FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, Fort Worth, TX [Master Thread]

Mar 27, 2023 | 3:11 pm

#11

platbrownguy

Join Date: Jul 2004

Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE

Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold

Posts: 7,441

Holy cow, what a stunner.

Booked two nights on points (31k for one night, 35k for the other using a 35k cert). SNAs cleared at 5 days out to a vice presidential suite with separate bedroom and soaking tub. There are three such suites and we ended up in the Texana Suite, which is richly decorated with fun stuff all over the place. Everything just looks and feels well done, nothing feels cheap.

At check-in, the valets quickly took care of the bags and car. There's a QR code to text for your car when you want it, which I prefer. Check-in agent was a little robotic/aloof but otherwise friendly. We were technically early (3:15pm, check-in starts at 4) but I had called en route to make sure the room was ready and was told it was... but the agent still went through a short charade of "let me see if your room is available yet" before saying "okay, great, it is," and so forth. Got the run-down on the property and the keys, but she didn't say anything about Bonvoy, so I asked, and she was like "oh my goodness, Bonvoy, yes! and let me see here, oh, you're an ambassador! thank you for your loyalty" yada yada. She correctly provided the option of 1000 points or $10 F&B as the welcome gift, plus 750 points or daily continental breakfast vouchers as the lounge alternative (there is no lounge) -- I chose the $10 and the breakfast vouchers, and she gave me an additional $10 voucher as a courtesy. (Yes, I could have walked off with the keys and then sent a message to claim the guarantee compensation because I wasn't offered the amenities proactively, but it felt like an honest oversight rather than deception, and the property goes above & beyond -- by making a premium suite available in the SNA pool, for instance -- so I did not feel the need to be that guest.) This agent was the only person we encountered who was less than awesome, and even she was friendly, just aloof and probably new.

The grounds are gorgeous -- fun surprises everywhere (swinging couches, beautiful outdoor patio bar, pool, large hot tub, fire pits). The room is gorgeous. The lobby bar is gorgeous. We had a wedding to go to the first night so we quickly got ready and left for that, and when we returned there was a welcome note and a bottle of sparkling wine awaiting us in the room. (No macarons, but one of these days I will stop comparing myself to ElevatorEnthusiast . Not today, but one of these days.) My toddler was hungry, so I went down to the restaurant about 5 minutes before closing time and asked if I could get a side of avocado to go. The hostess didn't bat an eye and said "of course" and went back to the kitchen to put it in. She came back to say "it costs a dollar, is that okay?" and I laughed (I was expecting $5-10) and said at that price, let's do two. Sure enough, I was handed a carry-out box with two entire perfectly ripe avocados, perfectly peeled and diced. And the hostess said not to worry about the two bucks. That set the tone for the stay.

The breakfast vouchers cover $30 (continental breakfast for two), but you can use it towards anything, and you can stack the $10 F&B voucher with it. So the $40 covered the $15 biscuits & gravy with eggs, the $17 breakfast tacos, and the $8 kids chicken & biscuit (which includes fruit and a drink). A $2.28 "service charge" appeared on the folio, along with sales tax. I didn't ask about the service charge, but the server says it's added on when you use the Bonvoy voucher. So perhaps the $30 voucher really covers $27.72. Still, given the flexibility to apply it to anything on the menu (and given the relatively reasonable prices for fantastic food), I found it a great benefit compared to properties that only allow you to use the benefit for a sad pastry-loaded continental breakfast. Anyhow, on the food, the biscuits were freshly baked (the server warned us it would be 20 minutes, but he offered to bring the kid's fruit out right away, which worked great). Brisket on the brisket taco was on point. Breakfast potatoes with jalapenos and onions were perfect.

We went to the pool. Poolside food and beverage service is quick and friendly. Hot tub is hot. All I kept thinking is "wow, what a deal." This place charges $900+ per night on the weekend and even then is available for ~50k/night on points.

Pics below.