Weekend in Ann Arbor

Zingerman's Deli is an excellent place to eat lunch or brunch! Expect a longish line though, because it does get packed. And don't be intimidated about not having a place to eat--go next door to Zingerman's coffee house--if there isn't a place on the main floor, then go upstairs, where there is usually always room! Oh, and try their Rueben! Delicious!!!

Quick Tips:

The Ann Arbor art fair is excellent, but there is limited availability in hotels. If you want a day trip, it’s excellent. Just bring good walking shoes and bottled water, because it usually does get VERY hot. The vendors mark everything up dramatically during the art fair!

Best Way To Get Around:

U of M buses are free; the taxi service is pretty good, usually reliable, and not too expensive; and then again, walking is always good, too!

It was poor and rundown considering that the hotel claims it is a performer hotel. The bathrooms usually are mechanically malfunctioning, with drippy faucets and running toilets; they smell like old urine; and the caulking is bad. The wall unit A/C/heating is loud and not very energy-efficient. The hot tub (Jacuzzi) is either scalding hot to where you cannot go into the tub or freezing cold. Some of the outside windows are cracked and broken. The staff does not take care of maintenance issues when told about them or does not know how to take care of them, and management will not take care of problems or rectify the situations--contrary to their signs in the bathroom that says if any part of the stay is not up to par, they will refund that part of the stay. It’s overpriced for the quality, and usually since they host tournament visitors, it is noisy in the halls and nothing is EVER done about it!

Dinner and lunch are quite exceptional. I have eaten at Conor's many times, and have never had a bad meal. The portions that they serve always makes me ask for a doggy bag! During the warmer weather seasons, they have tables outside on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor, and it's nice to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. But it can get noisy too! If you want to sit and enjoy some Irish music, watch their calendar of events because they do have traditional music nights there as well as Pub Quiz night, which is a fun way to test the unimportant trivia that sticks in the average human's brain! They have a fully stocked bar with many interesting liquors and beer. Of course though, this is an Irish pub, so Guinness is on tap and there is alway the Irish whiskeys to chose from too! Try their curry with your fish-and-chips (Irish style).

And for dessert.... why don't you try the guineess ice cream sunday. It is guiness flavored ice cream (really it's delicious!) with chocolate sauce on top! Even though this is a pub, and serves alcohol, often you can see the families come in with their children, too. It has a very warm and inviting atmosphere for young and old, very true to the roots of a traditional Irish pub. Don’t go for the Sunday brunch, though. It's not really that good--the back bacon was tough, hard, and dry, and the eggs were way overcooked on their breakfast sandwich.

It is HUGE! Bring walking shoes, comfy ones, and bottled water. You need lots of money to spend on unique art, everything from kitschy things to high-end luxury items!