JimmyJoe

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Not really: 2 out of 5 rating experience

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked 4 nights at the cheapest rate 1 day prior. I was updated to a junior suite in room 1216. There are 19 floors at the hotel. The club lounge is on the 17th floor. The club room is about the size of 3 hotel rooms. I never saw more than 4 others in lounge. The staff were very hands off.

How are the rooms?
I liked the room a lot. The bed was comfy with great (standard for IC) sheets. Three different vases of flowers. I liked the view okay and love the bathrooms.

Negatives were that the couch was uncomfortable, the TV was small and was difficult to view from any position (couch, desk and bed). The water pressure in the shower cannot be controlled and it runs very high.

How is the exec. lounge?
Each night there was 1 hot dish which ranged to great to amazing! I really liked the local flavors of the dishes. The other food items were good to Amazing. I really liked the seasoning of the cold tuna; but, I didn't care for many of the other cold items.

I never had breakfast in the lounge.

The coffee both in the lounge and breakfast restaurant downstairs sucked majorly. Like, this is the worst ever coffee at a hotel.

Did you receive a welcome gift?
No. I was told I would get one but it never arrived. Water and fruit were also promised at checking, but they too never arrived.

How was the minibar?
Bad. There was one half bottle of champagne. I found the same delicious brand for around $5 in the market 6 blocks away. There were also 2 cans of German style beer, 1 50ml gin, and 1 50 ml bourbon. There was also a few sodas and juices.

What was good and what was bad?

-Good
The room upgrade was nice.

The lounge update is always welcome.

Bed was comfortable and wifi was fast.

I liked the piano playing in the lobby in the evenings.

-Bad
My credit card was stolen from the room by an employee and lots of charges were made on it. The credit card issuer caught all of the charges and canceled the card. I reported the theft to the front desk who was offended by my accusation and said their employees have worked there a long time -- .... A manager called my room and didn't seem to believe me or take it seriously. She never assured me that my belongings were safe for the remaining of the stay, she never assured me that the staff would treat me well and not retaliate, she never offered compensation, she never came to discuss this with me face-to-face. She never acknowledged the inconvenience of replacing the card.

The swimming pool was closed for renovations. I don't recall this being stated on their website.

Awful coffee throughout the hotel.

When I asked the door staff for a taxi, one employee disappeared for 2 minutes or so. He came back with man who walked me to a car parked in front. I started to get in the car and realized it wasn't a taxi. I asked for the rate and he said $200,000. I said no thanks and walked away to find my own taxi which was $120,000 to the destination. I don't mind hiring a private car, but when I ask for a taxi, I want a taxi, not a swap to your friend's car.

Mini bar was filled just once in 4 nights.

No gift, water, or fruit given (although it was promised).

Breakfast is lacking in options. No yogurt, no Asian food options, no granola, nothing creative at all. Eggs, bacon, sausage -- that's it and, not even hash browns.

No currency exchange in the hotel (perhaps federal laws don't permit hotels to exchange money?). ATM is 2 bocks away and charges $6.

There were many very loud protests passing in front of the hotel during my stay. Due to jet lag I slept till 2 pm. I was woken 5-7 times due to different protest groups passing the hotel. They has lots of noise making fireworks and drums. Each time they passed it the noise would last for 5 to 15 minutes.

Very difficult to get a taxi. Sometimes the hotel was on a vehicle lockdown -- meaning vehicles were not allowed into and out of the lobby drop of area -- presumably due to the protesting.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
I think my average nightly rate with tax was $225. Having not stayed at other hotels in B. A., it's difficult for me to say the value of this one. One a global IC perspective, I would say it's below average.

Would you return?
I will actively avoid this hotel. If the staff seemed to care in the least bit that my credit card was stolen by housekeeping, I wouldn't avoid this hotel. However, their complete lack of regard for the theft has pushed me over the I-want-to-like-this-hotel hill.
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