Thanks nyx.t2t. Completed my stay at the Empress in Victoria. Would love to say I had a positive experience but it was not to be. If I had not previously stayed at a Fairmont property, I would seriously never stay again. Without going into detail as I really do appreciate the great rate but IMHO this hotel barely rates as a 3 star. If anyone wants to PM me, I would be more than happy to share the details. Without a doubt, the best thing about this hotel is location.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ukidmenot
this hotel barely rates as a 3 star
Did you get a lower quality room due to being on an employee rate? I recall one other post on FT about this property where the poster was not happy with his room that faced the loading dock, but he never answered me when I asked if he was on an employee rate. I was there three weeks ago on a TravelZoo rate and enjoyed my stay, and I was very happy with my room which had a garden view. PHOTOS
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Thanks nyx.t2t. Completed my stay at the Empress in Victoria. Would love to say I had a positive experience but it was not to be. If I had not previously stayed at a Fairmont property, I would seriously never stay again. Without going into detail as I really do appreciate the great rate but IMHO this hotel barely rates as a 3 star. If anyone wants to PM me, I would be more than happy to share the details. Without a doubt, the best thing about this hotel is location.
Every hotel chain has a few shabby hotels and this is the one for Fairmont IMHO too. I've never seen dirtier glasses provided for me to use, the overall room did remind me of a 3 star hotel too.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ukidmenot
Thanks nyx.t2t. Completed my stay at the Empress in Victoria. Would love to say I had a positive experience but it was not to be. If I had not previously stayed at a Fairmont property, I would seriously never stay again. Without going into detail as I really do appreciate the great rate but IMHO this hotel barely rates as a 3 star. If anyone wants to PM me, I would be more than happy to share the details. Without a doubt, the best thing about this hotel is location.
I stayed there last year in the summer. It was 32 celsius and the room has no air conditioning, just a ceiling fan, similar to some hostels in Vietnam. The room was very smaller, smaller than hotel rooms in Hong Kong or Venice.
This is without a doubt the worst Fairmont hotel in the world.
I reserved at the fairmont Ghiradelli in April for Sept 4-13 with friends/family. I called Fairmont 3 weeks ago to enquire about getting a stay at Sonoma Fairmont for 2 nights in the middle of our stay and returning to San Francisco Ghiradelli for the last 5 nights. I asked if we could keep our rates from the april reservation. They said yes and sent confirmation emails. The manager for Ghiradelli just called and cancelled our reservation saying it was improper for them to give me this rate over the phone and he never approved it. What can i do about this? I called fairmont and they just put me through to him.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cko64
It was 32 celsius and the room has no air conditioning, just a ceiling fan, similar to some hostels in Vietnam.
How many days a year does Victoria have weather like that, though? I was there during the Pacific Northwest heat wave when Seattle was over 100F and Victoria at 95F ( I'm a regular summer visitor to Seattle since 1992 and can't recall it ever being 100 there--more often it's in the 70s). Lots of shops and restaurants had windows and doors propped open and fans running because they do not have air conditioning. The hotels in Seattle sold out because locals did not have air conditioning in their homes.
This past weekend I was in Seattle and it was in the 70s. I just can't see renovating a classic hotel to put in air conditioning that might be used every couple years for a few days. Can you imagine what their structure would end up looking like with AC units hanging out of every window?
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How can they cancel a reservation after they sent you new confirmation emails?
Isn't your confirmation like a contract? I believe so.
So do you have ANY rooms at Ghiradelli Square now at the F and F rate?
I had an issue with the manager at Ghiradelli Square my last stay.
Once i booked a "mistake" rate with Ritz Carlton San Fran for $50 a night. They honored the rate as long as I had my confirmation. Ritz Carlton stands by their rates regardless if it's a mistake rate. I booked 15 room nights at that rate....
Isn't your confirmation like a contract? I believe so.
I don't. A reservation AFAIK isn't a binding legal contract as no money changed hands, though that's only from a lowly travel agent's experience not an opinion from a lawyer, barrister or solicitor.
While it's too bad any reservation was cancelled it's not entirely surprising it would be this lcoation which is both fairly new and in Fairmont terms an elite private residence club that also doubles for some units as a hotel.
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Did you get a lower quality room due to being on an employee rate? I recall one other post on FT about this property where the poster was not happy with his room that faced the loading dock, but he never answered me when I asked if he was on an employee rate. I was there three weeks ago on a TravelZoo rate and enjoyed my stay, and I was very happy with my room which had a garden view. PHOTOS
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Having never stayed here before I have no idea if we were put in a lower quality room but keeping in mind that I had booked the cheapest room, I wasn't expecting a great view. We checked in late afternoon so it is very possible we got the bottom of the totem pole of even that category. I just posted a review on tripadvisor for anyone interested.
Every hotel chain has a few shabby hotels and this is the one for Fairmont IMHO too. I've never seen dirtier glasses provided for me to use, the overall room did remind me of a 3 star hotel too.
That's funny, the glasses in the armoire we took out in the morning were so filthy with dried crud and lipstick we took them with us when we checked out and actually put them on the counter. It disgusted me to the point that I wanted to be sure someone was held accountable. Reminds me of that show that had a hidden camera in the hotel rooms showing housekeeping rinsing them in sinks or windexing them or worse. Well, this was the worst I have ever, ever seen in a hotel especially one of this caliber.
I ate wednesday at Bourbon Steak in Aventura/Turnberry isle, the hotel and resturant were both HOPPING.
I was there a month back and it was deeeeeeeaaaaadddd. Last month I was there at about the same time, and thefre were 8 people total coming into/out of the restaurant, and there was one valet(at a time) handling everything for the entire time I was there(hotel/restaurant for 3 days) this time there were 3 valets, had a wait for getting the car even then. and the restaurant had 8 people every 10 minutes coming in.
Don't know if the promo had anything to do with it or not, but things were certainly looking up!
How many days a year does Victoria have weather like that, though? I was there during the Pacific Northwest heat wave when Seattle was over 100F and Victoria at 95F ( I'm a regular summer visitor to Seattle since 1992 and can't recall it ever being 100 there--more often it's in the 70s). Lots of shops and restaurants had windows and doors propped open and fans running because they do not have air conditioning. The hotels in Seattle sold out because locals did not have air conditioning in their homes.
This past weekend I was in Seattle and it was in the 70s. I just can't see renovating a classic hotel to put in air conditioning that might be used every couple years for a few days. Can you imagine what their structure would end up looking like with AC units hanging out of every window?
We have been having a great summer here on Vancouver Island, with temperatures usually in the mid to high 20's all the way up to the mid 30's. However, I don't think that has anything to do with the no air-conditioning issue. This hotel is overrated for the amenities it provides and the worn and outdated condition of the property. To be honest, I found it to be quite dirty. The rugs and carpeting were filthy and that includes the huge rug in the reception area. This is not rainy season where hundreds of muddy feet pass over it every day. The walk from the UG parkade to reception, stunk like a bat's #ss and the carpeting was disgusting. The "old yeller" bathtubs (ours had a leaky faucet that dripped all night) and the dirty grout in the bathroom just don't cut it. This property needs a major overhaul like the one they did on The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in the mid-nineties which is almost as old as the Empress. That property now has air-conditioning. Classic buildings are renovated all the time and this one appears to be long overdue for one.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by edmonton2001
thats great! keep those bookings coming... 4 months left. unless there is an extension...
AS posted before, the Friends and Family program has been around for decades. The NFAF will not end in 4 months, only the $10 commission that is passed onto the staff member that supplies the code.
I would hope that the staff members who have benefited from this wonderful promotion (great for the hotel guests too) will be as helpful with assistance obtaining the F&F rate once their incentive is gone.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seanthepilot
I would hope that the staff members who have benefited from this wonderful promotion (great for the hotel guests too) will be as helpful with assistance obtaining the F&F rate once their incentive is gone.
Agreed. That would be great and again promote the idea that FT is a community.
That is correct... partially. This program was an incentive program to the employees but they did also reduce the family and friends rates by at least $10 for each hotel. The NFAF code also makes it easier for us to help family and friends book because this gives them the power to book it on their own. Before this program, the employee actually has to book the trip for you through their employee website or over the telephone... which also means the employee needs personal information including credit card information too. I'll be more than happy to continue helping people who have helped me earn through this incentive program.
Quote:
Originally Posted by seanthepilot
AS posted before, the Friends and Family program has been around for decades. The NFAF will not end in 4 months, only the $10 commission that is passed onto the staff member that supplies the code.
I would hope that the staff members who have benefited from this wonderful promotion (great for the hotel guests too) will be as helpful with assistance obtaining the F&F rate once their incentive is gone.
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