Welcome to The Metropol, the gleaming new jewel in the heart of Worcester. This multimillion dollar renovation of Union Station brings a number of exciting new stars to the constellation of Worcester nightlife. Totally gutted and rebuilt, world-famous architect Villiers Saint-Michel has brought the flavor of Paris to the middle of Massachusetts. The Metropol is now *the* place to be and to be seen.
The high arched doorway that leads into the two-story high foyer is only the first sight that takes the breath away in this amazing building. The detail in the exterior is reminiscent of a cathedral from the Middle Ages, right down to the grotesque but smiling gargoyles that flank the doorway. Intricate stained glass windows arch on either side of the gargoyles, casting brilliant rainbows limned by dark shadows onto the foyer floor. Exterior lights insure that these windows are spectacular even during the evening, but the interplay of the sun and the glass is not to be missed. The garden motif in the windows is only part of the lush abundance of life and growth throughout the building. The exotic and interesting woods used to panel the interior of the building are a marvel of light and texture.
Once inside, the high vaulted ceiling makes you feel like you're in some old church. Do look up! The crystal chandelier above your head is leaded crystal, more than two hundred years old. It was rescued from an old estate in southern France specifically for this room. Above the chandelier, in the alcoves, can be found more of those interesting gargoyles. They are guarding the ceiling frescoes of angels and devils in some great cosmic dance.
The helpful staff of the hotel can be found on your left. The hotel is fully equipped with all of the most modern conveniences, including full room-service at all hours, telephones, cable television, and connections for your laptop computer. There is a complete set of safety deposit boxes for your convenience. Just ask any of the staff, and your needs will be seen to.
While you are in the foyer, take a careful look around. From the carefully pruned bonsai forest surrounded by roses and violets in the center garden to the statuary and the art work on the walls, the room is a feast for the eyes. The first statue, entitled Spring, shows a young girl, eyes wide, holding a single flower. The second, entitled Summer, shows the same girl, now a young woman. The third, entitled Fall, shows an even older version of the woman, with joy in her eyes, as she holds the hand of a little girl reminiscent of Spring. The final one, Winter, shows the woman, now elderly, leaning on a cane. She has lost the beauty of youth, but still stands proud and alive. Each of the works is a joy in and of themselves. Together, they are a collection that the Worcester Art Museum would be proud to display.
Do not skip the two paintings on the wall to the right of the entrance. Be sure to look at them carefully as you walk past them into the fully-stocked gift shop. My favorite is "Woman in Shadow." The mysterious woman is shrouded in darkness. Though she wears the finest clothes of a century long since passed, it is not clear whether she is a beauty or a hag. It is this ambivalence, this ambiguity that draws the eyes back to the shadows around her face.
This is not to slight "Moonrise in the Tuileries." Those famous Parisian gardens take on an unearthly ambience under the full bright moon in this work. The colors are pale and faint, only partially visible. Both of these works are from a little known French painter named Montaigne, a student of the Barbizon School. They are well worth the look.
The gift shop contains everything a visitor might need, from a "Wild Times in Worcester" T-shirt to the latest best seller.
More surprises await through the giant double arch in the rear of the foyer. There are stairways sandwiched between the arches. Each leads to one of the special surprises that await in the basement. We'll get to those in a little bit, because we have to tell you about the inner courtyard first.
The inner gallery is another sacred space, with high arched ceilings lit by exquisite crystal fixtures. The gallery stretches the entire depth of the structure, two stories of light and airy space. Halfway down the gallery are a series of arched glass doorways. Beyond the first set of doors is a set of fine gardens on the left and a large, bubbling sauna on the right. Beyond this area, there is another set of arched doors. More garden is on the left. A heated pool is on the right, cozy and warm even in the coldest winter night. Beyond this area is the third set of arched doors. These lead into the large garden space at the rear of the hotel. This wonderful green area is walled off by a high fence of carefully-tended roses and ivy. In the center, at the far end of the gallery is an exquisite gazebo, perfect for that Spring wedding.
All of this vista is visible from the entrance archways. It is a marvellous use of light and space, that creates an open, vibrant area despite its being indoors. A fine arch of iron scrollwork holds up a catwalk that stretches across part of the space on the second floor. Thus, guests of the hotel are in for a visual treat from above, as they can look all along the interior. Peoplewatching from this walkway is already a popular pasttime.
When you enter this region, be sure to inhale deeply. The fragrances of the plants that line the center of the gallery are one sweet perfume. Even better are the aromas wafting from the left side of the gallery. This is where you'll find The Left Bank, a four-star French restaurant that the Boston Globe has been raving about. "There is now a reason to leave Boston and go to Worcester," the food critic exclaimed, "and that is the Left Bank."
Don't ask Michelle, the maitre-de, for a hamburger, or else you will never be allowed back in. That would be a crime. Also make sure that you are appropriately dressed, or you will not be seated. Suit and tie are a must for male guests, fine dresses for the females. If you do not pass fashion muster, you will not be seated. Reservations are a must if you are not a hotel guest, and there is always a wait. Michelle and the rest of the staff can afford to be picky, for anyone who is anyone in New England wants to get in. (Rumor has it that Michelle stared down a too-casually clad Arnold 'The Terminator' Schwarzenegger himself, despite the presence of several of the Shriver and Kennedy clans.)
The food is worth the effort. Chef Marcel Daubigny taught at the Cordon Bleu school before being tempted to come to Worcester. We're not sure just what persuaded such an incredible cook to leave Paris for here, but we're not complaining in the least. The prices are outrageous, but you won't protest. The food is a feast for the senses.
Make sure to chat with William, the sommelier. There is a fine wine for every pleasure on the menu. The wines range from a wonderful Georges Duboeuf Morgon Beaujolais to the finest old Bordeauxs from forgotten French wineries of the last century.
Also a feast is the decor. The rooms of the restaurant, filled with intimate booths separated from everyone else by pools of shadow and silence, are individual and unique. Small pools of light on the wall illuminate amazing reproductions of art by Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Cezanne, Gaugin, Manet, and others from the late 19th century in France. Mr. Higginbotham, the new curator in charge of the Impressionist works for the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston was clearly impressed.
"The decorator," Higginbotham said, "has taken duplicates of many of my favorite works from the MFA, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Musee D'Orsay, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Louvre, to name a few - and he's put them into a wonderful space. I'm going to have to walk around after dinner, just to reminisce."
If the Left Bank is too rich for your taste, walk down the gallery and into the gardens, and turn to the left. There, you'll find the Cafe Guerbois. Named for the favorite watering hole of those very Impressionist painters hanging in the Left Bank, the Cafe offers simpler and less expensive fare. It's all prepared by the same kitchen, so the taste buds are still in for a treat. Sit outside, under the umbrellas, and you can imagine you're sitting along the Champs Elysees. Drink fine coffees from around the world, as a violinist strolls around.
Be sure to wander in the gardens in front of the Cafe. Be sure to peer carefully at the kinetic sculpture in the back garden area. No one is quite sure why it's called "At Home in the Sewers", but it's fascinating to watch the water drip and tumble along the various planes and angles. This reporter was told that the sculpture is even more intriguing during a heavy downpour, but I haven't had an opportunity to check that out.
Make sure to have your reservations in hand if there is a performance in the theater. Across from the Left Bank is a full theater, with a full stage. The stage and the seats are movable, so that theater in the round is a common occurrence. There is already a full slate of performances lined up, from rock opera to Shakespeare, from Seiji Ozawa to Hootie and the Blowfish. Rumors about guest artists drooling to record in the premiere acoustics abound. This reporter got nothing but noncommittal responses about the possibility that Athens supergroup R.E.M. was planning an acoustic set for some lucky few guests.
The stage is a mechanized marvel, with all of the features needed to stage nearly any kind of production. The state of the art lighting and sound equipment is controlled from a high-tech control system suspended high at the back of the theater. With a console reminiscent of the starship Enterprise, every effect in the theater can be run by a small crew of dedicated wizards.
This is just the first floor. More about the other thrilling places, such as the penthouse, the jazz club Le Grande Fromage, the TechnoGoth dance space L'Escapade Grotesque and the piano bar Rendezvous in upcoming articles.
When the elevators open onto the second floor, guests of the The Metropol are in for one of the many treats scattered throughout this architectural marvel. There is a wide balcony and a gorgeous catwalk, all protected by an intricately wrought iron railing.
The railing is a four foot high "trellis", wrapped by incredible flowers and plants, all done in iron. This iron garden of roses, violets, daisies, orchids, ivy, and other wildflowers is a marvel by itself. The railing wraps around the balconies on either side of the open space that allows guests to watch the people on the floor below. It wraps along the catwalk stretching between each side.
At the end of the balconies, towards the front of the building, are small stone benches, so that one can relax and enjoy the view. Take a moment, if you can, to sit there. You will not be alone. Standing at the very end of each of the balconies is a statue carved of fine marble. They stare across the open space at each other, separated but still a pair. Done in a style reminiscent of the great works of Michelangelo, these two lovers long for each other.
The male is tall and distinguished, with a look of despair on his face. There is a single, delicate tear forever frozen on its way down his left cheek. Dressed like a character out of Shakespeare - Hamlet, perhaps - he leans on a staff to hold him up. The face is poignant and touching. This is a face who has seen the loss of everything.
The female is a radiant figure, with arms outstretched, as if to reach across the chasm to her true love. One hand always holds a single live flower, placed there religiously every morning by the gardener. The woman's hair is long and beautiful, the detail amazing in the sculpture. There is also despair in her face, and she also has a tear rolling down her cheek. The statuary is on loan from a private anonymous European donor, and we are grateful for that donation.
As you sit in this wonderful little garden, you'll probably hear something interesting in the air. Whether it's a work of Chopin or Billy Joel, Bach or Benny Goodman, or something a bit obscure, you'll be charmed. Wander along the balcony to either side of Rendezvous, the piano bar. Rendezvous occupies both sides of central space on the second floor. There's always someone new and interesting playing or singing there.
Two of the arts and entertainment staff well versed in mixology (too well versed, perhaps!) tried to stump the friendly staff behind the bar. Despite several unusual requests, our people failed; someone always knew how to mix the odd drinks - and then proceeded to do so. The stock of alcohols and other ingredients behind the bar is one of the best in the state.
You might think that this atmosphere would be too noisy for anyone to actually stay in the hotel. There are rooms on this floor. We were amazed at how quiet they were, even during the noisiest part of the evening. When you walk to one of the rooms on this and the other floors, thick pile carpeting in the hall deadens the sound. Exquisite wood paneling and fine old light fixtures makes the area seem like you're in someone's house, rather than a hotel. Don't ignore the artwork along the way. These aren't simple reproductions pulled from a pile of generic art. These are works that seem custom painted for each space.
No expense was spared in the rooms, either. Each one is unique, not simple boxes pressed out of an architect's cookie cutter. The furniture, each piece looking like a fine antique, provides an ambience that makes one feel right at home. Plop onto the four-poster bed and you could be in some nineteenth century hostelry. Of course, the nineteenth century never had a television or radio hidden behind a discreet panel in the wall, or the jack for connecting a computer to the Internet.
If you ride the elevator to the penthouse floor, you'll be in for an amazing treat. When the elevator doors open, you'll swear that you've been transported to a gallery of the Worcester Art Museum - or a gallery that the WAM wishes it could get its hands on.
This is one of the most astonishing collections on display, and to find it here is a pleasure. From the erotica by Titian, to the angstful work by El Greco, from the nude by Rubens, to the religious Rembrandt and water lilies of Monet - each one alone would be a marvel. To find them all in one room is a joy. The paintings, astonishingly, are almost secondary to the wealth of sculpture. There is a bronze bust by Picasso, a small horse attributed to Renoir, a Rodin, a Giacometti, an egg by Brancusi, and a Castillo. There are other works, unnamed and unidentified, equals to the others in the room. Pamela, the "curator" of this room, is more than happy to explain the details of each piece.
There's more. Step outside through the security doors into the arched glass foyer. The foyer is entirely glassed in. With the sun beaming down through the stained glass ceiling, the light tiles the floor with a stunning, changing pattern of rainbows and tesselations. (Pamela says that the effect is just as stunning under the silvery light of a full moon.)
If the weather is good, it is imperative that you step out onto the roof balcony. Running the entire width of the building, this space is just as much a magical surprise as any other in this wondrous place. The floor is flagstone, like the roof of some ancient castle. Indeed, the outer walls are crenellated, just waiting for archers to take their places along the wall to defend the place! Seriously, the only guardians to the roof are the wonderfully carved stone gargoyles, resting in a number of watchful positions, on either side of the wall. Make sure you lean out (carefully) to get a look at them. It's like you've stepped out into the Middle Ages, right in the heart of Worcester.
To the left of the foyer are more of the amazing botanical specimens scattered throughout the complex. This lush garden, so carefully tended, erupts during the spring and summer with more colors than one can imagine. Stop and smell the roses (and everything else) - they're simply heavenly.
There are more statues all around the balcony, of men and women, animals, dragons, and other mythical beasts. The entire fey cast of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" flits about the garden. A handsome mutt stares up from marble eyes with incredible liveliness, dutifully waiting for his master in another corner. A humanoid figure, twisted and misshapen, horrid to look at initially, stands with such dignity and wisdom that it simply radiates beauty. You may have to force your eyes to look at it, but do so, for it will seem to change before your eyes. (Why these pieces are exposed to the outdoors and not in a museum is simply astonishing. Pamela has no explanation.)
To the right of the foyer is another stunning space. In the corner of the Middle Ages is a Zen garden, with carefully placed stones and sand raked in eye pleasing patterns. It is a mesmerizing space, radiating serenity and calm. There is a stone bench that allows one to meditate upon the garden.
Who would have thought that Worcester would ever have such a superb treasure?
While the upstairs is exciting, the basement is where all the action is! Down the stairways between the arches upstairs, or by the elevator or main stairway - however you get down, there's something waiting for you.
To the right is Le Grande Fromage. This space is mobile and malleable, changing as needed to suit whatever performance is scheduled for the evening. Whether it's a poetry reading (slam or otherwise), a smoky jazz quartet, or a major rock group wanting to do something acoustic, you can be sure that it will be entertaining. Find the chair and the table that suits your mood, for each one is different and unique. Make sure you have the proper aperitif from the small bar, mixed to your specification. (If they can't make it here, they'll get it for you from Rendezvous almost before you know it.) Then sit back and enjoy.
The room is deceptively intimate for such a large space. Mostly dark, with simple pools of soft light scattered around the room makes you feel like you have your own special space. No matter where you sit, the acoustics are perfect. We're not sure how that happens, but we're glad that it does. Whether it's an Archer Steel poem or a quiet jazz riff, you'll catch every glorious nuance.
If that's not your style, then try the left side of the basement. Once you've entered through the funky, oddly shaped room, you'll step into the even more eccentric space and noise of L'Escapade Grotesque!
This funhouse with weird mirrors, strange and unsettling bric-a-brac on the walls, swirled patterns of bizarre and unusual symbols on the ceiling, and lights from all directions, moving and flashing. Also swirling about is the throbbing and pulsing beat of techno music, which just makes your feet want to dance. And that's what L'Escapade Grotesque is all about - dancing.
There are three rooms in L'Escapade. If you're not sure about that, or not sure about the exact shape or size of the rooms, that's not surprising. If you lean against one of the walls and it doesn't seem straight, it may not be because of the drinks they'll mix for you in the L'Escapade lounge. More than one of the walls doesn't stand quite straight.
Two of the rooms are for dancing, to two different music mixes. The third room, with another mix of music, contains the bar. As with the bar in Le Grande Fromage, if they can't make the concoction you ask for here, they'll go up to Rendezvous to get it for you. Sink into one of the many plush couches scattered around the room - but be careful. They're so comfortable, you may not want to get back up!
Each room is unique, with oddities scattered everywhere you look. Don't let the music and dancing distract you from getting a good look at the decor. Whether it's the faux bones embedded in the wall, partially uncovered like some weird archaeological dig, or the winking eyes lining one doorway, you'll be surprised and amused. It's like having a Halloween spook house, Indiana Jones set, and Giger "Alien" effects shop all mixed together to create a great place to get together.
If neither of these places is right for you, then you can still find what you need. There's plenty of functional space in the center of the building, just waiting for your own special needs. The modern rooms are perfect for businesses and meetings, even classes. Plug in your computer, use the overhead projectors, the whiteboards, and the external phones. The staff can arrange anything else you need.