Hilton HHonors - Embassy Suites Hotel Sacramento-Riverfront Promenade Trip Reports and Reviews

I made a reservation a few months ago for New Year's Eve at the Embassy Suites in Sacramento. The hotel fronts the river and usually on New Year's Eve fireworks are shot off twice. I paid full rack for a river view room.

I called yesterday and spoke with the front desk to verify my reservation was in order. My profile has high floor and non-smoke as a request. This is also noted on my printed confirmation. I knew in advance a upgrade would not be given since I require two double beds for the evening. That is fine. Before leaving the office I again call the hotel today to verify all is in order and told my room is ready. I arrive at the front desk and two large signs state the spa and swimming pool are not open. Apparently they have been closed for three months. The front desk has been told and they have a sign on their terminal which states no discount for non-operating spa/pool. I am given a room on the second floor and only after asking in a stern manner am moved to the fifth floor. You can imagine this evening how many people will be outside the hotel watching fireworks. Hence the request for a high floor. I am then told the machine which makes room keys is not working. It was necessary for me to be escorted by a bellman to the room. The final item is the pass door on my side was not locked. The General Manager is gone on holiday until early next week. IMHO the hotel is marginal and certainly not worth $229.00 on any night. A marginal property.

I made a reservation a few months ago for New Year's Eve at the Embassy Suites in Sacramento. The hotel fronts the river and usually on New Year's Eve fireworks are shot off twice. I paid full rack for a river view room.

I called yesterday and spoke with the front desk to verify my reservation was in order. My profile has high floor and non-smoke as a request. This is also noted on my printed confirmation. I knew in advance a upgrade would not be given since I require two double beds for the evening. That is fine. Before leaving the office I again call the hotel today to verify all is in order and told my room is ready. I arrive at the front desk and two large signs state the spa and swimming pool are not open. Apparently they have been closed for three months. The front desk has been told and they have a sign on their terminal which states no discount for non-operating spa/pool. I am given a room on the second floor and only after asking in a stern manner am moved to the fifth floor. You can imagine this evening how many people will be outside the hotel watching fireworks. Hence the request for a high floor. I am then told the machine which makes room keys is not working. It was necessary for me to be escorted by a bellman to the room. The final item is the pass door on my side was not locked. The General Manager is gone on holiday until early next week. IMHO the hotel is marginal and certainly not worth $229.00 on any night. A marginal property.
This is REALLY sad considering that the local news networks tryed to hipe this hotel when it first opened. Thankful they have a Hyatt in the downtown area, or I wouldn't know where to stay in Sac!

I remember that hipe. The need for more class A hotels to attract like NBA Allstars game. No pool/spa no class A rating!

I have learned that they guarantee 100% satisfaction at all properties, so let them know #1 reservation wasn't what you paid for (top floor vs 2nd floor), no spa or pool, tho that wasn't stated when reservation was made as well as the ridiculous rate, even Las Vegas was cheaper at a 5 star hotel!!!!

I am looking for an email of one fabulous lady there who got me 100% credit for a bad stay ..............

Found her - relvorie_lott@hilton.com - this is one great gal!!!! Should be President!

I made a reservation a few months ago for New Year's Eve at the Embassy Suites in Sacramento. The hotel fronts the river and usually on New Year's Eve fireworks are shot off twice. I paid full rack for a river view room.

I called yesterday and spoke with the front desk to verify my reservation was in order. My profile has high floor and non-smoke as a request. This is also noted on my printed confirmation. I knew in advance a upgrade would not be given since I require two double beds for the evening. That is fine. Before leaving the office I again call the hotel today to verify all is in order and told my room is ready. I arrive at the front desk and two large signs state the spa and swimming pool are not open. Apparently they have been closed for three months. The front desk has been told and they have a sign on their terminal which states no discount for non-operating spa/pool. I am given a room on the second floor and only after asking in a stern manner am moved to the fifth floor. You can imagine this evening how many people will be outside the hotel watching fireworks. Hence the request for a high floor. I am then told the machine which makes room keys is not working. It was necessary for me to be escorted by a bellman to the room. The final item is the pass door on my side was not locked. The General Manager is gone on holiday until early next week. IMHO the hotel is marginal and certainly not worth $229.00 on any night. A marginal property.

I've had medicore experiences with this hotel in the past and would only stay there again if nothing else was available.

It is, indeed, a very middlebrow hotel, with nothing in particular to recommend it. I never stay there if I can't get a really cheap rate. Add in the Valet charge, and even a cheap rate is comparable to what you might pay for a decent hotel in a 'destination' city such as SFO or LA. That's not right........

I remember that hipe. The need for more class A hotels to attract like NBA Allstars game. No pool/spa no class A rating!
I know! We don't have enough hotels to meet the requirements. We need a lot more better hotels and service in the Sacramento area.

Sorry to hear this. The family and I spent a Labor Day weekend there a couple of years ago, and other than the din of the the-feed-is-now-in-the-trough hour that is ubiquitous to all ES's at 5pm, it was a nice property and the view of Raley Field and its fireworks was neat.

When I think about it Hilton has marginal properties in SMF. I also remember a negative experience at the Hilton SMF. If it was not for the location as stated not a chance I would pay that rate here in SMF.

Valet parking only at hotel- $18. No self park. The city lot opposite the hotel is if I remember $20 per night.

I did file a complaint with Hilton and have a incident number. I will advise on what happens and will e-mail the contact provided herein. Thank you.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience.

For those like me whom HHonors is their program of choice, I have always found the Riverfront ES a good bet. The pool and spa closure is very annoying, as you pointed out. But the restaurant is rather good and one of the few outdoor dining patios on the river -- where you can also enjoy a cigar after dinner. I've also always enjoyed good, fast service there.

The only other hotels in downtown Sac worth frequenting are the Hyatt and the new Sheraton Grand, located just around the corner from each other.

Happy travels,

Brian


I arrive at the front desk and two large signs state the spa and swimming pool are not open. Apparently they have been closed for three months. The front desk has been told and they have a sign on their terminal which states no discount for non-operating spa/pool. I am given a room on the second floor and only after asking in a stern manner am moved to the fifth floor. I am then told the machine which makes room keys is not working. It was necessary for me to be escorted by a bellman to the room. The final item is the pass door on my side was not locked. The General Manager is gone on holiday until early next week. IMHO the hotel is marginal and certainly not worth $229.00 on any night. A marginal property.

That must not have been you I heard in the vicinity of the ES Sacratomato say "Ah'll bee bock!" :D

...A marginal property.

No, he's the one who was overheard saying: "Hasta la vista, baby."


That must not have been you I heard in the vicinity of the ES Sacratomato say "Ah'll bee bock!" :D

I'll be bock to get our money back. Hasta because we will never be back.

No amenity for Diamond member which I believe is usually a box with waters and snacks at Embassy Suites. Also the frig was not turned on. Plug in the wall but not on. Warm inside. The car was parked outside by valet and had bird crap all over it. No call as of yet from the GM or response from Hilton. The hotel is not marginal it is a dud. The Sheraton and Hyatt are far superior based upon these experiences.

The last time I was there, they charged me the wrong rate. I told them upon checkout and was told they could not change it. I had to wait for the front end manager to contact me to get it fixed. Well they never fixed it, called or anything.

I contacted the Diamond desk and they sent the GM a nasty message and that was when I got a call from him directly. With the problems everyone is having, I can see why they don't call you back right away. They must me calling a lot of people who are not happy.

I would send the Diamond desk a letter or just Hilton in general. That way they know of the problem and they will start to get it fixed.

Try to email the GM at GM@essacramento.com.

Embassy Suites Hotel Sacramento-Riverfront Promenade
100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, California 95814
1-916-326-5000

Our stay here was basically a quick celebratory and respite overnight only ten miles from our home, and we made our booking with a little trepidation after reading the earlier thread - but the 100% guarantee theawesome1 mentioned steeled our resolve, and we booked.

We were greeted and treated nicely at this fairly new Embassy Suites just a few blocks from the state Capitol, and next to Old Sacramento; it might be that the bumpy beginnings experienced by others are over. The lobby is clean and bright feeling in an art nouveau style; the hotel is decorated with has sunny prints of river and old Sacramento scenes. Music in public areas is usually Jazz (instead of dreadful "elevator music.")

We were assigned no-smoking king bedded suite 830 on the eighth floor, which they call the “Concierge” floor, though there is no concierge or lounge, of course. The suite has (north facing) views of the Sacramento River, Old Sacramento and its Delta King riverboat, and Capitol Mall. We could just hear some distant traffic noise, but it was from the nearby Interstate Highway 5.

Room layout: This Embassy Suites is a typical "box" layout built around a central court area. The preferred West view (Sacramento River is directly adjacent, and you can see bits or Raley Field beyond,) begins with suite x36, and continues from x01 through x11; these rooms and the south-facing rooms x12 - x16 (vending next to x16,) could get very warm in the hot Sacramento summer. x17 - x25 face east, looking out over US Interstate 5, the arterial that stretches from San Diego and the Mexico border through California to Seattle and beyond to Blaine and the Canada border; the east-view suites overlook this very busy arterial, and since windows are not sealed, you are guaranteed to get at least traffic noise from the continuous truck and car traffic, and at worst be subject to sirens etc. in case of the occasional accident or twice daily traffic jam. An east-facing room will be very noisy . The remaining x26 - x35 suites face north, with views of the Sacramento River, Old Sacramento and Capitol Mall, a very good choice in the heat of summer.

As a “Concierge” room, suite 830 had two waffle-weave bathrobes, but that seemed to be the extent of the differentiation from the other suites. The west side "Riverfront Promenade" is basically a work in progress - on the south side of Capitol Mall, there isn't much here yet. During our stay, the Sacramento River was looking very full and somewhat threatening, after all the rain and snowmelt... but Sacramento has not managed to get the most out of its riverfront, and the local redevelopment agency won't let control go to the private sector.

The suite décor was pleasant and bright, more local river and city prints, comfortable bed with a half-dozen different pillows, small closet with luggage jack and ironing set, television / drawer bureau, small desk and chair, side chair, window ledge (but not wide enough to sit on,) and decent lighting. The sitting area also had the usual television with game and pay-TV options, a table for four with chairs, HSIA ($9.95 / 24 hours iirc, using an extensible cable, coffee tables, sofa/bed, good lighting and a ceiling fan. The temperature controls worked well for heat or a/c; H-AC are not central, thank goodness. Data jack two-line phones were in each room, and the new Hilton family radio was set playing soft classical music on our arrival.

The small hallway contains another closet, a fairly spacious built-in safe that you can lock / access with any credit card or a personal code, the wet bar, ‘fridge (provisioned with two bottles of Dasani water, our Diamond perk along with a small basket with one apple and one orange,) a coffeemaker and microwave oven, ice bucket and glasses - and two bottles of Fiji water you could buy at $4 each. The bathroom was compact but well laid out, the usual house amenities, and a tub enclosure that would have benefited well from a curved / bowed shower curtain rod. As it was, it felt a bit close. The hotel “book” with local information was somewhat dated and limited – some good restaurants nearby are not listed (we prefer 55 Degrees (www.restaurant55.com) just up and across Capitol Mall at #555, Continental with great food and an iDine and OpenTable restaurant to boot,) and still listed a telephone number for TWA – wasn’t that before this hotel was open?

The hotel has a main restaurant (Bistro 100 / Tower Bridge Bistro, they can’t seem to be clear about the names here,) open 11AM to 10PM, Champagne Sunday Brunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, as well as the Marketplace Cafe restaurant (same hours) for lighter meals and a wine bar that offers 150 northern California wines and pub grub as well as the usual drinks. We didn't eat here, but heard guests say they had enjoyed their meal here. Complimentary breakfast is served in the Marketplace Café Monday through Friday 6:00 am to 9:30 am, and on Saturdays and Sundays 7:00 am to 10:30 am. The breakfast was fairly extensive, with a better selection than the average Embassy Suites. Seating can get tight, but the bar seating can be used, as well as some seating in the adjacent extended lobby area. In the morning, both USA Today and Sacramento Bee are provided, to the suite and and at the breakfast area.

There are a fitness room and indoor swimming pool, both accessible with a room key. Strong chloramine odors emanating from the pool lead me to believe it is insufficiently chlorinated; I’d personally stay out of any pool if it smells too strongly of so-called chlorine odors, as that is actually used-up chlorine.

Self-parking was $18 Apr 2006, and access to the hotel is a bit awkward: coming from San Francisco Bay Area, take the deviation from I-80 into the center of town; as you drive over Sacramento’s mustard-colored Tower Bridge, you will see the entrance on your right immediately after crossing railroad tracks. If you are driving out from town, take Capitol Mall toward San Francisco; as you have 111 Capitol Mall on your right, and are near the railroad tracks before the bridge, take a right at the marked turn across traffic and enter.

This hotel is about location, location and location. You can easily walk to Old Sacramento, the Crocker Art Gallery (www.crockerartmuseum.org), Old Sacramento with it’s splendid, world class Railroad Museum (www.csrmf.org), Delta King riverboat and excellent Firehouse (www.firehouseoldsac.com)restaurant, the Capitol, many restaurants, and if you are traveling light, even the AMTRAK station is walkable. If you're up for the Rivercats (www.rivercats.com) baseball, the comfy Raley Field (www.rivercats.com/raley) is a short walk across the Mustard, er, bridge. This hotel appears to cater to businesspeople, with its closeness to the Capitol and businesses, but also does well with families. They state they will provide airport transportation on demand, "space available."

We had no problems at all, though it was not a peak holiday like New Year's or the Jazz Festival. All in all, this seemed like a friendly, well-situated, sparkling and pleasant hotel. Perhaps their teething problems are gone. We’d absolutely stay here again!

Embassy Suites Hotel Sacramento-Riverfront Promenade
100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, California 95814
1-916-326-5000

Our stay here was basically a quick celebratory and respite overnight only ten miles from our home, and we made outr booking with a little trepidation after reading the earlier thread - but the 100% guarantee theawesome1 mentioned steeled our resolve, and we booked.

We were greeted and treated nicely at this fairly new Embassy Suites just a few blocks from the state Capitol, and next to Old Sacramento; it might be that the bumpy beginnings experienced by others are over. The lobby is clean and bright feeling in an art nouveau style; the hotel is decorated with has sunny prints of river and old Sacramento scenes.

We were assigned no-smoking king bedded suite 830 on the eighth floor, which they call the “Concierge” floor, though there is no concierge or lounge, of course. The suite has (north facing) views of the Sacramento River, Old Sacramento and its Delta King riverboat, and Capitol Mall. We could just hear some distant traffic noise, but it was from the nearby Interstate Highway 5 - I suspect an east-facing room could be very noisy with the extensive truck traffic on I-5. As a “Concierge” room, it had two waffle-weave bathrobes, but that seemed to be the extent of the differentiation from the other suites. The west side "Riverfront Promenade" is basically a work in progress - on the south side of Capitol Mall, there isn't much here yet. During our stay, the Sacramento River was looking very full and somewhat threatening, after all the rain and snowmelt... but Sacramento has not managed to get the most out of its riverfront, and the local redevelopment agency won't let control go to the private sector.

The suite décor was pleasant and bright, more river and city prints, comfortable bed with a half-dozen different pillows, small closet with luggage jack and ironing set, television / drawer bureau, small desk and chair, side chair, window ledge (but not wide enough to sit on,) and decent lighting. The sitting area also had the usual television with game and pay-TV options, a table for four with chairs, HSIA ($9.95 / 24 hours iirc, using an extensible cable, coffee tables, sofa/bed, good lighting and a ceiling fan. The temperature controls worked well for heat or a/c; H-AC are not central. Datajack two-line phones were in each room, and the new Hilton family radio was set playing soft classical music on our arrival.

The small hallway contains another closet, a fairly spacious built-in safe that you can lock / access with any credit card or a personal code, the wet bar, ‘fridge (provisioned with two bottles of Dasani water, our Diamond perk along with a small basket with one apple and one orange,) a coffeemaker and microwave oven, ice bucket and glasses. The bathroom was compact but well laid out, the usual house amenities, and a tub enclosure that would have benefited well from a curved / bowed shower curtain rod. As it was, it felt a bit close. The hotel “book” with local information was somewhat dated and limited – some good restaurants nearby are not listed (we prefer 55 Degrees just up and across Capitol Mall at #555, Continental with great food and an iDine restaurant to boot,) and still listed a telephone number for TWA – wasn’t that before this hotel was open?

The hotel has a main restaurant (Bistro 100 / Tower Bridge Bistro, they can’t seem to be clear about the names here,) open 11AM to 10PM, Champagne Sunday Brunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, as well as the Marketplace Cafe restaurant (same hours) for lighter meals and a wine bar that offers 150 northern California wines and pub grub as well as the usual drinks. We didn't eat here, but heard guetsts say they had enjoyed their meal here. Complimentary breakfast is served in the Marketplace Café Monday through Friday 6:00 am to 9:30 am, and on Saturdays and Sundays 7:00 am to 10:30 am. The breakfast was fairly extensive, with a better selection than the average Embassy Suites. Seating can get tight, but the bar seating can be used, as well as some seating in the adjacent extended lobby area. In the morning, both USA Today and Sacramento Bee are provided, to the suite and and at the breakfast area.

There are a fitness room and indoor swimming pool, both accessible with a room key. Strong chloramine odors emanating from the pool lead me to believe it is insufficiently chlorinated; I’d personally stay out of any pool if it smells too strongly of chlorine odors.

Valet parking is $18, and access to the hotel is a bit awkward: coming from San Francisco Bay Area, take the deviation from I-80 into the center of town; as you drive over Sacramento’s mustard-colored Tower Bridge, you will see the entrance on your right immediately after crossing railroad tracks. If you are driving out from town, take Capitol Mall toward San Francisco; as you have 111 Capitol Mall on your right, and are near the railroad tracks before the bridge, take a right across traffic and enter.

This hotel is about location, location and location. You can easily walk to Old Sacramento, the Crocker Art Gallery, Old Sacramento with it’s splendid Railroad Museum and the Delta King riverboat, the Capitol, many restaurants, and if you are traveling light, even the AMTRAK station is walkable. This hotel appears to cater to businesspeople, with its closeness to the Capitol and businesses, but also does well with families. They state they will provide airport transportation on demand, "space available."

We had no problems at all, though it was not a peak holiday like New Year's or the Jazz Festival. All in all, this seemed like a friendly, well-situated, sparkling and pleasant hotel. Perhaps their teething problems are gone. We’d absolutely stay here again!


I couldn't get my husband to get in a hotel pool to save MY life! Seriously. He just wouldn't do it...and absolutely positively never a spa. When you have your own, there is just no need.

But I wanted to comment on the chlorine. Not sure if you have a pool or if you do, if you maintain it, but I understand that the chlorine levels REQUIRED for commercial usage is 6 ppm. That is really high...considering that most homes range from 1-3 ppm. So...I kind of feel the opposite. I don't know if I would get in a public pool if I did NOT smell the chlorine!

:)

Glad you had a good stay and thanks for the detailed report.

I have had the hardest time booking Sacramento area Hilton-family properties during the middle of the week. I will try booking a midweek stay 6 - 8 weeks out and find many properties are already sold out that far in advance. I have never seen availability for certain HGI's for the past 3 years.

I'm not sure I would have relied on "the 100% guarantee theawesome1 mentioned". :D

I do indeed have a pool and service it myself. Chlorine itself has a sharp, if clean, smell. One definition of chloramine smell is:

Chlorine produces Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in water

• HOCl dissociates (breaks up) HOCl <===> H+ + OCl- (hypochlorite ion).

• HOCl reacts with bacteria and organics. HOCl is a very effective sanitizer, but reacts with sunlight and needs to be stabilized with Cyanuric Acid.

• OCl- reacts with ammonia (NH3). OCl- is an extremely strong oxidizer.

• Chloramines formed from reaction with ammonia are unpleasant and smelly.

Free available chlorine at levels up to 10-20 ppM has no detectable taste or odour and causes little or no irritation to touch. This level is not safe for swimming, however. (Anything we smell is clean, with an "edge" on it.)

The reaction of HOCl with ammonia produces a series of chlorine like odorous, irritating compounds called chloramines or combined chlorine. These chloramines irritate eyes and mucous membranes and are often confused with chlorine. Combined chlorine has little ability to kill bacteria. (What we smell is sharp, ammoniacal, and harsh.)

Strong chlorine odours are indications that a shock treatment is needed. Shock treatment is the 'burning up of pollutants with a strong oxidizing chemical'. Incorrect amounts of chlorine used will cause problems. Not enough will raise the level of eye burn and skin irritation because the level of combined chlorine compounds is increased."

My take is that the pool at the ES - Sacratomato has too many organics in the water to be oxidized by the available chlorine and perhaps too low pH, and what we smell is the "used" chlorine as manifested by chloramines. Too many kids, not enough chlorine. :p

:)



I couldn't get my husband to get in a hotel pool to save MY life! Seriously. He just wouldn't do it...and absolutely positively never a spa. When you have your own, there is just no need.

But I wanted to comment on the chlorine. Not sure if you have a pool or if you do, if you maintain it, but I understand that the chlorine levels REQUIRED for commercial usage is 6 ppm. That is really high...considering that most homes range from 1-3 ppm. So...I kind of feel the opposite. I don't know if I would get in a public pool if I did NOT smell the chlorine!

:)

I started writing this review shortly after getting home from my trip back in July 2007 and got about 3/4ths of the way through it and then never got back to it until today. So here it is 8 months later.

Upon arrival at the hotel at approximately Midnight, there was no one manning the desk. It took the bellboy several minutes to find the clerk. I was checking at the same time as several friends, all of us having just arrived into Sacramento via Amtrak. One was an HH Blue, one Silver, one Gold, while I was the lone Diamond member. First, all friends received the normal HH welcome letter, none for me, but no biggie.

Then upon arriving in my room, no Diamond amenities are waiting for me. I then discover that my 6th floor room directly overlooks the local, very noisy interstate highway. And since the windows can be opened, that increases the noise level compared to a sealed window. I was too tired to move or complain that night, so I let things go. Upon comparing notes the next day, I discover that my friend with the Blue card got a 8th floor room overlooking the river. Friend with Gold has room on 7th floor overlooking local streets with partial river view. Friend with Silver has room overlooking local streets on 6th floor.

Both Silver and Gold friends had used awards, while I the Diamond had paid for my room overlooking the very noisy highway. While I’m not wishing that my friends had received the room overlooking the highway, I do have to wonder why a paying Diamond was given the worst room of the bunch. But for the fact that the Silver had also requested a room with two double beds, I might have assumed that was why I got such a poor room.

After breakfast, I went to front desk to request a new room for the second night that did not overlook the noisy highway, as well as to complain about the missing Diamond amenities. While he was unable to immediately grant my request, he was most apologetic and did place a room being vacated that morning on hold for me. I left our luggage in one of my friend’s rooms for the day and proceeded to join my friends for our day of activities in Sacramento.

Upon returning later that evening, the clerk now on duty did not know how to take the room out of the hold status that the clerk from the morning had put on it, and was therefore unable to issue me new keys. She had to call and wait for the manager to show up and make the needed changes in the computer. After claiming our luggage from our friend’s room, we proceeded to our new room.

As promised the new room, now on the 5th floor, did not overlook the highway thankfully. It didn’t overlook the river either, but anything was better than having I-5 under my window. Additionally the Diamond amenities were indeed in place in this room. Unfortunately, the air conditioning was not working properly. A call to the front desk promised someone would come to look at things within 30 minutes. Maintenance took about 45 minutes to show up, however he did manage to successfully reset the A/C unit, so another room change was unnecessary.

The crowning event on this unfortunate stay was the fire alarm going off at 3:00 AM. The story that we got was that someone had run in from the street and pulled the alarm. Considering that no one was manning the front desk when we arrived on the first night, I have to wonder if that didn’t contribute to the ability for someone to play such a prank.

However, I was further dismayed at the lack of guidance from hotel personnel initially. There were no public announcements over any PA system (not sure if that was even possible with their system or if it was that no one knew how to use it), and it took several minutes for one employee to stand in the center of the atrium and try to scream over the loud alarm, that it was a false alarm and everyone was safe to return to their rooms. Even more dismaying was to find out that the security guard was apparently off chasing the culprit.

While I would ordinarily applaud such an effort, it seems that that security guard was the only person with the key to reset the alarm system. So for over 10 minutes everyone in the hotel was subjected to the blaring alarm, until the guard came running back into the hotel to reset things. I have no idea if he actually caught the villain.

Now while I’ll admit that perhaps it was unfortunate for the hotel that I just happened to be staying with a bunch of friends, who coincidentally and through no planning on our part represented the four levels of the HH program, it did nonetheless provide a very interesting comparison and a comparison that I did not find to be favorable towards my Diamond status. I can also understand that there are people who find certain things funny, like pulling a fire alarm in the middle of the night. I don’t normally blame a hotel for that; unless it was their lax security that allowed the person to get away with it, which unfortunately I do believe is the case here.

But I do have to wonder why announcements weren’t handled better and why only one employee had the key to reset the alarm system. And that employee was the security guard who was off chasing the villain.

I have no plans at present to return to the Sacramento area in the near future, but even if something was to change, I rather doubt that I will be revisiting this Embassy Suites again.

Update and additions to my previous review post (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5669879&postcount=17). N.B. I have added a rooms selection aid bit in the original, and added a couple of updates.

We were celebrating our 42nd anniversary :eek: and decided to play hooky and overnight at the Embassy Suites Hotel Sacramento-Riverfront Promenade, maybe catch a Rivercats game and dine at our favorite 55 Degrees Restaurant, four blocks away. So, I booked in advance a "Riverview" room for $219, Automobile Association rate (plus 14% tax, and $1.50 local tax - Sacramento is one of those entities that believes in soaking the visitor to pay for expansive upgrades to downtown that never seem to really work, but hey, it's not our money...:rolleyes:)

Checkin was gracious, the lobby area is still warm and friendly, but we were given strictly what we paid for - West-looking room 505, which is not any sort of upgrade (our last stay we were put on the "Concierge floor" with a north-view suite with waffle-weave robes and enhanced amenities.) Room 505 is neither high, nor away from the elevators, as per my Hilton HHonors preferences. I chose not to make a deal of it as my gracious and lovely wife was with me - but I hoped more than that, given the annotation in the booking indicated the special occasion and that we were locals (home is ten miles / 16 km away.)

The room and amenities are pretty much as described previously - no robes, of course - and the Fiji water is now up to $5 a liter bottle. The bathroom provides the sappy rosemary infusion soaps ("Smile now") and lotions / shampoos of "bloom [energy.]" (sic) WiFi signal was strong, and there was no charge on the bill for using it. The hotel book may no longer show incorrect listings for TWA - given there was no hotel book in our room, it's like a stopped clock being correct twice a day. ;)

Add the parking - advertised on the website and other places as $24 self-parking and $25 valet, but still charged at $18 for valet parking, high taxes and the blatant demands for tips, and it gets expensive, with $219 easily becoming $270. The valet and short-order cooks are relatively low key, with the telltale longing looks and trophy piles of bills; the room had a little (apparently hotel sanctioned, if not supplied,) paper tent with card:


CLEANED WITH CARE
Myname
Embassy Suites logo

stuck into notches in the tent:


I've taken extra care in cleaning your room.
Everything's been polished, scrubbed
and shined to perfection -
I've even fluffed the pillows.
We hope your stay at Embassy Suites is enjoyable
and relaxing. Please call our Hotel Operator
if you need further assistance.


All in all, a fair stay - I can't complain too much, I got exactly what I paid for; but as AlanB said, it would appear status and special occasions do not count for much here. For our next special occasion, we will probably not stay here.