jn in ca

This is becoming a pet peeve of mine. Do they not see the downside of mounting the TVs with no swivel? Do they expect everyone to sit on the edge of the bed to watch TV? In the morning I often sit at the desk using my laptop, with CNBC on the TV. If I cannot do that, I don't stay at your hotel again.

Yeah, it's not just Marriott changing everything around because of the perceived desires of the new kids. Does anyone else look around the lobby when they check in? It is true that the new kids like to stick together like a pack, which is fine, but I've seen groups of twentysomethings, probably on their first business trip, sitting together in the hotel lobby, all looking down at their smartphone. If this is what the new kids call social interaction, I prefer the old style business trip: drunken sex that everyone regretted in the morning, but at least people talked, and it wasn't booorrring.

That was a very interesting article, thanks for linking to it. It mentioned smaller desks, not removing them completely. If the hotel gives me a smaller desk, they better give me 2 beds, because I'll need one to lay out my stuff. If they give a room with no desk I'll be back downstairs checking out.

spotfin

I don't find the new rooms that bad. To conduct business, all I need is my notebook and laptop. I can do this sitting in a chair, on the bed, lounge etc..
I travel too much to sweat the small stuff.

DL-Don

Good for you.

Many of the rest of us need to be somewhere quiet (like a room) to conduct a phone conversation, often confidential, and a desk to spread out charts, diagrams, financial analysis, etc. because we don't bring 27" LCD displays to be able to view them all on the screen simultaneously.

flyerfmaz

The real issue is what on EARTH is Marriott gaining by removing the desks? Maybe I should start complaining about the presence of ironing boards -- I never use them and they just take up space in the closet. Microwaves? I only use them once or twice a year, they can go. They can also get rid of the lamp by the entry door, I only really need the lamps at the side of the beds. I never, ever watch television -- they can go as well, since anything I want to watch can be viewed on my computer.

All crassness aside, hotels are in the business of accommodation. That's more than four walls and a bed. Getting rid of desks is positively dumb and serves no purpose whatsoever.

And for the record, while typing this I'm sitting at my DESK at the Marriott Springhill Suites in downtown Phoenix. There's a sofa to my left with a funky two-piece table -- which is at the wrong height and would probably give me carpal tunnel if I tried to use it with my laptop.

dank0014

The TV though works great as another monitor. Use that.

SkiAdcock

You mean the TVs hung on the wall w/ no swivel so one would need to sit on the bed in order to use it

Cheers.

DL-Don

Oh great! More cables to carry... VGA? HDMI?

joshua362

The cost of the desks!

Sousaphil

Marriott properties were completely booked a few weeks ago, so I ended up in a newly remodeled Holiday Inn Express. I believe a lot of thought went into their furniture and fixture design. There was a build-in place for my carry-on suitcase, good lighting, a desk with a plethora of available outlets (including USB), and a wall-mounted TV that was in good position for the bed and the couch!

I loved the layout of the room, but really disliked the A/C unit, which was clearly not replaced. The experience (and my cursory review of the loyalty program) definitely does not make me want to switch franchises.

artiem

FWIW, it's now mid-October and was no desk in my room here at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown. I complained to the front desk, and they brought up one of those oval room-service tables. (Hint: IT'S NOT THE SAME.) On top of that, the only available power outlet is on the other side of the room, hidden behind the high-backed easy chair.

I do like the little charging station they have on the nightstand. It has two Lightning connectors ^ and one old-style 30-pin connector, but no plain old USB ports.

Oh yeah, and the wireless network here is terrible. Just really, great job on the renovation, guys.

flyerfmaz

Lack of a desk would be far from small stuff to me. It would be beyond absurd. My typical work day involves many meetings, followed by several hours of support work at the hotel usually involving complex charts, drawings, reports, and other paperwork. Like many people, the hotel room is my office on the road. There is NO way I could successfully conduct business while cross-legged on the bed with my laptop, or on the sofa with the laptop on a table that's too small and at the wrong height. It's also bad for your back, your posture, and ability to focus. Marriott has lost its collective mind by removing the desks.

cmculp

The Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church has had a complete makeover since my last stay here. As shown, it retained a desk (meaning a plat surface under the wall mounted TV one can use to work on). What it didn't retain was any drawer or cabinetry. The desk has no storage space, the night stands are just U shaped tables with no storage and there is nothing anywhere in the room or closed for storage except the hanging rack in the closet. So you have to live out of your suitcase. There is plenty of unused floor space, so that isn't the issue.

Also, the formerly present refrigerator is no more.

flyerfmaz

My wife and I ran into the lack of storage space issue when we went to the east coast for a wedding. We were there for 3 or 4 nights and stayed at a SHS in Northern Virginia. The room completely lacked storage space and it was a huge mess living out of our suitcases. I like Marriott properties -- I swear I really do -- and stay at them every week for business. But for cryin' out loud -- are they going to strip their rooms of usable furniture and turn them into some sort of empty shell with a bed?

RogerD408

Why does the image of a dry cleaner's rail system with hanging sleep sacks come to mind? The airlines are heading there with stacking passengers so why not hotels. Just think of the views you could get making the rounds at upper levels!

sethb

I've also run into way too many hotels that don't think dressers ought to be provided.

I was really surprised that one of them was a Hilton Grand Vacations Club; they expect people to stay there for a week without a dresser?