IME your observation is inconsistent with reality.
Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
1) Bathroom amenities -- it's now marriott-standard Thann and one soap.
It was Thann before Marriott took over, too. No downgrade. (I don't care for Thann soap and use the standard, round LC soap.)
Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
2) There used to be bath salt, no longer. Also used to be flowers and stuff.
Did you request any bath salts? Is it possible that someone forgot them? "Flowers and stuff" is hard to understand. There is always a small flowering plant in the room when I'm in a suite; I can't recall if there's one in regular rooms. The one in the suite is still there. What is "stuff"?
Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
3) Fruit plate is...3 items, used to be more, and is very boring (apple/banana and then something else)
OK, you find apples and bananas boring. Some people (me) like them. I have a friend who's an Ambassador level Marriott regular who specifically likes bananas. They are in his profile, IIRC. But there
are two levels of fruit plates. I'm LT TIT, and I, too, have received the unenhanced version. Sometimes mistakes do happen. Mentioned it to management and it was remedied that same day. If there was usually a particular fruit on the plate that you like and it was missing, just ask the housekeeping person who takes care of your room. I've done that, and it was supplied.
Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
4) Breakfast at Basil was markedly better than Rossini or Sala or Orchid, but is no longer an Ambassador option.
Basil isn't open for breakfast. It opens for dinner at 6 p.m., except for the Sunday jazz brunch, when it opens at noon along with the rest of the brunch offerings.
Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
5) Bar Su canapes have...substantially downgraded.
This has been discussed at length in another thread. Canapés at BarSu are the same ones served in Living Room
plus popcorn. And, as
LIH Prem's photos showed, they haven't been downgraded at all.
Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
6) Registered guest requirement is now pretty strongly enforced (I used to have a local friend come to join me once during a stay for a drink, since I only use it once or twice during a stay, and I have no interest in drinking alone or "meeting people at a bar". We just went to El Gaucho instead.)
The hotel is adhering to a long standing published policy. I don't have a problem with that. And, of course, you spend more on drinks for two at El Gaucho than you do for drinks for one (your guest) at SGS.
Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
7) Rossini breakfast is "single item from the menu" and cheese/meat/etc. is less than it was before. Overall the selection at Rossini isn't what it was a year or two ago, although I seem to think the individual items on the menu are better.
Again, the multiple mains issue was discussed at length (
ad nauseum) some time ago in another thread. When you say that the selection isn't what it once was, what items have you noticed to be missing? What "cheese/meat/etc. is less than it was before"?
Actually, going back and rereading your complaints about the rooms and amenities, it strikes me that both of your complaints (paragraphs 2 and 3) could be explained by your not receiving elite benefits for Ambassador level guests. It looks like you received benefits for a non-elite guest. That's happened twice to me, too, in the 13 years that I've been staying there. That's easily remedied by talking to the Front Desk or Rooms Manager.