My Radisson experience and where to spend my free night
Nov 10, 2013, 4:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 73
My Radisson experience and where to spend my free night
I do not have any Radisson experience beside my "get Radisson known" experience I did last year with the Radisson Free Night Promotion.
For that promotion I stayed with my spouse at the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore in Baltimore, MD in the end of 2012. The staff at the main desk was nice, the old building has its own charm but I can't say anything else positive.
The room: totally dusty, obvious that no one removed the dust for weeks, the smoke detector was obvious not cleaned for years; the bathroom not better some spots where probably mold; even simple maintenance which would require anything beside simple tools was done (fan + closet broken, dozen of holes from previous drilling in the walls). Old stains on the floor that could have been blood. The elevator: expired license hanging inside of the elevator. Most elevator were also broken (all but 2? Don't remember the exact number) and the one did 1-2 times scary noises when using it. The breakfast staff: unfriendly not to say rude.
Nothing about old hotels and outdated furniture or not the newest carpets. But I always expect minimum cleaning and maintenance. I also ignore the fact that the window faced another building and was kinda dark.
I did pictures and contacted Radisson also with the question if that is normal condition and service for a Radisson. I had the impression that they where not interested et al, they didn't even asked for the pictures. After two mails they sent me a (not soon expiring) free night certificate. That gave me more the impression of "we don't want to know, we don't care, but you might shut up with this certificate".
Now my free night from the promotion will expire end of this year. I was hoping to stay in NYC in December but the reviews of the Radisson in Manhatten gives me the idea that it is like the one in Baltimore. As I work around we hoped to stay at the Radisson outside of Pittsburgh, but the reviews also do not seem to be better. Living in the DC metro area and having no plans to travel soon (and if only by car for a long weekend) makes it harder to use the expiring night. I am at the point where I am more willing to let that night expiring before I will have the same experience again.
Therefore some questions popped up:
1. Is that Hotel condition common in the Radission chain? Some other hotel reviews give this impression.
2. Is the customer service always that uninterested?
3. Are there any other nicer hotels in "day trip" driving distance to DC? In a nice city that has some attraction for a weekend or great area that is it worth in December?
For that promotion I stayed with my spouse at the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore in Baltimore, MD in the end of 2012. The staff at the main desk was nice, the old building has its own charm but I can't say anything else positive.
The room: totally dusty, obvious that no one removed the dust for weeks, the smoke detector was obvious not cleaned for years; the bathroom not better some spots where probably mold; even simple maintenance which would require anything beside simple tools was done (fan + closet broken, dozen of holes from previous drilling in the walls). Old stains on the floor that could have been blood. The elevator: expired license hanging inside of the elevator. Most elevator were also broken (all but 2? Don't remember the exact number) and the one did 1-2 times scary noises when using it. The breakfast staff: unfriendly not to say rude.
Nothing about old hotels and outdated furniture or not the newest carpets. But I always expect minimum cleaning and maintenance. I also ignore the fact that the window faced another building and was kinda dark.
I did pictures and contacted Radisson also with the question if that is normal condition and service for a Radisson. I had the impression that they where not interested et al, they didn't even asked for the pictures. After two mails they sent me a (not soon expiring) free night certificate. That gave me more the impression of "we don't want to know, we don't care, but you might shut up with this certificate".
Now my free night from the promotion will expire end of this year. I was hoping to stay in NYC in December but the reviews of the Radisson in Manhatten gives me the idea that it is like the one in Baltimore. As I work around we hoped to stay at the Radisson outside of Pittsburgh, but the reviews also do not seem to be better. Living in the DC metro area and having no plans to travel soon (and if only by car for a long weekend) makes it harder to use the expiring night. I am at the point where I am more willing to let that night expiring before I will have the same experience again.
Therefore some questions popped up:
1. Is that Hotel condition common in the Radission chain? Some other hotel reviews give this impression.
2. Is the customer service always that uninterested?
3. Are there any other nicer hotels in "day trip" driving distance to DC? In a nice city that has some attraction for a weekend or great area that is it worth in December?
Nov 11, 2013, 6:29 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
As a Baltimore resident, I too "stayed" at the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore as part of one of the past 50k promos. I agree that the hotel is nothing special and it is generally known as not being one of the best hotels here in Baltimore. IMHO a dated hotel...but some people like that traditional decor feel.
As for your questions, I don't think you can generalize the numerous Club Carlson properties about the condition or service you experienced in Baltimore.
Personally if I were looking to do a day trip to redeem 1 night I would either choose the NYC property or the Radisson Blu Warwick in Philly. The Philly property is at the end of a refurbishment and conversion to the Radisson Blu brand from the regular Radisson brand. In addition, with airfares out of Baltimore on SWA not being ridiculous to Chicago, i would consider the Radisson Blu Chicago with the 1 free night and a revenue night added on.
As for your questions, I don't think you can generalize the numerous Club Carlson properties about the condition or service you experienced in Baltimore.
Personally if I were looking to do a day trip to redeem 1 night I would either choose the NYC property or the Radisson Blu Warwick in Philly. The Philly property is at the end of a refurbishment and conversion to the Radisson Blu brand from the regular Radisson brand. In addition, with airfares out of Baltimore on SWA not being ridiculous to Chicago, i would consider the Radisson Blu Chicago with the 1 free night and a revenue night added on.
Last edited by christianj; Nov 11, 2013 at 8:56 am