Originally Posted by
ElevatorEnthusiast
Whew, nothing since 2017! Well, I was able to catch a rate here that was lower than Beaux Arts, so I moved my reservation down to the "lower floors." I have some thoughts, so let's dive in to my pros, cons, notes, and photos.
Pros:
- The agent on arrival said before I asked that they were checking for suites and offered me either a Junior Suite with 2 double beds or a full Bay Suite with 1 king bed but an accessible bathroom - I took the Bay Suite
- Was able to get a suite at 1:30 PM on a Sunday upon arrival
- The Bay Suites are large (1.5 baths, door-separated rooms) and located in the corner with lots of windows and a design that is reminiscent of a cheesy executive boardroom (kind of fun)
- Views were nice - though, you basically only see a sliver of water by Brickell Key due to the imposing and ugly-right-now Aston Martin tower that is still under construction
- I loved the large executive desk in a nook off of the living room
- Living room couch was ugly but quite plush and comfortable
- Bed was comfortable - covers of good thickness, plush pillows, and a mattress topper (though the topper was a bit lumpy)
- Internet TV OS
- Pretty bathroom that looks good (yet gaudy)
- Real Jacuzzi bathtub
- Shower pressure was pretty good (more on shower in the Cons section)
- No issue with 4 PM late checkout
- Evening lounge attendant offered me a free glass of prosecco, and the chocolate petit four was pretty good
- Breakfast wasn't bad - definitely lounge fare (powdered eggs, etc), but passable, and service was very nice and thorough and friendly
- Very comfortable and clean robe
- Engineering came up quickly to fix a toilet that wouldn't stop flushing
Cons:
- Rooms are definitely due for a refresh - no cleanliness issues, but the styling looks a bit stodgy (though, I kind of liked it)
- Accessible shower was poorly-designed - you had to use the wand as the attached head would shoot out water towards the toilet even at its most inward angle and with the curtain closed
- There was a wireless headset phone in the bedroom that wouldn't stop beeping at odd times - since it was battery-operated, it couldn't be turned off (I hid it in a living room drawer, which was fine)
- Bathroom mirror TV was inoperable
Notes:
- The property has an odd lounge system where snacks and evening service takes place in a lounge on the 36th floor, and breakfast (only for lounge guests) is served in a lounge-like buffet in a restaurant space with real table settings on the 2nd floor (not an issue, but interesting)
- Apparently, Shaq had a hand in building this hotel, which probably explains why it has a full basketball court
- The phone screen addressed me as "X5-[my name]" - funny to see these status codes in action
Overall, I would return, but I might prioritize Beaux Arts in my decisions due to the design. JWMM is probably better, though, for upgrade chances as it is much larger (floors 21-36, 41 vs. 37-39).
Hi EE, thanks for the detailed recent write up.
Can you expand on your lounge experience? There are posts from years back that state the lounge is quite stingy and locking up drinks...was it still like that when you went? Some older reviews state the lounge is decent, others saying not so good for a JW....whats your take?
I've more or less settled on this JW for my trip next week (which I asked about in the miami thread)...suite upgrade and lounge access are very important to me...so im hesitating given mixed feedback on the lounge and the fact that everyone says the hotel is so tired...i could go the beaux arts route, but ive heard as you alluded that upgrades chances are lower...decisions decisions...hvae to decide by end of day Jan 1!
Also happy new years!