A personal first after 1000+ Marriott nights and probably another 1000+ elsewhere.

I was staying at the Icon in Houston, one of my favourite business Marriott properties this week, and when I arrived back last night, my card key would not work.

Surprisingly, there were no lights at all on the lock - normally when your key doesn't work, a red or orange light shows.

I tried my second key card - same result, then, just before heading down to get the card recut, pushed the handle and the door opened! A few minutes further playing showed that the door was completely unlocked and there was no need for any key of any sort to get in.

I called the front desk and explained what the issue was. The first response was to send someone up with a new key. Next came a maintenance man who confirmed that the door lock wasn't working, told me that he couldn't fix it and suggested I lock the door from the inside.

He then asked what time I'd be up in the morningt (7 a.m.) and said he'd have someone up to the room at that time so I could get breakfast.

I was actually on a call 7 - 8 and when that finished, I gathered my things together and went to check out. It seemed to come as a total surprise to the front desk that there was any issue with the room at all.

So I'm now doubly cheesed off with the hotel. Firstly because it happened in the first place and my belongings were available to anyone who wanted for an unknown period of time, and secondly with the totally underwhelming way they responded to what, to me at least, was a serious issue.

I will speak with them again more formally and let you know what the outcome was.