PHL

Nice hotel, interesting design. Checked in last night to a dead computer system, so I sat in the lobby for a little while and waited. It's scary how reliant we've become on technology.

Got to my 3rd floor room(hotel has 8 floors), which was spacious and nicely appointed(Heavenly bed), but otherwise quite standard. Not the upgrade I had hoped for with my platinum status. The desk person even told me "We have your Starwood number on the record" At least a higher floor would have been nice.

The confectionary gift was simply a small bag of some kind of bread treats and a HALF size bottle of water(like something they'd serve elementry students!). Is that the 'confectionary gift???'. As a former Gold member I used to find TWO full size bottles of water in my rooms on check-in.

I won't complain to the hotel, because technically nothing is 'wrong'. It's quite possible their upgradeable rooms are sold out. I do know, however, that I won't go out of my way to stay exclusively at Starwoods to retain Platinum status.

BoSoxFan45

O.K.

I have a reservation there for a weekend trip, because it's cheaper than the other Starwood properties, and given that they have 33 suites, I presumed I could get one on a weekend.

I think a hotel should explain to you why you don't get an upgrade. If they simply said "the rooms are sold out", that would do fine by me.



[This message has been edited by BoSoxFan45 (edited 01-24-2001).]

SNA1K

I've found that the Waltham property is usually very full during the week due to all of the high tech companies around, and it is really the only nice property in the area (other than the Doubletree). In 5 stays I believe that I've been upgraded just once.

mntblue

I also found it hard to get upgrades at this property. It is, however, one of the best hotels around 128.

BoSoxFan45

I stayed in this property last Friday. Got a good $79 GPL rate. We were upgraded to an executive suite on the 3rd floor, which consisted of a large bedroom and a smallish interior living area with no window. There was one bathroom, ordinary Westin, attached to the living area. Nicely decorated, great bed, as usual. Amenity was waiting in room... two cute moon and star chocolates and a mini bottle of water.

We had breakfast in the restaraunt (Vineyard Room). Service there was lacking, as we tried hard to find an employee for 2 or 3 minutes before just sitting down and having the buffet. Only later did we find out that we could order a la carte.

The rate was great, and I was happy to get a suite upgrade, although I would have laid out the room so that each area had a window.

Jim90068

Stayed at the Westin Waltham for 4 night over Xmas. No upgrades available, although the hotel was largely empty.

First room given on 3rd floor has no heat. Called engineer......he tinkered....we left for the bar for an hour.....returned, still no heat. Was moved to another similar room down the hallway.

In both rooms they had 2 hangers each. Had to call for additional hangers.

Hotel has NO vending machines, and sundry shop had limited hour ( business day hours except Xmas dya when it was closed)...and Room bar wasn't serviced during out stay. On our 3rd day called down and asked for it to be serviced. Was told it would be done right away. Two hours later, nothing. Called again. Took 30 minutes for someone up to replace the diet cokes we'd had.

Had sunday brunch ( $16.50 each) at hotel. Denny's would have been better.

Overall a pretty miserable experience there.

Starwood Lurker

Jim90068, I am sorry to hear that your stay at The Westin Waltham was less than satisfactory. You should contact the Corporate Services Department and file a formal complaint.

You can contact them by calling 1-800-328-6242 if you are in the U.S. or Canada. Outside this area, call the Account Services Center closest to you (the number is on the reverse of your card) and ask to be transferred to Corporate Services. You may also send an e-mail to Corporate Services by accessing the Westin branded web site and clicking on 'Contact Us'. Your information will be forwarded to them. Please give as many details as possible as well as a way for them to contact you. Letters may be either mailed or faxed to the following address or fax numbers:

Starwood Corporate Services
Post Office Box 141609
Austin, Texas 78714-1609

Fax numbers: 512-835-9374 or 512-835-4417

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Jim90068

Thanks Lurker for your suggestion. I submitted my comments on the ratings card for the room, but typically, I receive no response whatsoever from the hotel I stayed at.

I'll try to do it your way and see if I get a response.

Starwood Lurker

Jim90068, I know you'll get one from either the hotel or from the Corporate Services Department. As for the comment card, we don't respond to these immediately, but each one is read and evaluated by the corporate office, and then passed on to the general manager. My understanding is that the general manager is supposed to respond when they receive it from the corporate office, but that could be a month or so down the road. Calling Corporate Services will get it done much quicker.

Best of luck,

William

[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited 01-02-2002).]

Jib

Checked out of this hotel today, will probably not return. There are other better options within driving distance.

The property is very nice, the service is very lacking.

1. No Executive Club, was told at check-in it was hotel policy not to comp breakfast even to PLT members.

2. No room upgrades, even though hotel appeared not to be full.

3. $.99 telephone per call surcharge.

This hotel is out-of-touch with customer service.

[This message has been edited by Jib (edited 04-04-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Jib (edited 04-04-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Jib (edited 04-05-2002).]

aleksir

Late last year I used to stay pretty exclusively at this hotel for my numerous trips to Boston. I have also had several disappointing stays there including broken heaters, no plat amenity, bad service (report a problem & nothing is done), etc. My last stay there I had a broken bench in the room, reported it to the front desk the next morning only to find it not fixed the next night. The following morning I took the leg with me down to the front desk, asked for the manager on duty and gave it to her. It was repaired that day, but by then I was fed up.

I also filled out the feedback card telling them of my issues (I had stayed there 20 nights in Dec/Jan) and explaining why I wasn't returning. They have lost another 40 nights of business already this year.

I was contacted by a manager to discuss my comments and we spoke about my experiences. I was also given 7K points in consideration. Someday I might return but I have been happy with the Colonial since.

For a night or a weekend I'd stay there again. Long term, nope.

------------------
AA Platinum
Starwood Platinum

Occupationalhazard

So I am on my way back to the Westin Waltham last night, and my truck decides to clunk out on me (What make? A hint: Found On Road Dead ). Since it was late, and the truck was still drivable, I parked it in the garage, and hunkered down for the night, thinking I would deal with it in the morning.... I was going to Springfield today (not-critical (and not anymore)), and then to Stamford (VERY critical).

The plan was to get to the business center, and get my Hertz # off of an excel spreadsheet, which would make my life a ton easier, then go to my buddy's place (he ain't home, but I have a key) get on the 'net on his computer (Where I am now. He doesn't have Excel; I don't know why. I didn't have my Hertz card with me and I DO know why: I was expecting my tuned-up-this-past-Tuesday truck to actually function for longer than 5 stinkin' days. ), rent a car, find a local repair shop, and, voila, problem well on it's way to being solved.

Regrettably, the business center was being renovated, so no computers. When I was checking out, I told my tale of woe to the clerk, she spoke with the manager on duty, and he let me use the office computer (William, if you're listening, and he wasn't supposed to do that (although I'm sure it doesn't matter), let it go. )

30 seconds later, I had the # I needed, and was on my way. Sure, small favor on his part, but he didn't *have* to do it, and it made my life a boatload easier in that I could book a car online, at a location that I didn't know about that turned out to be a short walk from my pal's house, walk over, get a car, and be sitting down to lunch at a favorite restaurant of mine on Moody St. about an hour after I left the hotel.
So thanks to the Westin Waltham staff.

Regards,

O/H


[This message has been edited by Occupationalhazard (edited 06-16-2002).]

Starwood Lurker

Thanks for sharing. By the way, the manager is safe. Can you imagine what my life would be like if I tried to track down things at 750 hotels that hotel employees weren't supposed to do.

The things I report to general managers are the things that his people might do that make your life miserable, not the things that make it easier.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited 06-17-2002).]

sbtinme

Well, after having seen lousy review after lousy review on FT about the Westin Waltham, I decided to stay there (after a few years) this past Friday night following a meeting in BOS. Was pleased with the $109 weekend rate, too.

I found it to be 90% great. The plat check-in was a 12 second breeze; I had been pre-assigned to a jr. suite on the 4th floor. I really liked the room -- just remodeled (the velvet curtain / heavenly bed thing) and the layout of the jr suite itself was good. Spacious bathroom, spotlessly clean.

The only lacking thing was the breakfast buffet, IMO. It's not that it wasn't good, it's just that I get so weary of cheap-o hotel breakfast buffets. This one was one of those. Yes, for $15, you too can get yogurt and cereal with a pre-baked, frozen/thawed faux croissant to go with it! It just bugs me. I long for the days when reasonably nice hotels ALWAYS had a pastry chef who made breakfast pastries and then the desserts for lunch/dinner.

Just wanted to let you know that, at least occasionally, a good stay CAN be had at the Westin Waltham.

777RJ

I am looking to stay the Westin Waltham next month. Was looking to see how platniums are treated. Is there a lounge? If there is not a lounge do they give breakfast coupons?

Thanks,
Reed