Lawrence C.
Yelp
As a Lifetime Platinum Elite member of the Marriott Rewards program, I have stayed at the whole gamut of properties in the Marriott franchise. I cannot recall a more dissatisfying experience in recent years!! What a series of missteps everyday by staff.....SO, buyer beware of this franchised operation!!
I booked my three night stay with Steve in the sales department, a little more than two months beforehand. Boy, was I sold a bill of goods!!
He told me he would honor my request to be on the Club Floor, since I would have access to the Lounge due to my Platinum Elite status. He additionally offered to place me in a "special" room, though my reservation was for a "standard" king.
Since I alerted the hotel on day of arrival through the mobile app of my expected arrival time, and then circumstances caused me to arrive later, I telephoned the front desk to alert them of my delayed arrival, so that they would "save the special room" that I thought had been blocked for me. However, Dan at the front desk advised on the phone that there weren't any notes on my reservation, though he promised to place me on the Club Floor.
Upon arrival at 9pm, not only were there no rooms for me on the Club 7th Floor, I was assigned a room on the 9th floor. I asked for the manager on duty, and Seda, Reception Supervisor came to the rescue, offering me a choice of two upgrades...a "Deluxe" room on the Club 7th floor overlooking the Capitol, or a two room "Junior Suite" on the 6th floor with a private staircase to the Club Lounge. I opted for the larger room for my working three day visit.
Incidentally, the reception clerk who initially received me advised me that the Club lounge closed for breakfast at 11am. However, I realized at 8:50 the next morning that in fact the "hot" breakfast ends at 9am, while the "continental" cold breakfast ends at 10am. The clerk was additionally misinformed, as the lounge is 24/7, though not staffed all the time.
Four unsatisfactory experiences with the club lounge at breakfast...1. Monday morning the floor leading to the private staircase was locked. When I questioned Rob, the attendant on duty, he expressed surprise, stating that it is not supposed to be locked, and commented that he'll have to start checking to make sure it's unlocked in the future. 2. The breakfast was meager.... I've had a more robust and diverse offering of breakfast items at Fairfield Inns!! 3. The scrambled eggs were hard as a rock, having sat in the warming tray for at least an hour. 4. Dirty tables and dishes piled up by the coffee service, though hardly anyone was in the room at that late hour.
However, the evening service was much improved, as Adam had a beautifully presented array of cheeses, crackers, vegetables and crudites, and hot items.
The next morning I went up to the Club Lounge for breakfast, and what do you know, the door was locked again!!! I took the elevator back up to 7 again, and lo and behold, there was a sign on the door advising that the Lounge was closed for a staff meeting!!! Apparently, staff has priority over guests in Club Lounge, and not notifying hotel guests are further examples of the thoughtlessness management exhibits.
I immediately went down to the front desk and inquired about my breakfast. The clerk apologized about the non-notification, and gave me a coupon to take down to the restaurant for a "limited menu" breakfast.
Fyi, the restaurant and adjoining bar is managed by an outside 3rd party (as is the valet parking, among other services provided in the hotel).
At this point I was getting a little irritated with the hotel. I telephone the front desk and as Kim, the Area General Manager was unavailable, I asked for the Manager on Duty. I spoke with Keith, the Front Office Mgr, who volunteered that he also has supervision over the Club Lounge. Great I thought! My comments would be appreciated, acted on, and passed on to the General Manager. My expectation that action would result was obviously misplaced, as I experienced the exact set of circumstances the next morning in the Club Lounge....1. Door on 6th floor locked, 2. Hard, overdone scrambled eggs, 3. Dirty dishes (despite two attendants being present in the Lounge). Keith did apologize for not notifying the guests beforehand about the Lounge being closed, and said he would send an email to the Sales Dept about my reservation, and would insure that his front desk staff knew the Club Lounge hours in the future. He thanked me for advising him of the positive performance of Saed his front office supervisor, and Adam, the evening attendant in the Lounge.
And, let me mention the poor attitude and performance of one of the 3rd party valet attendants....After bringing my car up front, normally the valet, or one his colleagues standing nearby with nothing to do would open and close the door for my wife, as passenger, and then attend to me as driver. Not here....he just stood at the driver door awaiting his tip.
This completes my review.