IC Adelaide
What is your Status?
Ambassador Spire
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
one bedroom suite
offered club access at check in.
Went to the room (X17) and looked out the window to see I was directly in line with construction for the convention center. Not wanting to hear the noise (they're zoned to work from 6am until midnight), I asked for a room change.
Person on the phone said they have suites adjoining this one facing the other way and would I be ok with that?
Sure.
Second person calls back and says, we can offer you a club king room and a $25 discount. Seeing as I was already offered club access as a SA, I said that was unacceptable and the hotel should not be blocking SAs in to rooms that are directly on top of construction, especially since I booked eight months in advance and it's a paid stay.
I asked a few front-line employees if they had gotten noise complaints and all of them said "many."
What about the adjoining suite I was offered? Oh, they're sold out. So they blocked a SA in to the worst room possible in that category.
That person called back again and upgraded to an executive suite on the top floor.
How are the rooms?
The suite is nothing remarkable or even interesting. The "meeting" space is a small table with six chairs huddled around it with two more against the wall. Not even a centerpiece on it. The living area has no art on the walls or anything to make it look or feel homey. Bedroom does not have blackout curtains, only room darkening ones. Bathroom is very large but no separate door for the WC and no second sink.
What was good and what was bad?
Pros:
- great wifi and comped ethernet connection
- great location if you have meetings at the convention center
- Lounge has excellent breakfast and evening selections, although repetitive they are of good quantity and quality (I actually like the chicken dim sum)
Cons:
Horrible training for a lot of the staff. Lounge attendants are friendly but are in no way hosts and are not able to facilitate the simplest of tasks.
"Is there a gift shop on property?"
"Sorry, no"
"Can you tell me where I can buy XYZ?"
"Just wander outside the hotel and you'll find something"
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"Can you recommend a place to get XYZ for dinner?"
"This street has a lot of restaurants on it. You'll find something."
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And my favorite interaction of the stay:
"Does the hotel have a courtesy car? I'd like to be driven to dinner. It's a little too far to walk and I don't want to take a cab."
Person one - "I can ask the GM if he can let you borrow the hotel BMW but it may be an insurance issue."
"No, sorry, I want someone to drive me to dinner. I don't want to drive your car."
Person two standing next to him - "Just take a taxi"
Went to the lounge and asked the same question, "I didn't know we have a hotel BMW."
Called the concierge - "I just started here so I don't know. Let me ask someone and I will call you back in five minutes."
Person number onbe ends up calling me back and says, get this, "I'm sorry, we're not able to let you drive our car."
For the second time I'm telling him, now bluntly, I want to be driven somewhere. Can the hotel provide somethinbg even if I pay for it. Seriously? Has no one at the Adelaide IC ever asked to book a car service before?
Finally they got someone to drive me 2km for $20. Five interactions to get a car.
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Turndown was wildly inconsistent.
Night one - changed out the decorative pillows for the sleeping ones and that's it. Couldn't even be bothered to remove the runner from the bed! ...or close the drapes, or leave chocolates, or remove trash or even leave a light on.
Night two - typical, correct service
Night three - left for the night at 6:15 with a "service room" note on the door. No one came through.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
I'd stay away from this hotel until construction is completed otherwise you're rolling the dice. The lounge is sufficient for full meals but don't expect the offerings to change at any point during your stay.
Score: 7.5/10