Conrad Miami {US-FL}
Sep 14, 2004, 8:16 pm
#47
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,531
Trip Report
I stayed at the Conrad Miami last weekend.
Fare Quote: $100
+ taxes, total $113.
Overview:
The property is located in the downtown area of Miami, where most of the major banks have their headquarters. The property actually has a branch of el Banco Espiritu Santo. Also note the property is selling Residences at the Conrad. My $12 shuttle ride from the airport took approximately 10 minutes. It was also this long on the return Monday around 8:30AM. Despite what others suggest, I would say this property is not "close" to South Beach, as I paid $20 for a one-way cab ride that appeared to be a fairly direct route.
Check-in:
I was met at the front door by Angela with a warm smile. I carried my own soft bag despite the bellman's objections. Angela took me to the 25th floor. The hotel has no major lobby at the ground floor; check in and all hotel functions are on the 25th floor. Once there, Nicos registered me, recognized my HH Gold status, and told me I had been upgraded to a larger room with a view. Angela then took me to a separate bank of elevators for a ride down to the 20th floor.
The Room:
I stayed in Room 2016. The first impression you have is of the large, bright bathroom to your immediate left. It has a window the entire span of the room which begins at the top of the bathtub. There is a separate shower and tub, one sink, with a vanity (with Bulgari vert toiletries) which spans the wall of the room. It is very well-lit. Four sets of plush towels were available. The tub had a tray installed to house a book, etc., and also had a pillow.
We then moved into the main room where a queen size bed, desk, office chair, and tv console were found. Across from the closet was a set of shelves with miscellaneous snack additions from the minibar. There was a large window behind the bed, and then windows spanned the entire width of the room. What was remarkable to me at this point was beyond the desk chair and bed, there was nowhere else to sit in the room. There seemed to me to be ample room for a side chair near the window.
The views were lovely (and most of the agents I spoke with during my stay said they liked the "16" rooms for the two views.
Angela left me with a packet (including a coupon for breakfast which she didn't mention). Once I got settled, I heard an incessant noise that I couldn't quite place. It seemed to only be audible from the desk and TV areas. I finally realized the alarm clock in the adjoining room had been going off. I called maintenance and they came up to the room to turn it off.
Technology:
Three multi-line phones were available, including a cordless at the night table. The hotel boasted complimentary wired and wireless internet access, but the wireless connection signal was "poor" per my trusty Dell. I lost the signal repeatedly, causing frustration. I finally called down to the desk and the delivered a cable to contact to the port built into the desk.
The night table had a philips radio/alarm clock. No CD player, although I suppose one could play CDs from the DVD. The TV seemed disproportionately small from the space built for it. A power plug in the wall was not working, and there was a phantom light switch in the entry.
Service:
The small snafus/encounters I had were dealt with quickly. Around 9pm, I walked downstairs to inquire about dinner options (this is Miami), and the concierge was not in. Seeing the bar and restaurant at the Conrad were empty I took a quick walk to the Mandarin Oriental and had a great meal at Cafe Sambal. When I asked the desk to make a reservation for the airport shuttle, they were in error about the pricing, but this was quickly resolved. I met with the maid who asked me when I would like turn down service and it was delivered quite nicely.
Overall Evaluation:
The property has excellent views, fine appointments, and strives to take care of their guests. I would recommend the property to those with business downtown, or have an early morning flight, or are overnighting between a flight and a cruise. If you wish to sample nightlife, the Fountainbleu is probably a better choice. Having said that, I slept like a baby in the bed, cuddled next to my first Conrad Dolphin...
Some photos for those of you with interest:
http://www.phlbuddy.photosite.com/chmiami/
Fare Quote: $100
+ taxes, total $113.
Overview:
The property is located in the downtown area of Miami, where most of the major banks have their headquarters. The property actually has a branch of el Banco Espiritu Santo. Also note the property is selling Residences at the Conrad. My $12 shuttle ride from the airport took approximately 10 minutes. It was also this long on the return Monday around 8:30AM. Despite what others suggest, I would say this property is not "close" to South Beach, as I paid $20 for a one-way cab ride that appeared to be a fairly direct route.
Check-in:
I was met at the front door by Angela with a warm smile. I carried my own soft bag despite the bellman's objections. Angela took me to the 25th floor. The hotel has no major lobby at the ground floor; check in and all hotel functions are on the 25th floor. Once there, Nicos registered me, recognized my HH Gold status, and told me I had been upgraded to a larger room with a view. Angela then took me to a separate bank of elevators for a ride down to the 20th floor.
The Room:
I stayed in Room 2016. The first impression you have is of the large, bright bathroom to your immediate left. It has a window the entire span of the room which begins at the top of the bathtub. There is a separate shower and tub, one sink, with a vanity (with Bulgari vert toiletries) which spans the wall of the room. It is very well-lit. Four sets of plush towels were available. The tub had a tray installed to house a book, etc., and also had a pillow.
We then moved into the main room where a queen size bed, desk, office chair, and tv console were found. Across from the closet was a set of shelves with miscellaneous snack additions from the minibar. There was a large window behind the bed, and then windows spanned the entire width of the room. What was remarkable to me at this point was beyond the desk chair and bed, there was nowhere else to sit in the room. There seemed to me to be ample room for a side chair near the window.
The views were lovely (and most of the agents I spoke with during my stay said they liked the "16" rooms for the two views.
Angela left me with a packet (including a coupon for breakfast which she didn't mention). Once I got settled, I heard an incessant noise that I couldn't quite place. It seemed to only be audible from the desk and TV areas. I finally realized the alarm clock in the adjoining room had been going off. I called maintenance and they came up to the room to turn it off.
Technology:
Three multi-line phones were available, including a cordless at the night table. The hotel boasted complimentary wired and wireless internet access, but the wireless connection signal was "poor" per my trusty Dell. I lost the signal repeatedly, causing frustration. I finally called down to the desk and the delivered a cable to contact to the port built into the desk.
The night table had a philips radio/alarm clock. No CD player, although I suppose one could play CDs from the DVD. The TV seemed disproportionately small from the space built for it. A power plug in the wall was not working, and there was a phantom light switch in the entry.
Service:
The small snafus/encounters I had were dealt with quickly. Around 9pm, I walked downstairs to inquire about dinner options (this is Miami), and the concierge was not in. Seeing the bar and restaurant at the Conrad were empty I took a quick walk to the Mandarin Oriental and had a great meal at Cafe Sambal. When I asked the desk to make a reservation for the airport shuttle, they were in error about the pricing, but this was quickly resolved. I met with the maid who asked me when I would like turn down service and it was delivered quite nicely.
Overall Evaluation:
The property has excellent views, fine appointments, and strives to take care of their guests. I would recommend the property to those with business downtown, or have an early morning flight, or are overnighting between a flight and a cruise. If you wish to sample nightlife, the Fountainbleu is probably a better choice. Having said that, I slept like a baby in the bed, cuddled next to my first Conrad Dolphin...
Some photos for those of you with interest:
http://www.phlbuddy.photosite.com/chmiami/
Oct 11, 2004, 9:55 pm
#48
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta Diamond, United IK, AA LifPLT, Hyatt Globalist, IHG PLT AMB, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton G
Posts: 1,169
I just stayed this weekend and I can honestly say I will never return. The hotel was fine, but nothing special, given the true first class hotels in the area. The price was right however. No special treatment for Gold and no room upgrade. In fact, I am concerned that the hotels has a substantial number of rooms with queen size beds. I do not believe the FS or Ritz have rooms with queen beds. Not sure why they did not spring for Kings in all rooms with one bed. Service was poor, parking slow and restuarant not good.
I have a feeling in a year or so, this property will be re-branded either a regular hilton or marriott of some other second tier hotel. It is too bad cause Hilton/COnrad had an opening in Miami and blew it.
I have a feeling in a year or so, this property will be re-branded either a regular hilton or marriott of some other second tier hotel. It is too bad cause Hilton/COnrad had an opening in Miami and blew it.
Jan 28, 2005, 7:55 pm
#49
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Lifetime Plat, AA EXP, SPG platinum, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 145
Beware of Conrad Miami--bad experiences
I just wanted to relay my experiences at the Conrad Hotel in Miami--the first stand-alone Conrad in the US. Having had stellar experiences with Conrads in Asia, I was looking forward to my stay here--and if all went well, I was seriously contemplating purchasing one of the residences in the attached Conrad-managed condo complex as a vacation home. Well, that's definitely out the window given the litany of service gaffes that I've experienced.
The main problem, I believe, is a lack of staff--and a lack of qualified staff in particular. One can't count on getting ANYTHING done here without 2-3 phone calls to follow up. The issues are legion--and I'm a very easy person to please--just get the basics of managing a hotel right. I can certainly understand a few problems with a visit, but a dozen or so within an 7-hour timeframe? Amazing... I don't know how this property garnered a 5-star from AAA.
Some of the issues that I faced.
* Valet parking: it took 10 minutes plus of waiting in the driveway before an attendant showed up--apparently they only had one attendant to service a half dozen cars waiting in mid-afternoon. Valet and self-parking are both priced at $24/day--and self-parking has no in-or-out privileges, so it's $24 EACH time you enter and exit--a bit excessive when you charge $300-400/night for the base room alone. No help was offered by the porter with my luggage.
* Room assignment: when I checked in, my preassigned corner room was reassigned to a mid-hall room. No explanation was given. Later I was told that the corner room was awaiting cleaning. I could've easily waited for them to clean it if I had been made aware of the option. Front desk staff exuded attitude--and I ended up having to thank the clerk instead.
* Wrong room assigned: when I went to my room, I found out that it was already occupied by another guest. I called the front desk to have this remedied--they said that they would send someone immediately. Immediately meant 30 minutes of cooling my heels with my luggage in the hallway. I had to call a second time before the front desk brought a set of card keys for a (yet smaller) room with less of a view. No apologies were given, but at this point, I just wanted a room--any room. By the way, in my ten plus years of traveling for work, I've NEVER been assigned to an occupied room--esp. one in which the occupant was still in bed. I felt bad for the other guest.
* I called the front desk manager to ask what happened. She sounded apologetic and said that it was a computer error, and that as a gesture of goodwill, she would send sparkling wine to my room. That was 4pm. By 9pm, no wine--I called the front desk again, and they said they don't know of the issue but will "look into it."
* Breakfast amenity: I looked at my welcome folio and noticed that there wasn't any mention of the complimentary Gold-member breakfast. Another call to the front desk (answered only after 7-14 rings--this is very consistent for this hotel) elicited an apology and the "coupon" was delivered 3 hours later. The coupon turned out to be for a "cosmopolitan" breakfast, which consisted of coffee, a glass of juice, and a couple of small pastries.
* Ethernet cable missing in the room: I called the "guest specialist line" to ask for one to be sent up. This was 4.30pm. By 5.30pm, no one has delivered it. I called again and finally received it by 6pm.
* Room service: I ordered a simple fruit plate and a fish dish. Room service came on-time, but delivered a panini instead. I caught that and asked that the correct entree be delivered. The attendant was apologetic but had to come back for the 3d time because he forgot to bring the bill for me to sign. At least the grouper was nicely grilled.
* Turndown service: none was offered by 9pm. I called the guest services line and was told that they will generally come by by 10pm--late for me so I politely declined.
* Room condition: nice furnishings--clearly borrowed a page from the W Hotels, but the carpets were in bad condition given how new this hotel is (6mos--already big black stains by the window and series of large bleached spots by the bed. A DVD player complements a 27" CRT TV--but no DVD/CD library on hand--like the Asian Conrads.
* Complimentary shoe-shine: it was returned at the promised time, but with a job so badly done that I had to scrub it down with bathroom tissue. It looked as if someone just sprayed and dripped black polish onto the shoe and returned it.
All of the above experiences happened within a 7 hour time period. It took unnecessary time out of my work schedule to get some very simple tasks done. I was going to tap the business center for Fedex shipping materials--but in light of the difficulties encountered thus far, I thought better of it and lugged my stuff five blocks to the local Fedex Kinkos office instead.
About the only up-to-par experience that I've had at this hotel is the fitness center--nicely sized and equipped with a complete set of new weights, cardio, and nautilus equipment--about 20 in all. Flat screens were everywhere and headsets readily available.
I filled out the small guest-services card, and was going to send a personal email to the general manager Robert Thrailkill, but noticed that he and his staff doesn't have email addresses--very uncharacteristic for a Conrad. All of their international property managers have email addresses.
This is a shame as I was looking forward to the expansion of the Conrad chain in the US (Vegas is next). If the service levels at their Miami property is any indication, I won't be holding my breath.
The main problem, I believe, is a lack of staff--and a lack of qualified staff in particular. One can't count on getting ANYTHING done here without 2-3 phone calls to follow up. The issues are legion--and I'm a very easy person to please--just get the basics of managing a hotel right. I can certainly understand a few problems with a visit, but a dozen or so within an 7-hour timeframe? Amazing... I don't know how this property garnered a 5-star from AAA.
Some of the issues that I faced.
* Valet parking: it took 10 minutes plus of waiting in the driveway before an attendant showed up--apparently they only had one attendant to service a half dozen cars waiting in mid-afternoon. Valet and self-parking are both priced at $24/day--and self-parking has no in-or-out privileges, so it's $24 EACH time you enter and exit--a bit excessive when you charge $300-400/night for the base room alone. No help was offered by the porter with my luggage.
* Room assignment: when I checked in, my preassigned corner room was reassigned to a mid-hall room. No explanation was given. Later I was told that the corner room was awaiting cleaning. I could've easily waited for them to clean it if I had been made aware of the option. Front desk staff exuded attitude--and I ended up having to thank the clerk instead.
* Wrong room assigned: when I went to my room, I found out that it was already occupied by another guest. I called the front desk to have this remedied--they said that they would send someone immediately. Immediately meant 30 minutes of cooling my heels with my luggage in the hallway. I had to call a second time before the front desk brought a set of card keys for a (yet smaller) room with less of a view. No apologies were given, but at this point, I just wanted a room--any room. By the way, in my ten plus years of traveling for work, I've NEVER been assigned to an occupied room--esp. one in which the occupant was still in bed. I felt bad for the other guest.
* I called the front desk manager to ask what happened. She sounded apologetic and said that it was a computer error, and that as a gesture of goodwill, she would send sparkling wine to my room. That was 4pm. By 9pm, no wine--I called the front desk again, and they said they don't know of the issue but will "look into it."
* Breakfast amenity: I looked at my welcome folio and noticed that there wasn't any mention of the complimentary Gold-member breakfast. Another call to the front desk (answered only after 7-14 rings--this is very consistent for this hotel) elicited an apology and the "coupon" was delivered 3 hours later. The coupon turned out to be for a "cosmopolitan" breakfast, which consisted of coffee, a glass of juice, and a couple of small pastries.
* Ethernet cable missing in the room: I called the "guest specialist line" to ask for one to be sent up. This was 4.30pm. By 5.30pm, no one has delivered it. I called again and finally received it by 6pm.
* Room service: I ordered a simple fruit plate and a fish dish. Room service came on-time, but delivered a panini instead. I caught that and asked that the correct entree be delivered. The attendant was apologetic but had to come back for the 3d time because he forgot to bring the bill for me to sign. At least the grouper was nicely grilled.
* Turndown service: none was offered by 9pm. I called the guest services line and was told that they will generally come by by 10pm--late for me so I politely declined.
* Room condition: nice furnishings--clearly borrowed a page from the W Hotels, but the carpets were in bad condition given how new this hotel is (6mos--already big black stains by the window and series of large bleached spots by the bed. A DVD player complements a 27" CRT TV--but no DVD/CD library on hand--like the Asian Conrads.
* Complimentary shoe-shine: it was returned at the promised time, but with a job so badly done that I had to scrub it down with bathroom tissue. It looked as if someone just sprayed and dripped black polish onto the shoe and returned it.
All of the above experiences happened within a 7 hour time period. It took unnecessary time out of my work schedule to get some very simple tasks done. I was going to tap the business center for Fedex shipping materials--but in light of the difficulties encountered thus far, I thought better of it and lugged my stuff five blocks to the local Fedex Kinkos office instead.
About the only up-to-par experience that I've had at this hotel is the fitness center--nicely sized and equipped with a complete set of new weights, cardio, and nautilus equipment--about 20 in all. Flat screens were everywhere and headsets readily available.
I filled out the small guest-services card, and was going to send a personal email to the general manager Robert Thrailkill, but noticed that he and his staff doesn't have email addresses--very uncharacteristic for a Conrad. All of their international property managers have email addresses.
This is a shame as I was looking forward to the expansion of the Conrad chain in the US (Vegas is next). If the service levels at their Miami property is any indication, I won't be holding my breath.
Jan 28, 2005, 8:49 pm
#50
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Programs: QC, QF, Avis Preferred, BW Crown Club, Priority Club
Posts: 1,451
This is not on in any Hilton property, let alone a Conrad.
I can speak from my own Asia and Australian Conrad experiences in saying that I hope this was a one off.
I can speak from my own Asia and Australian Conrad experiences in saying that I hope this was a one off.
Jan 28, 2005, 10:56 pm
#51
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Tampa, Florida, U.S.A.
Posts: 7,664
I have had 4 stays at that property all at rates considerably lower than $300 and encountered none of the problems listed here.
On three of the stays I was given a bay-view room and the other a view facing south east.
Even to the question self parking I was able enter and return as I please at the flat $24. I suspect you misunderstood the terms of self-parking ( the parking/parking garage incidentally is not owned and operated by the Conrad)
I never had to wait for valet or a porter and upon pulling in was immediately ecscorted to the elevators to reception an in fact most times the bags were already in my room when I entered.
As for the breakfast when you check in you are given a small white card in the package which you present for the cold breakfast which could be upgraded to the full breafast for $8.00??
Sorry had such bad luck.
mike
On three of the stays I was given a bay-view room and the other a view facing south east.
Even to the question self parking I was able enter and return as I please at the flat $24. I suspect you misunderstood the terms of self-parking ( the parking/parking garage incidentally is not owned and operated by the Conrad)
I never had to wait for valet or a porter and upon pulling in was immediately ecscorted to the elevators to reception an in fact most times the bags were already in my room when I entered.
As for the breakfast when you check in you are given a small white card in the package which you present for the cold breakfast which could be upgraded to the full breafast for $8.00??
Sorry had such bad luck.
mike
Jan 28, 2005, 11:10 pm
#52
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta GM +MM; SPG LT Plat; Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 291
Conrad Istanbul - worse than Miami!
I agree with your outrage! When you stay at a mid-star level airport property, you have a certain set of expectations. But when they bother to put 5 stars next to their name and charge accordingly, even minor inconveniences are unacceptable. And, it's not that small problems arise, it's how they are dealt with. I pay for a five star hotel for my convenience... extra amenities and excellent service. When this doesn't happen, I want to know that this is a rare mistake, and not have someone stare blankly back at me.
I've been meaning to detail my Conrad Istanbul experiences this past Nov/Dec.
They outright refused to upgrade me at the diamond desk, then proceeded to show me to the polar opposite of what I'd reserved... a smoking, king instead of non-smoking double with no internet or upgraded amenities on the 3rd floor. When I asked to be switched, they said to wait in the room until a manager came back on duty, which took 2 hours!!! This was at 4 pm after a very long flight from the US. I ended up changing rooms every day for the next 4 days due to various things not working, like running water, lights, internet, etc. I was refused (as a diamond!!!) access to the executive lounge... even after getting an exec room. (The hotel was not even at 50% occupancy and they had plenty exec rooms available.)
As I was scheduled to return to the property in 2 weeks, I asked to speak to the manager, who personally assured me he would look after my reservation. Not only was it not looked after, they lost it! The print out of my reservation was not sufficient, so I was forced to sign into my on-line HH account to show them the active reservation. As there was (again) no manager on duty at 3 pm on a sunday, and non-managers are not authorized to do anything, I was checked into an executive level room, and asked to wait until the next day when the GM would be there so they could figure out what to do.
After leaving 2 messages during the day on the GM's voicemail, he finally called me back at 7 pm, claiming no one on his staff had informed him of my problem. That meant that either his staff lied to me at check-in when they assured me they would work everyhting out with the GM first thing in the am(even exchanging business cards) or the GM had been told and lied to me directly.
He fumbled around a bit, and finally offered to comp the stay. I was pleased. Except, of course, until I checked out early the next morning and it wasn't.
If you're going to Istanbul, choose the FS and save yourself a headache.
I am not looking forward to the expansion of the Conrad brand.
I've been meaning to detail my Conrad Istanbul experiences this past Nov/Dec.
They outright refused to upgrade me at the diamond desk, then proceeded to show me to the polar opposite of what I'd reserved... a smoking, king instead of non-smoking double with no internet or upgraded amenities on the 3rd floor. When I asked to be switched, they said to wait in the room until a manager came back on duty, which took 2 hours!!! This was at 4 pm after a very long flight from the US. I ended up changing rooms every day for the next 4 days due to various things not working, like running water, lights, internet, etc. I was refused (as a diamond!!!) access to the executive lounge... even after getting an exec room. (The hotel was not even at 50% occupancy and they had plenty exec rooms available.)
As I was scheduled to return to the property in 2 weeks, I asked to speak to the manager, who personally assured me he would look after my reservation. Not only was it not looked after, they lost it! The print out of my reservation was not sufficient, so I was forced to sign into my on-line HH account to show them the active reservation. As there was (again) no manager on duty at 3 pm on a sunday, and non-managers are not authorized to do anything, I was checked into an executive level room, and asked to wait until the next day when the GM would be there so they could figure out what to do.
After leaving 2 messages during the day on the GM's voicemail, he finally called me back at 7 pm, claiming no one on his staff had informed him of my problem. That meant that either his staff lied to me at check-in when they assured me they would work everyhting out with the GM first thing in the am(even exchanging business cards) or the GM had been told and lied to me directly.
He fumbled around a bit, and finally offered to comp the stay. I was pleased. Except, of course, until I checked out early the next morning and it wasn't.
If you're going to Istanbul, choose the FS and save yourself a headache.
I am not looking forward to the expansion of the Conrad brand.
Jan 29, 2005, 11:51 am
#53
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SLC
Programs: DL PM/CRC, MarriottGold
Posts: 63
Originally Posted by Michael899
I just wanted to relay my experiences at the Conrad Hotel in Miami--the first stand-alone Conrad in the US. Having had stellar experiences with Conrads in Asia, I was looking forward to my stay here--and if all went well, I was seriously contemplating purchasing one of the residences in the attached Conrad-managed condo complex as a vacation home. Well, that's definitely out the window given the litany of service gaffes that I've experienced.
The main problem, I believe, is a lack of staff--and a lack of qualified staff in particular. One can't count on getting ANYTHING done here without 2-3 phone calls to follow up. The issues are legion--and I'm a very easy person to please--just get the basics of managing a hotel right. I can certainly understand a few problems with a visit, but a dozen or so within an 7-hour timeframe? Amazing... I don't know how this property garnered a 5-star from AAA.
Some of the issues that I faced.
* Valet parking: it took 10 minutes plus of waiting in the driveway before an attendant showed up--apparently they only had one attendant to service a half dozen cars waiting in mid-afternoon. Valet and self-parking are both priced at $24/day--and self-parking has no in-or-out privileges, so it's $24 EACH time you enter and exit--a bit excessive when you charge $300-400/night for the base room alone. No help was offered by the porter with my luggage.
* Room assignment: when I checked in, my preassigned corner room was reassigned to a mid-hall room. No explanation was given. Later I was told that the corner room was awaiting cleaning. I could've easily waited for them to clean it if I had been made aware of the option. Front desk staff exuded attitude--and I ended up having to thank the clerk instead.
* Wrong room assigned: when I went to my room, I found out that it was already occupied by another guest. I called the front desk to have this remedied--they said that they would send someone immediately. Immediately meant 30 minutes of cooling my heels with my luggage in the hallway. I had to call a second time before the front desk brought a set of card keys for a (yet smaller) room with less of a view. No apologies were given, but at this point, I just wanted a room--any room. By the way, in my ten plus years of traveling for work, I've NEVER been assigned to an occupied room--esp. one in which the occupant was still in bed. I felt bad for the other guest.
* I called the front desk manager to ask what happened. She sounded apologetic and said that it was a computer error, and that as a gesture of goodwill, she would send sparkling wine to my room. That was 4pm. By 9pm, no wine--I called the front desk again, and they said they don't know of the issue but will "look into it."
* Breakfast amenity: I looked at my welcome folio and noticed that there wasn't any mention of the complimentary Gold-member breakfast. Another call to the front desk (answered only after 7-14 rings--this is very consistent for this hotel) elicited an apology and the "coupon" was delivered 3 hours later. The coupon turned out to be for a "cosmopolitan" breakfast, which consisted of coffee, a glass of juice, and a couple of small pastries.
* Ethernet cable missing in the room: I called the "guest specialist line" to ask for one to be sent up. This was 4.30pm. By 5.30pm, no one has delivered it. I called again and finally received it by 6pm.
* Room service: I ordered a simple fruit plate and a fish dish. Room service came on-time, but delivered a panini instead. I caught that and asked that the correct entree be delivered. The attendant was apologetic but had to come back for the 3d time because he forgot to bring the bill for me to sign. At least the grouper was nicely grilled.
* Turndown service: none was offered by 9pm. I called the guest services line and was told that they will generally come by by 10pm--late for me so I politely declined.
* Room condition: nice furnishings--clearly borrowed a page from the W Hotels, but the carpets were in bad condition given how new this hotel is (6mos--already big black stains by the window and series of large bleached spots by the bed. A DVD player complements a 27" CRT TV--but no DVD/CD library on hand--like the Asian Conrads.
* Complimentary shoe-shine: it was returned at the promised time, but with a job so badly done that I had to scrub it down with bathroom tissue. It looked as if someone just sprayed and dripped black polish onto the shoe and returned it.
All of the above experiences happened within a 7 hour time period. It took unnecessary time out of my work schedule to get some very simple tasks done. I was going to tap the business center for Fedex shipping materials--but in light of the difficulties encountered thus far, I thought better of it and lugged my stuff five blocks to the local Fedex Kinkos office instead.
About the only up-to-par experience that I've had at this hotel is the fitness center--nicely sized and equipped with a complete set of new weights, cardio, and nautilus equipment--about 20 in all. Flat screens were everywhere and headsets readily available.
I filled out the small guest-services card, and was going to send a personal email to the general manager Robert Thrailkill, but noticed that he and his staff doesn't have email addresses--very uncharacteristic for a Conrad. All of their international property managers have email addresses.
This is a shame as I was looking forward to the expansion of the Conrad chain in the US (Vegas is next). If the service levels at their Miami property is any indication, I won't be holding my breath.
The main problem, I believe, is a lack of staff--and a lack of qualified staff in particular. One can't count on getting ANYTHING done here without 2-3 phone calls to follow up. The issues are legion--and I'm a very easy person to please--just get the basics of managing a hotel right. I can certainly understand a few problems with a visit, but a dozen or so within an 7-hour timeframe? Amazing... I don't know how this property garnered a 5-star from AAA.
Some of the issues that I faced.
* Valet parking: it took 10 minutes plus of waiting in the driveway before an attendant showed up--apparently they only had one attendant to service a half dozen cars waiting in mid-afternoon. Valet and self-parking are both priced at $24/day--and self-parking has no in-or-out privileges, so it's $24 EACH time you enter and exit--a bit excessive when you charge $300-400/night for the base room alone. No help was offered by the porter with my luggage.
* Room assignment: when I checked in, my preassigned corner room was reassigned to a mid-hall room. No explanation was given. Later I was told that the corner room was awaiting cleaning. I could've easily waited for them to clean it if I had been made aware of the option. Front desk staff exuded attitude--and I ended up having to thank the clerk instead.
* Wrong room assigned: when I went to my room, I found out that it was already occupied by another guest. I called the front desk to have this remedied--they said that they would send someone immediately. Immediately meant 30 minutes of cooling my heels with my luggage in the hallway. I had to call a second time before the front desk brought a set of card keys for a (yet smaller) room with less of a view. No apologies were given, but at this point, I just wanted a room--any room. By the way, in my ten plus years of traveling for work, I've NEVER been assigned to an occupied room--esp. one in which the occupant was still in bed. I felt bad for the other guest.
* I called the front desk manager to ask what happened. She sounded apologetic and said that it was a computer error, and that as a gesture of goodwill, she would send sparkling wine to my room. That was 4pm. By 9pm, no wine--I called the front desk again, and they said they don't know of the issue but will "look into it."
* Breakfast amenity: I looked at my welcome folio and noticed that there wasn't any mention of the complimentary Gold-member breakfast. Another call to the front desk (answered only after 7-14 rings--this is very consistent for this hotel) elicited an apology and the "coupon" was delivered 3 hours later. The coupon turned out to be for a "cosmopolitan" breakfast, which consisted of coffee, a glass of juice, and a couple of small pastries.
* Ethernet cable missing in the room: I called the "guest specialist line" to ask for one to be sent up. This was 4.30pm. By 5.30pm, no one has delivered it. I called again and finally received it by 6pm.
* Room service: I ordered a simple fruit plate and a fish dish. Room service came on-time, but delivered a panini instead. I caught that and asked that the correct entree be delivered. The attendant was apologetic but had to come back for the 3d time because he forgot to bring the bill for me to sign. At least the grouper was nicely grilled.
* Turndown service: none was offered by 9pm. I called the guest services line and was told that they will generally come by by 10pm--late for me so I politely declined.
* Room condition: nice furnishings--clearly borrowed a page from the W Hotels, but the carpets were in bad condition given how new this hotel is (6mos--already big black stains by the window and series of large bleached spots by the bed. A DVD player complements a 27" CRT TV--but no DVD/CD library on hand--like the Asian Conrads.
* Complimentary shoe-shine: it was returned at the promised time, but with a job so badly done that I had to scrub it down with bathroom tissue. It looked as if someone just sprayed and dripped black polish onto the shoe and returned it.
All of the above experiences happened within a 7 hour time period. It took unnecessary time out of my work schedule to get some very simple tasks done. I was going to tap the business center for Fedex shipping materials--but in light of the difficulties encountered thus far, I thought better of it and lugged my stuff five blocks to the local Fedex Kinkos office instead.
About the only up-to-par experience that I've had at this hotel is the fitness center--nicely sized and equipped with a complete set of new weights, cardio, and nautilus equipment--about 20 in all. Flat screens were everywhere and headsets readily available.
I filled out the small guest-services card, and was going to send a personal email to the general manager Robert Thrailkill, but noticed that he and his staff doesn't have email addresses--very uncharacteristic for a Conrad. All of their international property managers have email addresses.
This is a shame as I was looking forward to the expansion of the Conrad chain in the US (Vegas is next). If the service levels at their Miami property is any indication, I won't be holding my breath.
Jan 29, 2005, 10:14 pm
#54
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 39
Just completed my first stay at the Miami Conrad last week. I was more fortunate than Michael899, as I had a nice stay, with no problems. I did find that responses to requests were a bit slower than I've experienced at the Waldorf Towers Conrad, but nothing as bad as those experienced by Michael899.
Was it a nice stay? Yes. Was it worth the extra cost? Not in my opinion.
Was it a nice stay? Yes. Was it worth the extra cost? Not in my opinion.
Jan 30, 2005, 8:02 pm
#55
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Oklahoma City, OK - NWA Gold - AA Gold - Hilton Diamond - Marriott Gold
Programs: NW, CO, WN, HH
Posts: 409
Stayed there after the Orange Bowl this year. Good stay overall. I was just scared to touch that $7 bottle of water. 
Coolest bathrooms around.
Coolest bathrooms around.
Feb 2, 2005, 11:08 am
#56
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Lifetime Plat, AA EXP, SPG platinum, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 145
Originally Posted by MIKESILV
I have had 4 stays at that property all at rates considerably lower than $300 and encountered none of the problems listed here.
On three of the stays I was given a bay-view room and the other a view facing south east.
Even to the question self parking I was able enter and return as I please at the flat $24. I suspect you misunderstood the terms of self-parking ( the parking/parking garage incidentally is not owned and operated by the Conrad)
I never had to wait for valet or a porter and upon pulling in was immediately ecscorted to the elevators to reception an in fact most times the bags were already in my room when I entered.
As for the breakfast when you check in you are given a small white card in the package which you present for the cold breakfast which could be upgraded to the full breafast for $8.00??
Sorry had such bad luck.
mike
On three of the stays I was given a bay-view room and the other a view facing south east.
Even to the question self parking I was able enter and return as I please at the flat $24. I suspect you misunderstood the terms of self-parking ( the parking/parking garage incidentally is not owned and operated by the Conrad)
I never had to wait for valet or a porter and upon pulling in was immediately ecscorted to the elevators to reception an in fact most times the bags were already in my room when I entered.
As for the breakfast when you check in you are given a small white card in the package which you present for the cold breakfast which could be upgraded to the full breafast for $8.00??
Sorry had such bad luck.
mike
I'm glad to hear that you've had much better experiences at the Conrad Miami.
Re: my room rate, I was charged $309/night
Re: self-parking--I talked to the front desk clerk before arrival to check on parking options--and she was the one informing me that self-parking had NO in-and-out privileges for the $24 charge. I also asked again during check-in, and received the same answer from the man behind the desk. It seemed as if they both were steering me towards valet.
Re: breakfast--there was no "white card" or anything referring to the "cosmopolitan" breakfast available to gold guests in the nice black folio that I received. I had to call front desk and specifically ask for it--which wasn't delivered until after 8pm. Incidentally, there was a long letter detailing the noise to be experienced during their construction period.
Mar 17, 2005, 3:51 pm
#57
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 693
Conrad Miami vs. Mandarin Oriental?
I'm planning a Labor Day weekend trip that I want to be a special getaway for my girlfriend and me. The Conrad is $149/night for 3 nights plus a $50 credit for Food and Bev (that's included with the rate), while the MO is $224/night. Obviously the Conrad has a better price, but I've been leaning toward the MO based on the fact that everyone in the Luxury Hotels forum raves about it. I realize that the Conrad is not on the water, but how's the pool? Since I've found this Conrad rate, I feel like it would be silly to pay that much more for the MO, unless I'm really getting my money's worth there. Also there's HHonors points, but that's nearly negligible. Also, I don't have much interest in South Beach, though I'm sure we'd go there one of the 3 nights we'll be there. Any ideas? Is it the Conrad comparable to the MO?
Mar 17, 2005, 8:13 pm
#58
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,531
IMHO the Conrad is very nice, but not comparable to the MO. I stayed at the Conrad just after it opened. Nice rooms, comfortably appointed, good baths. Unfortunately they are not soundproof, and I found them on the small side. The wireless internet access is poor, and the staff were not fully trained (this was Sept 2004). The pool was fairly small, but adequate for 4-5 lanes of laps and it is atop an adjacent building.
I took a stroll over to the MO. The public facilities are much more luxurious, the hotel was hopping on a Thursday evening. The outdoor dining spot was excellent. Apparently, there is a hip party there during happy hours now.
In sum, if you are comfortable paying $224, I'd stay at the MO. I think this is a very good rate for that hotel. Both hotels are very far from South Beach, just FYI.
I took a stroll over to the MO. The public facilities are much more luxurious, the hotel was hopping on a Thursday evening. The outdoor dining spot was excellent. Apparently, there is a hip party there during happy hours now.
In sum, if you are comfortable paying $224, I'd stay at the MO. I think this is a very good rate for that hotel. Both hotels are very far from South Beach, just FYI.
Mar 17, 2005, 8:47 pm
#59
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP 3 MM
Posts: 4,576
Consider the Four Seasons. They have a very good "buy two nights, get third night free" promotion going on during the summer. Moreover, it includes a $100 dining credit, which should be enough to cover for two breakfasts for two days. The rate is $275 per night.
http://www.fourseasons.com/miami/vac...&force_v2=true
I stayed here last summer. The rooms are very spacious. The service was truly outstanding and really was comparable to some of the best hotels in Asia.
In regards to the Mandarin Oriental, though they are not located near the beach, they do offer a "beach club": http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/526000255.asp
Speaking of beach, my parents and I had lunch at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne. This is a very nice property and the service in the restaurant was excellent. They have a wonderful buffet lunch and it is very reasonably priced. The dessert table is decadant.
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/k...aria/menu.html
http://www.fourseasons.com/miami/vac...&force_v2=true
I stayed here last summer. The rooms are very spacious. The service was truly outstanding and really was comparable to some of the best hotels in Asia.
In regards to the Mandarin Oriental, though they are not located near the beach, they do offer a "beach club": http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/526000255.asp
Speaking of beach, my parents and I had lunch at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne. This is a very nice property and the service in the restaurant was excellent. They have a wonderful buffet lunch and it is very reasonably priced. The dessert table is decadant.
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/k...aria/menu.html
Mar 20, 2005, 2:06 pm
#60
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 693
Originally Posted by francophile
Consider the Four Seasons. They have a very good "buy two nights, get third night free" promotion going on during the summer. Moreover, it includes a $100 dining credit, which should be enough to cover for two breakfasts for two days. The rate is $275 per night.
http://www.fourseasons.com/miami/vac...&force_v2=true
I stayed here last summer. The rooms are very spacious. The service was truly outstanding and really was comparable to some of the best hotels in Asia.
In regards to the Mandarin Oriental, though they are not located near the beach, they do offer a "beach club": http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/526000255.asp
Speaking of beach, my parents and I had lunch at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne. This is a very nice property and the service in the restaurant was excellent. They have a wonderful buffet lunch and it is very reasonably priced. The dessert table is decadant.
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/k...aria/menu.html
http://www.fourseasons.com/miami/vac...&force_v2=true
I stayed here last summer. The rooms are very spacious. The service was truly outstanding and really was comparable to some of the best hotels in Asia.
In regards to the Mandarin Oriental, though they are not located near the beach, they do offer a "beach club": http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/526000255.asp
Speaking of beach, my parents and I had lunch at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne. This is a very nice property and the service in the restaurant was excellent. They have a wonderful buffet lunch and it is very reasonably priced. The dessert table is decadant.
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/k...aria/menu.html
Thanks for the info! The Four Seasons deal sounds good to me. I may just try that instead!
