. A double doored closet in the alcove next to the door had a safe, an iron and ironing board, and two fluffy white robes. The room was also equipped for free high speed Internet access. Guests without computers can borrow one from the hotel.

The room was tastefully decorated, albeit a little bit small. But for two people, it was large enough. Besides, when we drew back the elegant curtains on the window, we got a nice view of the Mississippi River.

The bathroom

The bathroom had a combination bathtub and shower. I didn't get a chance to try the tub, but it appeared to be very comfortable with a textured surface and a larger area toward the back. The hotel provided a generous number of Gilchrist & Soames toiletries; there was shampoo, conditioner, mineral bath, and mouthwash, along with facial and bath soap. A jar of cotton balls was placed on a shelf next to a makeup mirror. Lighting was plentiful. Although we didn't find a hair dryer on the one night I would have wanted to use one, there was a scale under the sink. I didn't try it out because we were planning to enjoy a sumptuous dinner at the hotel's fine dining restaurant, Currents.

The restaurants

The River Inn boasts two restaurants. There's Tug's, which is a bar/casual eatery in the building across the street from the main check in. We didn't have time to try Tug's, but had we stayed another night, we would have stopped by. It appeared to be frequented by a fairly young, somewhat monied crowd.

We had an 8:30pm reservation at Currents. We were actually ready to eat before 8:30pm and I'm sure the hotel would have allowed us to eat earlier, but we wanted to stop by the Little Bar for drinks. A very charming bartender made my husband an excellent Bombay Sapphire martini. For me, she made a delicious Brandy Alexander prepared with homemade ice cream. Perhaps that wasn't the best choice for a drink before a rich meal, but it's not often that I'm somewhere I can get a professionally prepared Brandy Alexander.

When we entered the restaurant, which had large windows that overlooked the river, we were one of three parties. A very professional wait staff brought us bread and the sparkling water we asked for. The menu included a large range of southern inspired delights. We ordered a bottle of excellent pinot noir as we perused the offerings.

I finally settled on a smoked salmon "cheesecake", while Bill had shrimp and grits. My appetizer was prepared in such a way that it looked like a fancy dessert, with pumpernickel bread, a cream cheese center, and several delicate pieces of smoked salmon on top. The plate was artfully decorated with drizzled balsamic vinegar. Bill's dish was not quite as decorative, but it was very tasty. A pool of gravy surrounded a small mound of expertly prepared grits. Several shrimp were perched on top and the dish was accented with a tasty biscuit.

Our entrees were no less impressive. I had a pork tenderloin, which was presented with creamy grits, bacon, and collared greens. Bill enjoyed a delicious salmon filet paired with wilted spinach, and a root vegetable confit.
Finally, for dessert, I enjoyed a chocolate crusted tart filled with a molten chocolate, topped with a scoop of dark cherry ice cream, and garnished with a strawberry. Bill had a delectable piece of warm pistachio cake, orange honey syrup, and a scoop of ice cream. It was garnished with caramel sauce, a strawberry, and figs.

The wait staff was very attentive without being too overbearing. When it was time to leave, our server presented us with a little bag of cookies. The price of our meal came to about $200, including the tip. We charged it to our room.

When the weather is nice, the hotel opens its rooftop terrace where there is another bar. Since we were visiting in January, hanging out at the rooftop bar wasn't an option for us. I'm sure the views of the river and downtown Memphis are gorgeous from that vantage point. Cooking classes are also offered at The River Inn. See their official Web site for details.

Turn down

Turn down service actually occurred at about 7:30pm, before we went down to dinner. A very charming and friendly housekeeper knocked on our door and asked us if we liked port. We said we did, so she brought us a little bottle filled with it as well as a couple of chocolate truffles. She set up the treat on the table by the window and expertly turned down the bed.

The next night, we got in after turn down. We found the port and chocolates waiting for us.

Breakfast

When you're a guest at The River Inn, breakfast is a sight to behold. For one thing, it's included in the price of the room. For another, it's a gourmet affair. Our first morning, a very friendly and polished young man led us to a table and presented us with a menu that offered options as diverse as steel cut Irish oatmeal to Eggs Benedict. My husband settled on a European style cold cut plate while I ordered the Eggs Benedict with homefries. While we waited for our breakfast, we read a complimentary newspaper and enjoyed hot coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. Breakfast for non guests runs $9 for continental style and $15 for the whole nine yards.

The next morning, my husband and I both enjoyed eggs. I had mine cooked over easy with a side of grits and Tennessee bacon. My husband had his scrambled with Tennessee style link sausage and grits. We were waited on by the same excellent server, who brought my husband coffee and me a small pot of hot chocolate.

Checking out

We were very sorry to have to leave The River Inn, but it was time for us to get back home to Georgia. A very professional clerk checked us out and welcomed us to come back the next time we're in Memphis.

Overall

We enjoyed our stay at The River Inn of Harbor Town. That being said, there were a few minor glitches during our stay. For one thing, we noticed the furniture in our room had some minor cosmetic defects that could be fixed with a little TLC. The brilliant white bedspread on our bed appeared to have a bit of dirt around the edges. We could also occasionally hear our neighbors in the next room, though that wasn't a big problem for us. This hotel, while very luxurious, also doesn't offer amenities like a day spa or a whirlpool. There is a fitness center at the inn, but we didn't have a chance to visit it.

Despite the very minor glitches we came across, my husband and I would gladly stay at The River Inn again. Overall, we found the accommodations very satisfactory, but we were even more impressed by the excellent and friendly staff. This is the kind of place where guests can be pampered, but not intimidated. Better yet, it's very convenient to downtown Memphis, but you'd never guess it from the surroundings. I'd give it 4.5 stars out of 5.

Source: http://www.riverinnmemphis.com/index.html