Mirinda M.
Yelp
We booked the Prima Donna Suite at the Maxwell Hotel for my husband's surprise birthday celebration. This suite was perfect for our group: me, my husband, our 10-year-old son, and his best friend, who flew in from California for the occasion to surprise him. We chose the suite for its size and amenities, including two king beds, a sofa sleeper, a sitting area, a shower, and a spa tub, which I thought would make the weekend extra special. The hotel's location, within walking distance of the Kraken game, was another big plus.
A week before our stay, I called the hotel to arrange for champagne to be placed in the room upon our arrival. They graciously offered to provide it at no charge and even added balloons for the celebration--such a thoughtful touch.
The day of our trip, I received a text from the hotel offering a "complimentary upgrade" to their Winter Wonderland Suite. The message described it as "festively decorated for the season" with "amenities that other rooms do not offer." Since this sounded like a lovely enhancement, I accepted, trusting that the upgrade would be equal to or better than the Prima Donna Suite I had originally booked.
When we arrived, the front desk staff was welcoming, and the hotel itself was beautifully decorated. However, upon entering the Winter Wonderland Suite, it became clear that the "upgrade" was actually a downgrade. While the suite had charming holiday decorations, it lacked the features we specifically needed for our group: instead of two king beds, there were two queens; there was no sofa sleeper or spa tub, and the overall space was much smaller than the Prima Donna Suite.
We contacted the front desk to request a rollaway bed since we now didn't have enough sleeping space, but they informed us that rollaway beds weren't available. When we explained that our original booking offered more amenities and better suited our group, we were told that the Prima Donna Suite was no longer available--one was occupied, and the other was under repair.
Ultimately, the staff moved us to a two-queen suite with a sofa, which provided enough sleeping space for everyone, though it was still not the room I had carefully selected. The hotel reduced our room rate and comped our parking, which I appreciated, but the experience was frustrating.
I would urge hotel management to rethink how they define and handle upgrades. If a guest has already booked one of your top-tier suites, the offered "upgrade" should be equal or better in size, amenities, and value. This was not the case, and the smaller room disrupted our plans and added unnecessary stress to what was supposed to be a special celebration.
Would I stay at a Pineapple Hotel again? Yes, but I'll be much more cautious about accepting an upgrade without full details and assurances about the room being offered.