IC The Willard Washington - Page 5

choptliva · Apr 6, 07, 3:20 pm

Thanks. That's what I thought too. Just wondered if there's an alternative...

choptliva · Apr 8, 07, 4:17 pm

Into the second day of our 2-night stay at the Willard. This is our fourth stay in the last six months (guess we must like it).
Booked deluxe room. Got deluxe room. Check-in person kept telling me she upgraded me. But hey, this is my fourth time here. This is not an upgrade. In fact, it wouldn't even surprise me if this was a downgrade.
Ambassador amenities (the wonderful three pieces of fruit and a bottle of water) did not arrive. Had to go downstairs and ask (called first, but was put on hold for five minutes and still no response). What I wouldn't do for fruit!!

Turned out they didn't put me down on the "list" to get the goodies. Wow. Four times in six months, and....
Then just got notice today that there will be scheduled power maintenance thing tonight. No power from midnight till 5 am. Now, sure, these things need to be done. But this is pre-planned, no? I think they should have informed people ahead of time that this would happen, and if we have a problem, we can find alternative accommodation elsewhere. Not to spring it on us WHILE we're here. This is decidedly not cool. No power. No TV. No heat/air con, no phone, no WATER!!!! And if you can't sleep? Count sheep in the dark, I suppose. I am very disappointed about this lack of heads-up. I would have gone elsewhere had I known.

BTW, instead of paying for internet access, I used the openpark wireless that's free. Cool. Thanks, vsevolod4!

So, as I was saying, we have returned four times in six months. We had very good experiences here. Until this time. Not that we're having a bad experience, but surely I had expected better from the Willard.

holtju2 · Apr 8, 07, 10:19 pm

It seems that I am going to the Freddies at the end of this month and consider staying at the Park Hyatt or Willard.

How are the typical weekend rates at Willard? I was only able to pull up rates in the $400+ neighborhood, although they were offering a government rate of $102 too (to which I am not eligible for).

choptliva · Apr 9, 07, 6:39 am

In the winter it was common to get deluxe rooms just around 300. Getting higher now as warmer weather approaches, now usually just under 400 for deluxe rooms.

HLS2002 · Apr 9, 07, 1:24 pm

I was at the Willard over the weekend on a points stay I had reserved while the rate was 30k points. I'm a lowly Ambassador now, having been downgraded from RA.

My original reservation was for a "superior" room. The front desk claimed they upgraded me to a deluxe, but my room -- 718 -- appeared to be the smallest one in the hotel based on the fire plan on the door. I noticed that the maid carts were stocked with Penhaligons products, but my allegedly deluxe room didn't have these.

I didn't receive any kind of Ambassador amenity, but I called "service express" and they sent up fruit and a bottle of Fiji water. On the other hand, I was surprised to find that the hotel automatically removed the movie charge from my bill. Also, I had no trouble getting 4 p.m. late check-out (but this was DC on a weekend).

In short, I was somewhat disappointed by the hotel. I don't think I'll choose the Willard for upcoming business stays. There was nothing inherently wrong with my room, but for the prevailing rates, I can usually do better elsewhere. I'd pay in the $400s for a Willard room but not for the room I had over the weekend. I'm invited to a reception in the Capital Suite next week; if I make it, I'll report back on that.

On a positive note, I liked the new Cafe du Parc. They had decent miniature pastries, and my latte was surprisingly cheap. Still, I overheard an exchange between the staff and some poor fellow who had a voucher for free breakfast. They apparently wouldn't let him use it in the cafe for a few dollars in pastries, even though he was entitled to free, full room service breakfast.

HLS2002 · Apr 23, 07, 10:33 am

I went back to the Willard for Wednesday night, 18th April. From my prior stays, I knew the "deluxe" room I would get by reserving the cheapest room was just not acceptable. By chance, I found a somewhat decent rate on a premier room on the interconti.com web site. I'm not sure what a premier room is like, but I understand from this forum that reserving a premier ought to lead to a Willard room for an ambassador.

Despite reserving the premier, the front desk gave me a deluxe. When I complained, they insisted I had reserved a superior and that I would have to pay extra if I wanted a Willard room. After continued complaining, someone in management called me back. He apologized but said there were no better rooms available. He said he will make a note so that I get a Willard room next time.

I don't know if there will be a next time. Regardless, I ought to get some compensation for my downgrade. I think a letter to the GM is in order. Incidentally, does anyone know what a room below deluxe looks like? The deluxe is pretty bare-bones, so I'm thinking of Eugene Levy's room in "Best in Show".

At least I got my liter of Fiji water and 3 pieces of fruit without asking this time. No gift, but getting late check-out and the free movie was effortless.

Camino1 · Apr 23, 07, 10:52 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLS2002

He apologized but said there were no better rooms available. He said he will make a note so that I get a Willard room next time.

I don't know if there will be a next time. Regardless, I ought to get some compensation for my downgrade. I think a letter to the GM is in order. Incidentally, does anyone know what a room below deluxe looks like? The deluxe is pretty bare-bones, so I'm thinking of Eugene Levy's room in "Best in Show".

Thanks for doing the hard work of pushing back. I am saddened by their policy change as this was one of our favorite hotels.

thesimflyer · Apr 23, 07, 11:59 am

HLS2002 why didnt you phone ambassador help desk and they will sort it out and why didnt you go on the internett to show them that they had available rooms (if they had)?

Club_IC · Apr 23, 07, 12:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosmo King

Capitol Steps are indeed playing "Fri and Sat nights year round"

http://www.capsteps.com/live/

My experience show that upgrades at the IC Willard are easiest to get on Fri - Sat nights. Sun would be next. More difficult on Mon - Thurs nights. Many, many business customers (read: expense account) during the week and not too many open rooms/suites.

Thanks for your feedback. A weekend stay I guest it will have to be;-)

HLS2002 · Apr 23, 07, 12:20 pm

I may have been too naive. I didn't question that the hotel really was full. The fellow from management told me so, and the hotel was very busy with various conventions in progress. In fact, it had come up as completely full when I had searched for reservations a couple times in the past. It crossed my mind when I reserved that a Willard room upgrade might not be available given capacity issues, but I thought I could safely assume I'd get at least the premier room I booked (and also hoped for the chance I might get a better upgrade). I forwarded my confirmation e-mail to the guest relations manager, so I don't think they continued to question that I reserved the premier room.

choptliva · Apr 23, 07, 3:32 pm

I fired off a letter to the GM right after my previous experience, and that was two weeks ago. Have not heard anything. Though not identical, I think my experience (at least the upgrade part) was very similar to HLS2002's.

Had been happy in general with The Willard up till this time. This has been disappointing and surprising.

barbecj · Apr 23, 07, 3:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLS2002

I may have been too naive. I didn't question that the hotel really was full. The fellow from management told me so, and the hotel was very busy with various conventions in progress. In fact, it had come up as completely full when I had searched for reservations a couple times in the past. It crossed my mind when I reserved that a Willard room upgrade might not be available given capacity issues, but I thought I could safely assume I'd get at least the premier room I booked (and also hoped for the chance I might get a better upgrade). I forwarded my confirmation e-mail to the guest relations manager, so I don't think they continued to question that I reserved the premier room.

I have only stayed at the Willard once but I was under the impression that the Premier was higher than the Deluxe.

HLS2002 · Apr 23, 07, 5:16 pm

Barbecj -- My understanding is that the lowest category is superior, then deluxe, premier, Willard, and then the various suites. I haven't seen a superior. I find the deluxe pretty spartan. I've seen a Willard room, and it was nice.

Nosmo King · Apr 23, 07, 6:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLS2002

Barbecj -- My understanding is that the lowest category is superior, then deluxe, premier, Willard, and then the various suites. I haven't seen a superior. I find the deluxe pretty spartan. I've seen a Willard room, and it was nice.

Some Willard Rooms are smaller than deluxe/superior rooms (I still haven't figured out which is supposed to be "better").
On my last stay I was upgraded to a Willard Room -- 3rd floor, corner room facing Penn Ave and 15 St -- basically looking sideways toward the Washington Hotel.

Nice location -- if it had been on the 10th or 11th floor; but the room was definately smaller than other more ordinary rooms I'd received (pre-upgrade, that is, prior to RA status).

**gleff** · Apr 23, 07, 6:20 pm

Has there been an actual policy change for Royal Ambassadors here? I've always been able to count on an upgrade to a 1200 sq ft-ish 2 bathroom suite (though I've never scored one of the megasuites). Is that no longer a given?