Originally Posted by
DJ_Iceman
I know even before I write this post that some people are going to read it and think of me as a whiny crybaby who really has nothing to complain about. But since this is FT, and we're all about getting the most we can in terms of elite benefits, I have to ask...
I'm a platinum premier with Marriott. So far I've stayed 109 nights in Marriott beds this year. The vast majority of those stays have ranged from pleasant to outstanding, which of course is what has kept me coming back to Marriott all these years.
Last night I was staying at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. I noticed online a couple of days before my stay that I had been upgraded to a club level room. Pretty standard, and I was hoping for an even better upgrade before check-in. The day before check-in I was still in a club level room, but the hotel was now sold out, so I figured that further upgrades were unlikely.
I checked in and was given my key packet for a room on the 6th floor. The front desk agent thanked me for being a platinum member and told me the lounge was on the 20th floor. I didn't say anything, because that exchange usually means I've gotten a nice suite so I tolerate the low floor despite my profile preference for a high one. I got to my room and found it was a totally standard, ordinary room in the middle of the hallway on the 6th floor.
I didn't complain to anybody, because ultimately the hotel was sold out and all I'm really promised as an elite member is access to the lounge. But I found myself getting more and more disappointed, realizing that somebody who'd spent their first 50 nights even in a Marriott this year would have gotten the exact same "upgrade" I got, which was nothing more than access to the lounge. I guess I just have to wonder if every single room on the floors above mine was filled with higher revenue or loyalty guests--of course the answer is "no", so the real answer is that they just didn't care about my preferences and when they decided to downgrade me from the pre-blocked club level room they just stuck me in whatever was left.
The room was clean, comfortable, and quiet. I did have access to the lounge, and found all the staff I came into contact with friendly and professional. At one time, that would have been enough to define a perfectly acceptable stay. But I guess I really have come to expect more than the bare minimum promised by the MR T&C. Particularly as a platinum premier, I almost take being on the actual club floor for granted (especially on a one-night stay). And when I'm not on the club floor, I'm at least on a very high floor near the lounge and the front desk is usually apologetic as all get-out.
Okay, I feel better just whining to you all about it. I'm ready for the backlash. Let me have it!
I also had the opportunity to stay at this Renaissance last week for four days. I spend about 150 nights a year at Marriott properties a year in the U. S. and this was my first experience at a U. S Renaissance Hotel. There were positives and negatives:
Positives:
-when I called in to make reservations, I was told the hotel was sold out and when I mentioned that I was Platinum and I was making reservations several weeks in advance, he indicated that he could still not book me a room. I went online at Marriott.com and booked it without any problems.
-the hotel was located very close to the convention center where I was attending a meeting
-the hotel is close to the airport
Somewhat negative:
-I was placed on the 10th floor, with the club lounge being on the 20th floor. I also prefer high floors but I don’t usually spend a lot of time taking in the views
-I was not impressed by the dining room at the hotel; food was not that good
-the room service menu seemed to be very meager…and when ordered was not very good
-the club lounge was, I thought, subpar….the snacks were average at best…however, I did not have breakfast there and that may have been better.
Definitely negative:
-on two of the four days there, my room was not made up at 4:30 PM when I returned to the room and I had to call housekeeping. One of those days was Friday when the club lounge closed at noon. I would have expected better service from a hotel that charged $399.00 for two nights and $299.00 for the other two.
The only other Renaissance hotels I have stayed were in Hong Kong (now being replaced) and Manila (now a New World Hotel). The Boston Renaissance does not come close to them. But generally good customer service is the trademark of Asian hotels and those hotels had much better club lounges. I did not expect this Renasissance to match the Asian hotels and they did not.
I was disappointed, but for the most part I was surprised by what I considered a lack of customer service. I thought it would be better than this. The room I was given was fine.