Caron M.
Yelp
I'm confused by the reviews saying this resort is fabulous. Yes, the grounds are lovely - a converted Spanish style Hacienda. But two things make a high end property really great - smooth operations (ideally so smooth it seems like magic) and attention to detail. And while everyone who worked there was kind and friendly, Royal Palms fails at both.
Driving in, there's no signage for valet or self park, you just have to guess what you are doing. After parking, I made my way to reception, dragging my rolling bag up a dozen steps (I'm sure there's a ramp somewhere, but again nothing was labeled, and the property is a bit of a maze). Although I'd checked in online, I had to go through the whole process again in person. However, front desk staff were lovely, offered me a glass of champagne, and personally guided me to my room.
This is where everything really broke down. The key didn't work, so the staff person I was with went back to make a new one. While she was gone, I realized that the room I was being given was an accessible one, which I hadn't requested, and really didn't want, though this was never mentioned at my online OR in person check in. I thought it was very odd to issue such a room to me when the hotel wasn't that busy, especially as it was in one of the noisiest locations on the property (at the beginning of a hallway near the elevator). About ten minutes later she was back with a key that worked, only to open the door onto a room that wasn't ready for guests - bed unmade, visible trash, and mobility equipment still in the room.
Away she went again, after promising a voucher for drinks at the hotel bar as an apology, and a different staff came to find me another ten minutes later. She guided me to a different room, where the key fortunately worked and the room was clean. But, she started talking about how it was an upgrade and she wasn't sure if the fee for that would be waived. I hadn't requested an upgrade, they were moving me to a room the hotel staff chose after the first room issue! But at that point I really wanted to get out of the heat (this was June in Phoenix after all) and put my bags down, so I went with it.
After a short rest, I went down to T Cook's for some food (a great experience I'll review separately). The staff who had escorted me to room #2 found me at dinner, gave me another set of room keys (unsure why, when I already had 2 for a single person) and told me there wasn't a room upgrade charge after all. No mention of the promised drink voucher - instead she said she gave me a late checkout time, something else I hadn't asked for and didn't want/need since I had to leave in the early morning on my checkout day. When I came back, none of the four keys for my room worked. So back to reception I went for a new one. That happened four additional times during my two night stay, until keys didn't work at all and they sent someone to fix the door.
The room was a good size, with a lovely view of a courtyard. But while clean, it could definitely use a refresh. Attention to detail broke down here also. The bed was made terribly, with the bottom sheet not even covering the bottom 6 inches of the mattress - I had to remove the covers and pull the sheet down so that my feet wouldn't be on the bare mattress. The pillows were ancient and lumpy; the second night I thought to request foam ones, and those at least were better. And although I pulled back the covers so that the exposed mattress was obvious in the morning, it wasn't fixed for my second night. Nor were the counters wiped down or any other cleaning done.
This wasn't even close to the advertised luxury experience Royal Palms promotes. Every staff person I cam in contact with was very kind - even the men fixing my door at 9pm - but that doesn't make up for the mismanagement of this property.