By Tom Crosby 
For 16 years, The Charlotte Marriott SouthPark has been the prestigious hotel located near Charlotte's premier shopping complex, SouthPark. Not coincidentally, both the shopping area and the hotel were developed by Smoky Bissell, Charlotte's preeminent real estate developer and one of the city's most popular businessmen and citizen.
The Charlotte Marriott SouthPark could be called Smoky's hotel, because original paintings are by one of his favorite artists, rugs and furniture were selected and made for Bissell and the 192-room hotel's three diamond restaurant is named "Smoky's Grill."
Located near a residential neighborhood and not downtown, the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark attracts shoppers year-round with its proximity to the upscale SouthPark Mall, Phillips Place and Specialty Shops at The Park. Additionally, its location provides the serenity and privacy often sought by international guests.
And very few hotels - maybe none - have had such an auspicious opening. Sitting President Ronald Reagen was the first guest registered when the hotel opened on October 8, 1984.
Finding the hotel for the first time represents a small challenge for visitors, since it is not on any main thoroughfare and has to be reached via Colony Road with a left turn onto Rexford Road or from Morrison Street, which borders the South Park shopping area, via a right turn onto Rexford Road.
A circular drive under the porte corche behind a five-tiered flowing fountain finds the entrance with a wooden bench on the right, a bell stand on the left and a plush red carpet in the center leading through the automatic sliding double doors into the lobby.
Ample free parking (or complimentary valet parking) exists on both sides of the drive, including parking for the two dozen "Specialty Shops at the Park" located behind the hotel in a intimate little shopping mall. (Shops include Talbots, Mole Hole, Cino Grill restaurant, Garibaldi & Bruns Jewelers, a barber shop, The Carriage dress shop, Treasures Unlimited and other boutique shops and eateries).
 Through a small foyer that reduces blasts of cool air into the lobby on chilly days, the check-in desk is on the left. A black marble countertop sits above dark oak paneling that gives the lobby an upscale, yet warm, feeling.
Orginal paintings by Yolande Ardiassone, one of Bissell's favorite artists, can be found on several of the walls in the lobby.
Two cozy and comfortable sitting areas are in the lobby - one across from the check-in desk with a pair of couches, stuffed wooden arm chairs, coffee tables and a huge breakfront and a second, elevated sitting area overlooking the pool area and the lobby hallways with a pair of coffee tables and couches, two hassocks, four stuffed chairs and a table with lamps.
The conceirge desk overlooks the intersection of the lobby hallways and in the center, a huge elevated bowl sits on an ancient corinthian column containing a splay of fresh flowers. Framing the walkway are two four-feet tall Oriental vases.
The Ardiassone paintings, mirrors, and furnishings all complement the oak wood paneling on the walls and a polished black and white marble floor.
All told there are 70 rooms with twin double beds and 122 rooms with king-size beds, including seven suites. All have recently been rennovated with a color theme of green and gold. Rooms are appointed in eighteenth-century style and some have king-sized four-poster beds.
Entering the typical room from the hallway, the bathroom is on one side with an adjacent closet containing an iron, ironing board, safe and high speed internet cables for connecting to a laptop computer. ($9.95 for a 24-hour connection).
The carpet's dark green color with floral design in the foyer blends well with the white on white Regalia stripe wallpaper. The couch in the double room has a rectangular coffee table that traditionally has a copy of Charlotte magazine, South Park magazine, a hardbound Charlotte Guest Guide, a a hardbound Silver Anniversary book on South Park (1970-1995) and a Vogue magazine with a Preferred Hotels shopping booklet. Single rooms have a pair of stuffed red or green cloth upholstered chairs, a hassock and circular coffee table.
 All rooms have a walnut writing desk with upholstered wood frame chairs with a boxlike book with a guest survey envelope the hotel uses to keep its services in line with guest expectations; a door hanging card for ordering in-room breakfast; a list of guest services typically offered in an urban hotel such as babysitting, limo service, car rentals, theater tickets, etc.; a special description of the two-dozen Specialty Shops at The Park; a mention of some of the 115 South Park Mall stores only a five-minute walk away such as Belk, Dillards, Hechts, Sears, etc., and a table brochure promoting Smoky's Grill.
The specially made armories have six deep clothes drawers, a narrow shelf and an 11-channel television that pulls out and rotates that can also be used to order movies and video games. The bedside tables have phones and alram clocks. Local calls are free with long distance service provided by AT&T or you can choose your own long distance carrier.
White stone squares define the bathroom floor with a Kensington wallpaper. The shower curtain on the shower/tub combination contains the same stripe design, as does the wastebasket, tissue box and toiletries tray. The marble bathroom shelf runs wall to wall with a single sinke and a shelf to ceiling mirror.
Amenities are all from Lord Mayfair and include an almond/oatmeal shower soap, a complexion soap, lotion, conditioner and conditioning shampoo. Three engraved Park Hotel waterglasses, an ice bucket, a wall hair dryer and wall make-up mirror complete the bathroom provisions.
Outside the rooms, the hallways sport Old World lithographs on the walls and more green carpet.
The four elevators have marble floors, green leather wall padding mixed with pinewood walls, mirrors and brass wall rails. They are programmed to always return to the ground floor.
Outside the elevators on each of the six floors, there are wrought iron tables topped with marble with chair sets of two on each side of the table. Ice machines are located near the elevators on all floors.
In the mornings, on the first floor opposite the elevators, a small linen-covered table with three chairs and a bowl of apples provides a nice meeting spot. A wall shelf offers steaming containers of coffee and water for tea, complimentary from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily.
Shoppers enjoy complimentary shuttles up to 10 p.m. at night to the South Park and Phillips Place malls and golfers can putter about on a 9 hole putting green located in a secluded area behind the hotel. Putters and balls are available for the asking at the front desk.
In the rear of the hotel, a huge patio provides a common ground for the shops. There are ten wrought iron tables for four with four large trees, a bubbling fountain and flower boxes - a perfect spot for a quiet evening cocktail or a peaceful cigar.
From the hotel, the patio is just past Smoky's Grill and a walkway to the hotel's Terrace Ballroom, which is a popular place for events with its eight bright chandeliers.
Opposite Smoky's Grill is the 23,500 gallon rectangular outdoor pool with a wall of flowing water, watched over by an anatomically correct Greek statue. A 700 gallon jacuzzi steams nearby.
On one side of the pool, a windowed walkway leads to a spa/gym area, with another jacuzzi containing 1,335 gallons. Typical spa services are offered and there is a steam room, showers and lockers. The health room offers only aerobic machines, including three treadmills, two lifestyle bicycles, two stair-masters and a cardiac glide. Exercisers view an overhead television and windows overlooking the putting green.
 When you enter Smoky's Grill, the restaurant is on the left, the marbletop bar straight ahead and the lounge on the left, which includes two intimate tables for two but in the smoking section. The lounge contains the only public area television, four couches and stuffed and upholstered chairs arranged so that small groups can have private conversations. A gas fireplace provides a cozy feeling and a piano is manned Friday and Saturday nights by noted area pianst Julia "Peaches" Rich.
The lounge, like the bar area, has plenty of dark mahoganey wood, including a joint wall with beveled glass windows and flowers on the window shelf. The overall effect is one of warmth and comfort.
Special amenities: A closet door light that automatically goes on/of when the door is opened/closed; a full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door; the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark 's branded mint layered chocolates and temperature prediction for the next day at turndown; USA Today delivered to your room Monday-Friday and the Charlotte Observer Saturday and Sunday; the brass tie bar in the closet; the wall handle in the shower/tub; complimentary room robes upon request; muted overhead night light at the front door that shows the way to the bathroom; compimentary shoe shine; same day valet service and the small gift shop off the lobby.
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