Stay Review:
This was probably my 10th stay at Cosmo and probably one of the worst. Everything in perspective, it was still a nice stay but I didn't feel like a valued guest like I had at times in the past.
I stayed a few weeks ago on a promotion I booked around Xmas time, it was $109/nt with no resort fee. I stayed Thurs-Sun on 2 reservations (Thursday only, then Fri-Sun - the reason is not important) for a terrace studio. I am a Marriott gold so I am able to use the lounge, but when I walked by the check in desk it was wide open so I just went there. I don't know if this was a mistake or not. I'm supposed to get a free upgrade (when available) but I clearly did not get any kind of upgrade. I don't get the impression that they are aware that we are entitled to them when available.
When I checked in I asked for the Blvd tower. I was told that there were no rooms ready in that tower but I could wait or I could get a room in the Chelsea tower. I was anxious to settle in and start my day so I took the Chelsea room.
The room was a non-updated room and there were several (very minor) maintenance issues:
1. Toilet ran/filled every few minutes real briefly. Couldn't really hear it with the door closed.
2. The manual light controls on one side of the bed did not work, the lamp did on/off with the master controls.
3. The closet light did not work.
In addition, the room was just near the fire station.
We also found an empty bottle in the mini bar.
After one night in that room, I went to the lounge on Friday morning at around 9am to see if I could change rooms with my goal being to get into a room a) in the Blvd tower and b) without the maintenance issues. I was told no problem, they would call me when the room was ready.
About 20 minutes later, my phone rings and they give me a new room with a number very similar to the one I just left, just 2 floors higher. I told them I was supposed to get into the Blvd tower. They told me - at approximately 9:30am on Friday - that there were NO ROOMS available in that tower (despite lounge desk agent telling me no problem) and that was my only only option. I felt like I had been lied to. Why had the lounge agent not told me about the inventory issue, and how on earth could they be out of Terrace Studios or 1BD's at 9:30am on Friday before the weekend visitors all arrived? Sorry Cosmo, I don't believe you. But nothing I could do. I hate being lied to, that's the worst thing they could do to me and that kind of ruined the stay for me. There's no way that I believe they legitimately had no rooms in the Blvd tower for me. The new room at least had no maintenance issues, but still had plenty of fire truck action
Regarding $50 sandwiches:
At $50 the value is marginal depending on several factors. The view upgrade or Studio to 1BD upgrade is not going to cost you much more than $50 depending on your length of stay so you might as well book what you want. You'll never get a wrap-around upgrade with a $50 sandwich, in my opinion. I believe that $20 would be enough if you just want to try to make sure you get the tower and floor you want. It might be more worth $50 if you want a City --> Terrace upgrade.