SkiAdcock

A 'mini-do' if you two meet up for drink or meal

Cheers.

Milkman

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a mini do?

SkiAdcock

A "Do" is when FTers get together, whether for a drink, meal, or more organized get together such as OzFest each May. Often they get posted in CommunityBuzz. Can be just a few folk up to a lot of folk.

I was just joking that if you & CubaLibre were at the property at the same time, you could meet up for a 'mini-do'.

Cheers.

Milkman

Sure, would make much sense. ^

365RoadWarrior

I'm a Hyatt/SPG/Hilton loyalist (three-way loyalty?) on first, deliberate Marriott stay in years. Gold status from some airline program, I think.

Wrapping up four days here. I won't comment n Georgetown. You'll come here if you have reason to come. Otherwise unlikely.

Hotel has treated me well. Nice room on executive floor overlooking "beach" and pool. Pretty plush soft materials (bedding, towels, fabrics). Not the slipshod quality often found in some parts of the world. Lounge access (not sure if in rate of from status). Lounge is peaceful with view of beach, six floors below my room. Several hot breakfast and evening dishes. Not especially vegetarian friendly, but I didn't starve. Good 24 hour gym, again with a view. Staff has been kind; everyone knows my name and greets me. Main (mostly seafood) restaurant has three meals a day buffet style; lunch and dinner each US $30, pretty pricey for Guyana, but choices are limited. Long walk to anything, and not much there once you arrive.

For me, it was a good stay/place. Closer to home and much easier travel than usual (Africa) destinations, and English is official language.

Quick note on the airport: no bank, no currency exchange, no ATM. (You've got Guyanese Dollars, right?)

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

Milkman

I'm quite sure there is an ATM by departures, down to your right when you enter the open arrivals space?

If not, and if you dare, you can walk the 3 mins down the road from Marriott to Pegasus, once you get into town. They have a Scotiabank ATM on the premises.

I will be going back to Georgetown tomorrow for a few nights.

365RoadWarrior

There is an ATM that only accepts MasterCard branded ATM cards and, apparently, only ones linked to the owner Guyanese bank. My point was that this leaves most people without cash (again, no bank). So I had to negotiate a taxi ride based on an expectation that I would be able to locate a functional ATM.

The problem is apparently known, at least in the sense that there have been at least two newspaper articles about it.

Milkman

Taxi drivers - at least operating from the airport - usually accept USD. I never had a problem paying in USD when getting in.

Thanks for the heads up though, it's really odd that there's no opportunity of obtaining local cash upon arrival.
Even the tiny airport in Kingstown St Vincent has a working ATM.

Milkman

Just to follow up on the topic above. I just got back from 3 nights in Guyana. The hotel now has a Scotiabank ATM right next to the reception.

Ate in the main restaurant for the first time. Wasn't impressed and the prices are ridiculous. Had a friend joining me for a buffet dinner and got terrible service.
Dinner wise it's much better to do the short walk over to hang out by the pool at Pegasus, where you can get a more locally inspired meal a lot cheaper and with more attentive service.

The lounge seems to have limited the food offering in the evenings. I remembered it to be more vast than just a few salad options, a soup and a hot snack (sliders and chicken quesadillas the two evenings I went).

Staff very nice as always. Room also up to standard.

Spent_All_My_Miles

I stayed at the hotel in December 2017 and wanted to add my comments.
I am a plat and was upgraded to a suite overlooking the "beach" as someone put it. As others noted, the quality of the bedding, towels, etc. is great.
It is now a Cat 3, but still a great use of points; they had C&P availability, which made it an even better deal.
I agree that the restaurant is over-priced, but the breakfast and the evening snacks in the lounge are great - I felt like skipping dinner. Not an infinite number of choices, but enough to make a meal of it if you want.
The lounge is closed over weekends; you get to eat the buffet breakfast in the restaurant instead; there is no make-up for the evening food.
Several times I had to leave the hotel early in the morning before the buffet started, and the hotel was happy to pack me a box of food.
Outside the hotel, where cars pull up, there is a plaque that indicates that the president of Guyana opened the hotel -- that might explain why there is a Marriott here and not a Courtyard.
I agree that the architecture of the hotel doesn't quite jibe with Georgetown, but then again, it is not smack-dab in the city, but a few blocks north. The Courtyard in Paramaribo, though, did at least style its roof to look a bit like the colonial architecture.
Re cash, every taxi driver took USD, as do the airlines. Some shops in Georgetown only accept local currency, but you can find money-changers fairly easily.
I can't imagine I will be back in Guyana, but if I were, I would look forward to staying at the Marriott again.

hockeyinsider

I have always wanted to stay here, if only because the property looks gorgeous. Also, Georgetown is full of historic architecture. Unfortunately, there's no cheap way to get to Guayana from the United States.

Milkman

Was back at this property last week after having deliberately opted out for a long period of time. Oil and gas people are flooding the place and rates have gone through the roof as a consequence. However, due to July 4th (I believe?) last week had more affordable rates.

You can definitely tell that the business has picked up. Lounge food is better than ever and variety has definitely improved with several hot options now. Overall found rooms to be maintaining standards and service to be good and attentive. Restaurant and lobby cafe still laughably overpriced.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

jinrop

Spent a week here recently and the hotel is definitely the nicest thing you are going to find in Guyana. I would recommend getting a room NOT on the beach side as there are frequently bands etc playing at night and beachside rooms are very loud. As stated earlier prices are exorbitant for guyana for both rooms and F&B but are only going to go up with all the oilfield business headed there now. Still the price is worth the premium as nighttime off the hotel grounds in Georgetown felt a bit sketchy at times.