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Last week I was in Rome for work and stayed two nights at the Westin Excelsior and one night at the Saint Regis. I booked the Westin Excelsior on an SPG Hot Escapes rate a few months ago and the Saint Regis through Virtuoso. I booked the lowest available room at each as an SPG Gold.

At the Westin, I checked in around noon. When I checked in at the Westin, it was about noon. I had a great chat with the front desk agent and let her know it was my first time at the hotel. I asked if there was a chance of an upgrade and – just to see what happened – asked if there was a suite available. She said the hotel was fairly full and I reminded her I didn’t need to check in, I could just drop my bags. She did some checking, and said, “would you need a late check out?” I explained no, thinking it would help and she smiled and tapped away and said, “I can help you out then.” A few minutes later she handed me the key and said, “there are no suites, but this is a very nice room and it is available now.” I was fine with that, but it was a weird exchange. Anyway, the room was very nice, but I would not say it was large or particularly nice and there was no view. It was what I booked so I can’t be upset, but it was strange she thought she was “helping me out”. I truly didn’t need a late check out, but had I needed it, I would have been annoyed.

I liked the Westin for its location directly next to the American Embassy to the Holy See (where I had a meeting one of the days) and to a few restaurants. But to get to the Vatican or Piazza Navonna, it wasn’t particular convenient.

I was surprised how I felt almost “invisible” to the hotel staff. Doors weren’t opened, no greeting coming and going, no one out front to hail a cab. The second night I came back to my room, there was a very strange smell in the room, like a dead animal. I called right away and they said, “turn off your air conditioner and open a window OR we could give you a new room. It was after 10pm and I did not want to pack everything, so I just said okay.” When I checked out, I mentioned the problem again and their response was “thank you for telling us” but no further attention was paid to it. It wasn’t a total disaster, but wasn’t what I expected. Also, in the room at the Westin is a note offering a complimentary cup of tea or coffee for guests, one each day. I asked for tea one evening and that appeared on my room bill for 8 Euro. I mentioned it should be free and the desk agent took it off without saying a word.

I stupidly left two pair of trousers in the drawer after moving to the Saint Regis. When I called that night from the Saint Regis, they couldn’t have cared less and told me to call back in the morning. In the morning, I went to the hotel and it took them over 45 minutes to bring the items to me. It was my fault, but their response to my mistake was to have no concern or care at all. And the delay caused me to miss breakfast at the Saint Regis.

Then I moved to the Saint Regis, just about a five minute walk up the Via Veneto. I checked in at the Saint Regis on a Virtuoso rate about noon. When I checked in I said, “I don’t need to check in right away, but are you able to upgrade the room?” She immediately said “no,” and kept typing without looking up. I said, “what if I check in later?” She said, “your Gold status gives you an enhanced room only.” Just to see if it mattered I said, “but I am also on a Virtuoso rate,” and she replied, “and that is only if available.”

The room I was assigned was a standard room, and it was perfectly fine. The décor of the hotel is a bit much for me, and the grandiosity also. For those who like that, it is probably one of the nicest.

Because I had a $100 credit as a part of Virtuoso, I asked if it was possible to use it for the spa or for ground transportation and again, rudely told “no.” I’m fine with the rules, but there was no real courtesy offered. Anyway, because it was for food only, I invited some friends up for a light lunch in the lobby bar. It was about 80 Euro for the lunch, which was perfectly nice, but did not stand out much. I looked at the check later and saw that the Diet Coke I ordered was 10 Euro. No refills either!

When I arrived back to my room that evening I did have chocolates, candies, AND a bottle of champagne waiting for me. I was alone, so I called room service and asked them to come get the bottle of champagne and asked for a cup of tea instead, and they brought it to my room without charge. Oddly, I figured since they didn’t ask what kind of tea they would bring a selection. They didn’t. Just decaf Earl Grey, which was fine.

Because I was running late to the airport and had to walk back to the Westin, where I waited for so long, I did not get a chance to have the breakfast that was included in my Virtuoso rate, unfortunately. Check out at the Saint Regis was uneventful and fine.

Between Westin and Saint Regis, I’m not sure which I would choose. Some favor the location of the Westin, but it is honestly not much further to the Saint Regis. Neither property made me feel particularly at home and my suspicion is that the little extra attention I got at the Saint Regis was because I was on the Virtuoso rate, not Gold status. I much prefer the Cavalieri and I would not stay in either of these two over the Cav.