Trey G.
Yelp
OK, strap in for a long one here. Before I get into this review and the story that precipitated it, I want to set a few things up. My wife and I have stayed at Sky Suites nearly a dozen times over the years; we go out there 2-3 times a year and Sky Suites is usually the destination (we stayed at Bellagio this past July only because, when we originally booked, Aria was still closed due to COVID). We've typically reviewed in the 8-10/10 range, but over the last few stays, it's been declining. We love the overall Aria/CityCenter environment, the location, etc. Conceptually, Sky Suites should be a slam dunk every time. In concept, they pull out all the stops.
In execution, they have routinely demonstrated ineptitude when it comes to preventing and mitigating issues--most likely, this is due to the staff lacking the empowerment to deal with issues among luxury clientele. I understand limitations or refusals to bend in freebie rooms. But, when dropping four figures a night, the staff should pretty much be able to do whatever they need to in order to rectify a situation.
My wife and I woke up one morning around 6:30 a.m. to the sound of water dripping in the bathroom. As it happened, our upstairs neighbor had overflowed their tub. I immediately called down to report the issue. The ceiling was damaged, the recessed light was falling in, and water was flowing. Obviously, this wasn't Sky Suites' fault. We weren't even mad about it; we thought it was funny ("Some guys can't handle Vegas!"). We agreed that we'd stay out of the room for the duration of the day so maintenance could fix everything and be done with it. No harm, no foul. (I think, at this point, a little token room credit of like $100 or whatever for the inconvenience would be the obvious play, but apparently I'm wrong. Apparently, I'm still having a full-fare "luxury experience" at this point.)
My wife returned at 10:30 p.m. Nothing had been addressed. Water was still dripping into the room and it was spreading. She slipped and almost injured herself. She went to the front desk. For her inconvenience, she was offered a $250 credit and the opportunity to move rooms. I was at NYNY playing when she called me. I gave up my Friday night to deal with everything.
I know 2-BR penthouses are limited in quantity, so it's hard to move someone in our position. The manager on duty at the time wasn't on in the morning and so he inherited the mess. But unaddressed and untenable it was, and now, rather than us dealing with everything during the day, we were going to have to move rooms in the middle of the night. I had to call my friend back from playing to pack up his things (he was staying in the second bedroom). We were dropped nine floors. I suggested an upgrade to a villa; seemed like fair recompense and, at that point, I'd have let everything go. Apparently, Eric didn't have the authority to make that happen.
Penthouse #2? Well, it had a leaky showerhead that had to be repaired (so maintenance was in that room from 11:30 to 12:30). We found a used container for illegal drugs. There was water damage on the second bedroom wall. Several lights were out and other items weren't functioning properly. There were screw holes in the front door of the suite.
In the end, I spent nearly eight hours of my trip dealing with the issues. We received no offer to upgrade, a mere $250 credit, just one night off, and "a free upgrade on the next trip" (which isn't gonna happen, BTW).
What they should have done is, without any haggling needed on my end, is comp the trip. It was that bad and that bungled. "Trey, this situation has been totally botched and it's completely unacceptable. Here's another room that's not quite as good (because we don't have any identical ones). You're not having a true 'luxury experience' and you've been a loyal guest for years. To make up for it, enjoy the rest of your trip on us and we can't wait to see you next time." But, no. I still very much had a nice hit on the card when I got home. I have half a mind to dispute the charge. Had they done that or sent us upstairs to a villa, we 1,000% would go back.
But they didn't do either.
We've officially given up on Sky Suites. It's been deteriorating for years and we've indicated that in the surveys. Simple maintenance items haven't been regularly addressed. Staff can't (or won't) do what is needed to make a bad situation right. I'm not going to pay thousands for a "luxury experience" (their terminology) that's anything but. It's a five-star resort. It behaves like a two; the staff is undisciplined, incapable, and there's zero attention to detail.