Tom E.
Yelp
This is a tough one, but oh well. Back in 1984, this building opened up as a flagship for the Ritz Carlton. It had one of the most famous restaurants in America (The Dining Room) along with one of the best chefs (Guenter Seeger). Even then, when I stayed there, I could only give it a 3 star review.
After I saw that it went under a renovation and a re-brand, I wanted to see how things changed, if they did at all. I will admit though, please don't let my 3 stars turn you away- as this place easily has potential for 5, but I had certain experiences that I think giving 3 is fair enough- especially for a Luxury Collection hotel.
I had booked my hotel for 6/19-21 (Father's Day weekend) via Delta Vacations (I am a Marriott Platinum member, but I had a voucher to burn). I came to visit my mom, and I didn't want to put her at any risk (of covid) I may have gotten by travelling, so I figured staying at a hotel would be safest.
The one thing I like about this place, is they have valet ($44/night, in/out) and self parking (which I will get into cost in a few)- as most of the higher end hotels are valet only. So, I entered, parked, and checked in.
The lobby looked a lot different then the last time I was there- they definitely did a nice job sprucing it up. There was also a GSP out front each time I went out front- I trust for security purposes. Check in, was standard- the lady who checked me in was nice. All staff had masks, I also wore mine as well. I don't think it was something that was enforced though.
She did mention about parking being 30$ (in/out) a night. I was confused though, because I got a green ticket, I had to put on my dash. On the website (The Whitley has its own website along with the Marriott site), it posts different prices, from 15$-20. When you drive up to lot to get initial ticket, it says $20 for up to 24 hours. So, where the $30 came from, not sure.
I got room 909, and went right upstairs (it was a long day). They have hundreds of rooms here, including 56 suites. I just got a basic room this time (I know the Club Lounge, Spa, pool, and dining were closed due to covid), and I will admit, I was very impressed with how different it looked from the last time I visited. They did a solid job- kudos to them.
However, I noticed that the minibar had only like 40% of the items- which if in room dining is not offered, I would have thought that would have been stocked to the nines. Also, no bottled water? I wasn't a fan of the toilet water this time around (I know, how snobby of me, but after working 12 hours then flying halfway across the country on a hot day, a bottle of water is much needed).
I didn't get much sleep the first night, but not because of the bed- that was actually decent. When I woke up, I took a shower (walk in). It was nice and warm. The soap didn't smell obnoxious and the water was nice and warm. However, when I got out, I could tell the floor was soaked. It somehow managed to leak through. Grrr.
When I went downstairs (they do offer to go food for BLD at the bar entrance), I spoke to the gentlemen at the front desk asking about parking. He said that parking is a separate entity from the hotel, and I told him I had my white ticket. So since I had that, I should be OK. So, I went to kiosk, and it was $20. OK, not the $30, weird?
Came back Saturday night after being gone all day to unwind and read a book they had while I watched the sunset, how romantic (LOL). I was able to sleep much better, however, around 4am I heard some dude moaning for his life (hope he was ok!) but went back to sleep. I woke up a few hours later to shower again, being more cognizant of the door. It still soaked the floor.
So, I went to check out after, and the same guy from morning before checked me out. He said that all I had were 2 self parkings on my tab. I was confused. So, I looked at my folio after I left (via email), and spent another $20 to get out Sunday, I technically paid $50 freaking dollars a night to self park. I am in the process of figuring that out, but I am wondering if that green ticket should have taken over for my white tickets. So, that really aggravated me, especially since it came from the same person.
I will admit though, the staff I talked to in the bar Sunday morning (I told them I was just snooping around), they were very friendly. So yes, this place easily has potential to be 4/5 stars. Just don't fall in the same trap I did- and make sure you get your parking straightened out before you go to that damn kiosk next to the side entry!