I've stayed at what is now the Westin Pasadena for years, since it first opened as a Doubletree. It was, IMHO, the finest hotel in the pre-hilton-era Doubletree chain: Superb rooms, well maintained, a good health club, great location, easy parking relatively cheap, and nice common spaces. Its only drawback was a lack of a decent bar or restaurant, but with downtown Pasadena turning into a destination, there was plenty to do for the last 7-8 years of my stays, and whenever I had business in this area, that was my first choice if the rate was right.

Now, it's a Westin. My last two stays there were fine. Sure, there is a certain unfinished strangeness to it--- a paper "Westin" sign in the elevator evidently covering up the Doubletree etching on the brass plate (so what?). I like the new bedding, which is standard Heavenly. Generally, one would think this could do nothing but improve things.

Not last night, nor my prior trip.

First, I was advised by telephone reservations at the Platinum Concierge that there were "renovations going on in some room areas during the day". Fair enough: I would be arriving at 6pm and leaving at 7am--not a problem for ME. Well, I have no idea if they're renovating rooms noisily, but nobody advised me on these things:

1) As a platinum I couldn't get an upgrade even to a King bed, despite the fact that the parking area was half empty. Hmmmm. Again, no problem: the twin beds in Heavenly livery were pretty comfy, and I was alone.

2) Nobody mentioned anything about the lounge at the desk; it didn't even occur to me to ask because I've been there so many times, and this is a nice hotel.... Silly me, at 6am I can't remember what floor it's on. I call down, and am told that there is no lounge because it is being renovated. Expecting them to give me a restaurant coupon, I tell them I'm a Platinum and I ask for suggestions for a coffee and croissant: they tell me to go to the Oaks. I go there. Closed. Open at 6:30, and I don't have time to wait (8am flight, why push it). I mention this to the desk clerk supervisor, who informs me that they have no lounge: "It's not standard at Westin."

I *hate it* when hospitality staff lie to you pretending that they know all. It's unprofessional and gives anybody with any contrary knowledge a true tacky feeling about a place or firm.

3) When I checked in, I had to go to a meeting right away, so I didn't park. I told them I would be parking when I came back after dinner, and was told to bring the ticket to the desk to get a pass. Fair enough. I did. There was another person at the desk, and when the clerk saw me with ticket in hand, I was told to put my room number on it and they would send a pass up and slip it under the door. What a nice touch! I went to bed thinking how much I liked that kind of service, not making me wait for some guy who was disputing some portion of his bill, and sending me to bed. But you know what happened: no ticket or pass under the door when I got up early.

So I call down: what should I do? (I now have neither pass nor ticket to get out of the lot). No problem Mr. SST, just stop by the front desk, it'll be ready. So I go down there at 6. Nope. Nobody knows what I'm talking about. No pass waiting. The clerk hears my story and makes up a pass for me, after a minute or so of typing into a terminal. Moral here: high expectations, unfulfilled.

4) So let's talk facilities. My tub didn't drain. 5 minutes after I got out, still trickling out, and I stood in a lake while showering. And the newly-installed double Heavenly SHowerheads were fine, I guess, except the last person had turned the second one off, and it was just not a lot of water in any case even when I figured how to get them back working again. I mentioned that somebody ought to look at the tub drain to my checkout guy, and got an "OK" from him. I got no feeling that anyone would.

The TV, while a "flat screen"(but not a flat panel; just a cheap Zenith), had serious reception problems. Snow?????? In the media capital of the world? On channel 4? I tried fiddling with the cable connections on the back of the tv, but to no avail. Fortunately, I was tired and hit the sack immediately and only half watched the sports on the late news. Nevertheless, a new TV should have a fine picture and not look snowy on every channel.

Parking: many of the spaces are too narrow. I had a Cavalier, and I had trouble with a couple of them. What happens if you drive a Lincoln? (you use the valet). There were plenty of open spaces. That's because people parked every other space, trying to avoid being the crunch-ee.

SO, OK, that's all my observations. To sum up, it's a fine hotel, or it has been, and I expect it to keep being one. The Westin beds are a good improvement, but the staff has some problems delivering on what Westin usually means to me. And I appreciated that the Starwood reservations people warned me about renovations, so I could make my lodging choice fully aware. But I DO NOT believe staff who tell me that a lounge isn't standard at a Westin (especially when other staff told me it was being renovated), and I don't appreciate being directed to a restaurant that isn't open, for a comp snack that isn't offered. And there's no excuse for a slow drain in a hotel. SOMEBODY puts water in that tub every time there's a guest who leaves----- didn't anyone notice? Didn't anyone tell Maintenance? And TV should never be a problem, especially in LA. (Note: a good channel lineup, too. Too bad the reception is poor and the tube is cheap with a poor quality picture, not sharp.) And I still wonder whether they really didn't have any better rooms available for somebody who checks in before 6, with a history of stays, and Platinum Number on the reservation.

Was I offered the Starwood Promise for any of this? Would I be writing this if I was? I probably wouldn't; I'd be thinking I helped them out telling them, and counting my points instead. But nobody offered, and I've grown weary of hinting, especially when the staff seem uninterested in your comments.

I already had to book the thing by phone because of this week's SPG website downtime, so theoretically I'll get an extra 500 points from that inconvenience. But I'm beginning to miss chocolate chip cookies.