Yes/No Detroit on the Road: MotorCity Casino Hotel + Iridescence {Detroit}


*Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by the MotorCity Casino Hotel. All opinions listed here, however, are my own.

There is a reason why MotorCity Casino Hotel's slogan is "A Million Miles Away. Right down the street." This past weekend, I was able to stay overnight at the hotel, and I was also treated to dinner at Iridescence, their AAA Four Diamond restaurant. Even though I live only about a 20-30 minute drive from the hotel, it's like entering another world once you step inside.


We had the pleasure of staying in an Executive king room on the 15th floor. "Executive" means that the room had vaulted ceilings - I believe that the 15th floor is the only floor that has these, actually - and we also had access to a "Butler's Room" which did complimentary appetizers around dinner time (4-6pm) and a continental breakfast the next day.


The bathroom was super luxurious, and included a bathtub with whirlpool jets, plus bath salts from D.Tour Spa (the hotel's spa); a walk-in shower; and a TV in the mirror in front of the sink. Yes, you read that right: A TV IN THE MIRROR.

Coolest. thing. ever.

Once we checked in, we walked around the hotel and the casino for a bit (I won $15 playing $1 on a slot machine, woohoo!), and then came back to the room to get ready for dinner. I'll admit that we also checked out the Butler's room too, to see what complimentary appetizers they had, and it was quite a spread - hot foods like meatballs and chicken wings, sandwiches, and a large selection of desserts. We didn't want to ruin our appetite before dinner, but we each had a macaron, which was delicious.


There is a reason that Iridescence has a 4-star overall rating on Yelp, and it's because both the food and the service, as well as the atmosphere, are exceptional. I had never been to the restaurant before, and it was a treat to have dinner there. 


I am a major foodie, and this restaurant caters to foodies: the menu is diverse and has many choices, ranging from steaks, to seafood, to Bento boxes. We ordered hoisin- and cab-braised short ribs for an appetizer, and my date ordered the potato-crusted crab cakes, as well as a scallop noodle ramen soup. I'm not usually a fan of short ribs, but there were very good. We also were served an "amuse bouche" of gooseberry, to start, and a ridiculously delicious bread basket with butter and olive oil.

clockwise: short ribs, amuse bouche, crab cakes, scallion soup, bread basket.

For my entree, I ordered the Niman Ranch filet mignon, which came with a potato puree, lemon herb butter, grilled asparagus, and a red wine demi-glace. My date ordered the 24-oz. prime ribeye steak, which was served with creamed spinach, roasted garlic aioli, and sweet onion jus.

Filet mignon
24-oz. ribeye steak

The steak was delicious, and I also stole some of the grilled onions off my date's plate. His steak also came with a half-garlic ("roasted garlic aioli") and you could rub some of the steak onto it to get a garlic flavor; I'll admit to using that on my steak too, as I LOVE garlic. 


We ordered two desserts and split them - the Milky Way (top) and the creme brulee. The Milky Way includes mousse inside a "cone," fresh berries, a mix of sauces (espresso, chocolate, and vanilla, I believe) and a shot of Bailey's, so I'm guessing you must be 21+ to order it. The creme brulee also had chocolate at the bottom of it, which was an unexpected treat. 

Dinner at Iridescence was amazing, and I want to return some day for a special occasion - maybe a birthday or an anniversary. It's not an inexpensive meal but between the food, the service, and the views (all of the city, plus the Ambassador Bridge), it's definitely worth going. 


The hotel's lobby was all decked out for the holidays, too, when we stayed there, and there was a pretty Christmas tree. I saw on MotorCity's social media that there are a few other trees around the hotel, as well. 


Things to know before you go:

  • Check MotorCity's social media pages to see if they're offering a discount on rooms - I saw on its Twitter page last week that it was offering a $129 "Social Media Room Rate" for select rooms this week. MotorCity also offers a military discount.
  • There are many room choices, from King rooms to rooms with cardio machines, to suites, to rooms with two beds. If possible, ask for a room that is not connected to a suite: the suite next to us was having a birthday party the night we stayed there, which ended up being a slight problem because of the noise levels. 
  • Both self-park and valet parking are free, as is WiFi in-room and throughout the hotel.
  • The casino is two levels, and also includes many bars and lounges; live music was being played at one of the lounges the night we stayed at the hotel. 
  • The hotel also has a spa (D.Tour Spa) and a few other buffets and restaurants, including a food court if you're looking for a quick meal.
  • The hotel has a live music/entertainment venue (Sound Board), which is also where I met J.K. Simmons back in April, my first time ever at MotorCity. Check the hotel website for event schedules and tickets.

Have you ever been to MotorCity Casino Hotel before? If so, were you there for a stay, for one of the restaurants, or for the casino?


MotorCity Casino Hotel is located at 2901 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201. Iridescence, its 4-diamond restaurant, is located on the 16th floor. www.motorcitycasino.com.

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