The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel {US-LA}
Aug 24, 2007, 7:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 12
The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel {US-LA}
Fairmont building sold; Waldorf-Astoria will move in
The Fairmont New Orleans, an iconic downtown hotel best known for its extravagant Christmas displays, has been sold to a development group planning to convert the property into a Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
Dimension Development Company Inc. of Natchitoches paid $17 million for the 114-year-old downtown hotel, which has not reopened since Hurricane Katrina.
"I think it's going to end up looking like the Waldorf in New York," said Dimension Chairman Sam Friedman. Final details about the look and design of the hotel, however, are up in the air until further meetings have been held with Waldorf executives, Friedman said.
The Waldorf-Astoria is a famous New York City hotel that is located on Park Avenue and known for both its high-end luxury and its art deco design.
Hilton Hotel Corp. now owns the five-star Waldorf-Astoria franchise and has already developed lodging facilities under that name in La Quinta, Calif.; Phoenix; and Maui.
"I think this is about the best thing that's happened in real estate and even business-wise this year," said lawyer Lewis McHenry of Jones Walker, which represents New Orleans Roosevelt Ventures LP, the group that owned the hotel
Reopening the hotel is key to bringing back pedestrian traffic and retail activity to that part of the Central Business District, McHenry said.
Friedman said he plans to spend $100 million refurbishing the site, which was heavily damaged by Katrina.
Preliminary plans call for the new 500-room hotel to be slightly smaller than its predecessor. The Fairmont leased six floors of an adjoining building at 925 Common for a long time, using the space for 170 guest rooms and meeting rooms.
The owner of the 925 Common building, Belmont Commons LLC, filed suit against the Fairmont, claiming it is owed $17 million in back and future lease payments for the space the hotel used. The lawsuit presented a challenge in selling the building, but lawyers representing both sides were ultimately able to work around it.
The Waldorf-Astoria will not use any space in 925 Common , Friedman said.
Details about the new Waldorf-Astoria, including when it will open, remain sketchy.
"All we've accomplished is doing our due diligence to make sure the numbers work," Friedman said. "We had a tough time with the lawsuit. Capturing the deal is all we have really accomplished."
It is also unknown whether or not the Waldorf-Astoria will continue the Fairmont tradition of extravagantly decorating its lobby during the Christmas holiday.
The hotel had been a Fairmont property since 1968; before that it was known simply as the Roosevelt Hotel. The hotel once housed the Blue Room, a nightclub that hosted big-name stars in its heyday.
Katrina flooded the building's basement with 10 feet of water, destroying all of its mechanical equipment. The storm's wind-driven rain also inundated nearly every guest room.
The Fairmont New Orleans, an iconic downtown hotel best known for its extravagant Christmas displays, has been sold to a development group planning to convert the property into a Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
Dimension Development Company Inc. of Natchitoches paid $17 million for the 114-year-old downtown hotel, which has not reopened since Hurricane Katrina.
"I think it's going to end up looking like the Waldorf in New York," said Dimension Chairman Sam Friedman. Final details about the look and design of the hotel, however, are up in the air until further meetings have been held with Waldorf executives, Friedman said.
The Waldorf-Astoria is a famous New York City hotel that is located on Park Avenue and known for both its high-end luxury and its art deco design.
Hilton Hotel Corp. now owns the five-star Waldorf-Astoria franchise and has already developed lodging facilities under that name in La Quinta, Calif.; Phoenix; and Maui.
"I think this is about the best thing that's happened in real estate and even business-wise this year," said lawyer Lewis McHenry of Jones Walker, which represents New Orleans Roosevelt Ventures LP, the group that owned the hotel
Reopening the hotel is key to bringing back pedestrian traffic and retail activity to that part of the Central Business District, McHenry said.
Friedman said he plans to spend $100 million refurbishing the site, which was heavily damaged by Katrina.
Preliminary plans call for the new 500-room hotel to be slightly smaller than its predecessor. The Fairmont leased six floors of an adjoining building at 925 Common for a long time, using the space for 170 guest rooms and meeting rooms.
The owner of the 925 Common building, Belmont Commons LLC, filed suit against the Fairmont, claiming it is owed $17 million in back and future lease payments for the space the hotel used. The lawsuit presented a challenge in selling the building, but lawyers representing both sides were ultimately able to work around it.
The Waldorf-Astoria will not use any space in 925 Common , Friedman said.
Details about the new Waldorf-Astoria, including when it will open, remain sketchy.
"All we've accomplished is doing our due diligence to make sure the numbers work," Friedman said. "We had a tough time with the lawsuit. Capturing the deal is all we have really accomplished."
It is also unknown whether or not the Waldorf-Astoria will continue the Fairmont tradition of extravagantly decorating its lobby during the Christmas holiday.
The hotel had been a Fairmont property since 1968; before that it was known simply as the Roosevelt Hotel. The hotel once housed the Blue Room, a nightclub that hosted big-name stars in its heyday.
Katrina flooded the building's basement with 10 feet of water, destroying all of its mechanical equipment. The storm's wind-driven rain also inundated nearly every guest room.
Jun 5, 2008, 6:51 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
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Posts: 4,657
Waldorf=Astoria coming to New Orleans in 2009
The Fairmont Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans will be converted to a Waldorf=Astoria property in Spring 2009.
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/1...0/4036235.html
The hotel doesn't show up on the Fairmont website any more since it was closed after Katrina. The following is a link to an old image gallery of the hotel in case anyone is interested:
http://www.fairmontimagegallery.com/...splayID=thumbs
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/1...0/4036235.html
The hotel doesn't show up on the Fairmont website any more since it was closed after Katrina. The following is a link to an old image gallery of the hotel in case anyone is interested:
http://www.fairmontimagegallery.com/...splayID=thumbs
Jun 5, 2008, 10:53 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ORD, BUF
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Posts: 332
Nice! I was hoping that the hotel would either be A) reopened again as a Fairmont, or B) rebranded or purchased by another hotel chain.
As someone who does extensive business in NO, this was always my favorite hotel.
As someone who does extensive business in NO, this was always my favorite hotel.
Mar 11, 2009, 9:47 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas
Programs: AA Exp. Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum.
Posts: 1,186
Apr 23, 2009, 1:59 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JFK
Programs: UA Gold (Million Miler), FI Gold, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,075
The following is a link to an old image gallery of the hotel in case anyone is interested:
http://www.fairmontimagegallery.com/...splayID=thumbs
http://www.fairmontimagegallery.com/...splayID=thumbs
Jul 2, 2009, 2:26 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
Yesterday was the official opening.
http://www.neworleans.com/blogs/433-...and-doors.html
I can't find anything yet on the hiltonhonors site indicating what the point redemption level will be. Are all Waldorf Collection hotels available via points?
http://www.neworleans.com/blogs/433-...and-doors.html
I can't find anything yet on the hiltonhonors site indicating what the point redemption level will be. Are all Waldorf Collection hotels available via points?
Jul 2, 2009, 10:32 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas
Programs: AA Exp. Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum.
Posts: 1,186
Jul 8, 2009, 6:39 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Alcatraz
Programs: CO-PLT,Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Silver, AA ex Platinum, Avis 1st
Posts: 544
The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans, Waldorf Astoria Collection Trip Reports and Reviews
Just finshed a stay here and thought I would pass on some comments:
Beautiful Hotel
Got upgraded to a suite, but took some creative talk at front desk
Shower only, very narrow, only about 30 inches wide
No coffee pot in room, and none free in lobby, have to purchase it in cafe
minibar has those sensors that register movement
Parking is valet only ($38 per nite). Several garages around hotel that charge about $20-$25 overnight, but are cash only.
Nice bar, (drinks about $9 each) did not try restuarants.
Rooms are very nice, with 42 inch flatscreens and new furniture
Beautiful Hotel
Got upgraded to a suite, but took some creative talk at front desk
Shower only, very narrow, only about 30 inches wide
No coffee pot in room, and none free in lobby, have to purchase it in cafe
minibar has those sensors that register movement
Parking is valet only ($38 per nite). Several garages around hotel that charge about $20-$25 overnight, but are cash only.
Nice bar, (drinks about $9 each) did not try restuarants.
Rooms are very nice, with 42 inch flatscreens and new furniture
Jul 21, 2009, 7:50 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego Area
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott Plat LT, HH Gold, IHG Plat, WoH Discvst, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,834
ms. jmd001 and I stayed at the Roosevelt on 8-12 July 2009 on a convention rate. Upgraded to a massive, gorgeous 1 BR suite on the 14th floor of what I will call "Tower 1" (Room 11411). No negotiation with the front desk required. We were pre-assigned to it. I tried to do OLCI; the process got all the way to the end, then gave me an error message; said I had to check at the desk. Didn't matter; had no complaints with size and location of the room we were given.
It is kind of odd how when you are on the 14th floor in Tower 1 you can walk (without changing levels) over to Tower 2 where it magically becomes the 12th floor and the 5-digit room numbers start with "2" (e.g., 212xx).
Did not eat in the hotel. Only had one round of drinks (in the Sazerac Bar) which was massively overcrowded the night we were there.
As wonderful as our room was, we had a mountain of issues with the hotel. Once the hotel and I have "settled up", I will post more details.
Bottom line: Never stay at a hotel the first week it is open!
It is kind of odd how when you are on the 14th floor in Tower 1 you can walk (without changing levels) over to Tower 2 where it magically becomes the 12th floor and the 5-digit room numbers start with "2" (e.g., 212xx).
Did not eat in the hotel. Only had one round of drinks (in the Sazerac Bar) which was massively overcrowded the night we were there.
As wonderful as our room was, we had a mountain of issues with the hotel. Once the hotel and I have "settled up", I will post more details.
Bottom line: Never stay at a hotel the first week it is open!
Last edited by jmd001; Jul 21, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Aug 2, 2009, 9:53 am
#10
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Wisconsin and Southern France
Programs: Delta Platinum, Delta MM; HH Diamond, Starwood Platinum, ICH Platinum Ambassador, Hertz Gold
Posts: 745
Anyone stay here yet?
Planning a trip to N.O. and usually stay at the Riverside. Thinking of trying the Roosevelt and wonder if anyone has stayed there yet? Opinions?
Aug 2, 2009, 12:45 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,947
I'm not a fan of using the Waldorf brand for anything other than the original NYC property. However, it looks like it actually serves the Roosevelt well.
On an aside, why on earth did they flag the two Key West Florida properties as W-D Collection properties? That move was truly a joke.
On an aside, why on earth did they flag the two Key West Florida properties as W-D Collection properties? That move was truly a joke.
Aug 3, 2009, 9:28 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: Delta GM, Hilton Gold
Posts: 39
The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans, The Waldorf Astoria Collection
I was checking out a weekend stay in New Orleans and thought I would look into the Roosevelt (Waldorf Astoria property). Anyone know if this is available for award stays? The property comes up as available for paid stay, but not for awards. I have all properties checked in the search.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Aug 15, 2009, 4:37 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego Area
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott Plat LT, HH Gold, IHG Plat, WoH Discvst, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,834
My Roosevelt Hotel Saga
I had always hoped that I would be able to make my 1000th post a very positive one. Regrettably, that will not be the case. To wit, the saga of my stay at the newly reopened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans and the subsequent email traffic follows.
When (if!) the saga comes to a conclusion, I will update the post.
======================================
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:09:51 –
To: HHonors Diamond Services
From: jmd001
Subject: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans
To: Hilton Diamond Desk
Would you please pass the following message on to the appropriate person at the newly re-modeled, re-opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (one of the newest members of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection).
Thank you.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
======================================
To Whom It May Concern at the Roosevelt Hotel:
On Wed, July 8th, my wife and I checked in for a four-night stay at your hotel in conjunction with a conference.
First, I must express our profound gratitude for one of the most outstanding upgrades we have ever received at any Hilton property (to Room 11411)! The room was absolutely magnificent in terms of layout, square footage, quality of furnishings, features, etc. This is the type of recognition that keeps us working to retain Diamond status year after year.
However, I do feel compelled to point out an unfortunately long list of issues that we had during our stay. My intent is not to rant, but to hopefully offer some observations and constructive criticism that will result in future guests not experiencing the same problems.
Note: We were fully aware that the hotel had only been open a week when we checked in. While start-up issues are certainly not desired, they are not unexpected. And in that light, I think we cut the hotel quite a bit of slack during our stay with respect to the problems we experienced.
But on to the issues:
(1) Upon check-in, we were quite disappointed to learn that neither the John Besh restaurant nor the Spa would be open until October. Neither the hotels web site nor reservations confirmation made that clear. We were definitely looking forward to going to both places.
(2) Once we arrived at our room, it did not take us long realize we had to be the first guests to occupy it since the hotel had reopened. That is, after we recovered from our great fortune of being given such a gorgeous room, we noticed that the installation of the bathtub and its plumbing had not been completed. [This was NOT a problem for us in that we both prefer showers, and the unique shower stall operated perfectly. Well, the water flowed perfectly, but there was an issue with the sometimes 5-minute (literally 5-minute) wait for the hot water to arrive at our 14th floor room.] I mentioned the incomplete tub installation to the front desk twice, but nothing was done about the situation during our stay. At a minimum, it would have seemed appropriate for the staff to have gotten back to us to say we will get it taken care of after you check out; but we never received any feedback.
(3) After noting the incomplete bathtub installation, we then noted there was no toilet paper in the bathroom. I caught one of the housekeepers in the hall, and that problem was quickly rectified. However, I neglected to also note that there was no bathmat in front of the shower stall. (One appeared after room servicing the next day without asking.)
(4) Later in the evening of check-in, I also realized that the mini-refrigerator under the wet bar had been put in place, but not plugged in. It was trivial for me plug it in and get it operating, but the issue is that the room had not really been thoroughly inspected to be sure everything was operational.
(5) The night we checked in, we noted the small TV in the bathroom did not have a remote to operate it. However, we found the controls on the set itself, and used those until the next morning. At that time, picture on the set went blank (although the sound was still on). Reported the failure of the TV to the desk later that morning and a second time (on Friday), but it never became operational again during our stay. And we never got an explanation as to why it was not fixed.
(6) On Thursday, after being out of the room all day, we returned to find that housekeeping had never serviced the room. A call to the front desk got someone to come and take care of it reasonably promptly.
(7) As the room was being serviced, we asked if the room was supposed to have a clock radio in it. The housekeeper said “Yes”, and promptly went and got one. Great that we got it, but why wasn’t it there in the first place?
(8) On Saturday, after being out most of the day, I returned to the room at about 3:30 PM to again find that it had not been serviced. I called the desk. At about 5 PM, housekeeping still had not arrived, so I called the front desk again. The gentlemen said he would send someone up promptly. A while later he called to confirm that housekeeping had arrived but they had not. He again promised they would be there shortly and they were. Servicing was completed by about 6 PM.
(9) However, after housekeeping left, I discovered what appeared to be an odd level of water in the toilet. When I flushed it, the water level rose significantly (fortunately it not overflow). On our way out for dinner, we asked the desk to get the problem fixed. And it did seem (see Item 11) to be fixed by the time we returned.
(10) At about 10 PM Saturday night, there was a knock on the door to our room: A bellman with a luggage cart. He said he was there to move us to a new room. We had explicitly NOT asked for a new room and had not been given any indication (e.g., phone call) that there was a plan to move us. Both the bellman and I were equally perplexed as I sent him on his way and we stayed put.
(11) As we were completing our packing to check out on Sunday morning, the toilet again started having the same rising water issue as the night before. We informed the desk as we checked out.
All things concerned, I would say we were more disappointed than upset by all the issues described above. Yes, the hotel had only been open a week, but the Roosevelt is strongly advertising itself as a member of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection, and it certainly did not live up to the reputation or expectations associated with that branding.
Bottom line: The Roosevelt has a significant number of operational aspects to which it needs to pay much better and closer attention. I hope this message will encourage such actions.
My apologies for the length of this missive, but I felt it was important to be as clear and detailed as I could.
Respectfully,
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
P.S. Lastly, on Saturday, my wife left packages at your Business Center, to be sent out on Monday for two-day delivery. This morning (Tuesday) she checked to verify if the packages had been sent. She was very politely and apologetically told no they had not gone out. Hence, she had to arrange to have them sent using overnight delivery to assure the items would get to their next destination in time for their next use. (Have not yet this evening been able to verify they have been sent due to lags in the FedEx tracking system.)
==========================
From: diamond
To: jmd001
Subject: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxx)
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:48:22 –
Hello Mr. jmd001,
Thank you for your message to Hilton Reservations and Customer Care. It is my pleasure to address your stay concerns.
We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience you experienced during your stay at The Roosevelt Hotel, July 8, 2009. It is our goal to provide only the highest level of customer service and accommodations for all of our guests who choose to stay at a Hilton Family hotel. Based on the details you provided in your message, we regret that we have fallen short of that goal. Please be assured that we will be sharing your feedback with the hotel directly to facilitate a resolution and response to the issues you have expressed.
To ensure your feedback is addressed at the appropriate level, please allow up to 3 business days for the hotel to contact you at xxxxx. In the interim, should you need a status regarding this issue please contact Guest Assistance directly at [email protected] or call at (888)240-6152.
Mr. jmd001, we again apologize for the difficulties you encountered during your recent stay. We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to contact us with your concerns.
If you have any questions regarding your Hilton HHonors Diamond VIP account, please let us know.
For immediate assistance, please click on the link below for the contact number of the HHonors Service Center nearest you:
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/...t,HeadCustomer
Best Regards,
Xxxxxx
Diamond Coordinator
Diamond Special Services
[email protected]
========================================
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:52:52
To: [email protected]
From: jmd001
Subject: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxxx)
To: HHonors Diamond Desk
Regarding my original email sent on 7/14 and your response received on 7/15 as included below: I received a phone call from a Ms. xxxxx (not absolutely positive of the spelling) from the Roosevelt the following morning (7/16). During the call she profusely apologized for the issues we had during our stay, and we had a very cordial discussion of the not-unexpected trials and tribulations of opening effectively a new hotel. I reaffirmed my hope that my bringing these issues to the hotel's attention would prevent future occurrences.
Then, unsolicited, she offered to refund the cost of one night's lodging as a token of hotel's regret. I accepted her offer. However, that action has yet to post to my credit card account.
On Monday, 7/27, I called to Roosevelt to talk again with Ms. xxxxx, was told she was not in that day, and left a phone message asking about the status of the refund. I followed it later that day with an email. (I am not positive I sent it to the correct address [I speculated that it would be "[email protected]"], but it was not returned as undeliverable.) As of the send time of this email, I have had no response to either the call or the email.
Therefore, I would have to characterize my interaction with Ms. xxxx as showing outstanding intentions, but lack of follow through ... which unfortunately would also be an accurate characterization of our stay at the Roosevelt.
Anything you can do to help bring this episode to a appropriate conclusion would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
========================================
Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:43:17
To: <[email protected]>
From: jmd001
Subject: Re: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxx)
I'm sorry to sound like a broken record, but it has been over a week, I still have not been contacted regarding the issue described above nor have I seen any of the credit that was supposed to have been made (and I download transactions daily).
After such a quick initial response (phone call), I remain baffled and befuddled and am starting to get a bit irritated about the continuing non-resolution of what I was offered.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
========================================
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:28:22
To: HHonors Diamond Services [email protected]
From: jmd001
Subject: Fwd: Re: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxxxx)
Based on absolutely NO response to last week's email, I am just resending it. Your action and response would be appreciated.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
When (if!) the saga comes to a conclusion, I will update the post.
======================================
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:09:51 –
To: HHonors Diamond Services
From: jmd001
Subject: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans
To: Hilton Diamond Desk
Would you please pass the following message on to the appropriate person at the newly re-modeled, re-opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (one of the newest members of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection).
Thank you.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
======================================
To Whom It May Concern at the Roosevelt Hotel:
On Wed, July 8th, my wife and I checked in for a four-night stay at your hotel in conjunction with a conference.
First, I must express our profound gratitude for one of the most outstanding upgrades we have ever received at any Hilton property (to Room 11411)! The room was absolutely magnificent in terms of layout, square footage, quality of furnishings, features, etc. This is the type of recognition that keeps us working to retain Diamond status year after year.
However, I do feel compelled to point out an unfortunately long list of issues that we had during our stay. My intent is not to rant, but to hopefully offer some observations and constructive criticism that will result in future guests not experiencing the same problems.
Note: We were fully aware that the hotel had only been open a week when we checked in. While start-up issues are certainly not desired, they are not unexpected. And in that light, I think we cut the hotel quite a bit of slack during our stay with respect to the problems we experienced.
But on to the issues:
(1) Upon check-in, we were quite disappointed to learn that neither the John Besh restaurant nor the Spa would be open until October. Neither the hotels web site nor reservations confirmation made that clear. We were definitely looking forward to going to both places.
(2) Once we arrived at our room, it did not take us long realize we had to be the first guests to occupy it since the hotel had reopened. That is, after we recovered from our great fortune of being given such a gorgeous room, we noticed that the installation of the bathtub and its plumbing had not been completed. [This was NOT a problem for us in that we both prefer showers, and the unique shower stall operated perfectly. Well, the water flowed perfectly, but there was an issue with the sometimes 5-minute (literally 5-minute) wait for the hot water to arrive at our 14th floor room.] I mentioned the incomplete tub installation to the front desk twice, but nothing was done about the situation during our stay. At a minimum, it would have seemed appropriate for the staff to have gotten back to us to say we will get it taken care of after you check out; but we never received any feedback.
(3) After noting the incomplete bathtub installation, we then noted there was no toilet paper in the bathroom. I caught one of the housekeepers in the hall, and that problem was quickly rectified. However, I neglected to also note that there was no bathmat in front of the shower stall. (One appeared after room servicing the next day without asking.)
(4) Later in the evening of check-in, I also realized that the mini-refrigerator under the wet bar had been put in place, but not plugged in. It was trivial for me plug it in and get it operating, but the issue is that the room had not really been thoroughly inspected to be sure everything was operational.
(5) The night we checked in, we noted the small TV in the bathroom did not have a remote to operate it. However, we found the controls on the set itself, and used those until the next morning. At that time, picture on the set went blank (although the sound was still on). Reported the failure of the TV to the desk later that morning and a second time (on Friday), but it never became operational again during our stay. And we never got an explanation as to why it was not fixed.
(6) On Thursday, after being out of the room all day, we returned to find that housekeeping had never serviced the room. A call to the front desk got someone to come and take care of it reasonably promptly.
(7) As the room was being serviced, we asked if the room was supposed to have a clock radio in it. The housekeeper said “Yes”, and promptly went and got one. Great that we got it, but why wasn’t it there in the first place?
(8) On Saturday, after being out most of the day, I returned to the room at about 3:30 PM to again find that it had not been serviced. I called the desk. At about 5 PM, housekeeping still had not arrived, so I called the front desk again. The gentlemen said he would send someone up promptly. A while later he called to confirm that housekeeping had arrived but they had not. He again promised they would be there shortly and they were. Servicing was completed by about 6 PM.
(9) However, after housekeeping left, I discovered what appeared to be an odd level of water in the toilet. When I flushed it, the water level rose significantly (fortunately it not overflow). On our way out for dinner, we asked the desk to get the problem fixed. And it did seem (see Item 11) to be fixed by the time we returned.
(10) At about 10 PM Saturday night, there was a knock on the door to our room: A bellman with a luggage cart. He said he was there to move us to a new room. We had explicitly NOT asked for a new room and had not been given any indication (e.g., phone call) that there was a plan to move us. Both the bellman and I were equally perplexed as I sent him on his way and we stayed put.
(11) As we were completing our packing to check out on Sunday morning, the toilet again started having the same rising water issue as the night before. We informed the desk as we checked out.
All things concerned, I would say we were more disappointed than upset by all the issues described above. Yes, the hotel had only been open a week, but the Roosevelt is strongly advertising itself as a member of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection, and it certainly did not live up to the reputation or expectations associated with that branding.
Bottom line: The Roosevelt has a significant number of operational aspects to which it needs to pay much better and closer attention. I hope this message will encourage such actions.
My apologies for the length of this missive, but I felt it was important to be as clear and detailed as I could.
Respectfully,
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
P.S. Lastly, on Saturday, my wife left packages at your Business Center, to be sent out on Monday for two-day delivery. This morning (Tuesday) she checked to verify if the packages had been sent. She was very politely and apologetically told no they had not gone out. Hence, she had to arrange to have them sent using overnight delivery to assure the items would get to their next destination in time for their next use. (Have not yet this evening been able to verify they have been sent due to lags in the FedEx tracking system.)
==========================
From: diamond
To: jmd001
Subject: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxx)
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:48:22 –
Hello Mr. jmd001,
Thank you for your message to Hilton Reservations and Customer Care. It is my pleasure to address your stay concerns.
We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience you experienced during your stay at The Roosevelt Hotel, July 8, 2009. It is our goal to provide only the highest level of customer service and accommodations for all of our guests who choose to stay at a Hilton Family hotel. Based on the details you provided in your message, we regret that we have fallen short of that goal. Please be assured that we will be sharing your feedback with the hotel directly to facilitate a resolution and response to the issues you have expressed.
To ensure your feedback is addressed at the appropriate level, please allow up to 3 business days for the hotel to contact you at xxxxx. In the interim, should you need a status regarding this issue please contact Guest Assistance directly at [email protected] or call at (888)240-6152.
Mr. jmd001, we again apologize for the difficulties you encountered during your recent stay. We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to contact us with your concerns.
If you have any questions regarding your Hilton HHonors Diamond VIP account, please let us know.
For immediate assistance, please click on the link below for the contact number of the HHonors Service Center nearest you:
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/...t,HeadCustomer
Best Regards,
Xxxxxx
Diamond Coordinator
Diamond Special Services
[email protected]
========================================
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:52:52
To: [email protected]
From: jmd001
Subject: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxxx)
To: HHonors Diamond Desk
Regarding my original email sent on 7/14 and your response received on 7/15 as included below: I received a phone call from a Ms. xxxxx (not absolutely positive of the spelling) from the Roosevelt the following morning (7/16). During the call she profusely apologized for the issues we had during our stay, and we had a very cordial discussion of the not-unexpected trials and tribulations of opening effectively a new hotel. I reaffirmed my hope that my bringing these issues to the hotel's attention would prevent future occurrences.
Then, unsolicited, she offered to refund the cost of one night's lodging as a token of hotel's regret. I accepted her offer. However, that action has yet to post to my credit card account.
On Monday, 7/27, I called to Roosevelt to talk again with Ms. xxxxx, was told she was not in that day, and left a phone message asking about the status of the refund. I followed it later that day with an email. (I am not positive I sent it to the correct address [I speculated that it would be "[email protected]"], but it was not returned as undeliverable.) As of the send time of this email, I have had no response to either the call or the email.
Therefore, I would have to characterize my interaction with Ms. xxxx as showing outstanding intentions, but lack of follow through ... which unfortunately would also be an accurate characterization of our stay at the Roosevelt.
Anything you can do to help bring this episode to a appropriate conclusion would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
========================================
Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:43:17
To: <[email protected]>
From: jmd001
Subject: Re: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxx)
I'm sorry to sound like a broken record, but it has been over a week, I still have not been contacted regarding the issue described above nor have I seen any of the credit that was supposed to have been made (and I download transactions daily).
After such a quick initial response (phone call), I remain baffled and befuddled and am starting to get a bit irritated about the continuing non-resolution of what I was offered.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
========================================
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:28:22
To: HHonors Diamond Services [email protected]
From: jmd001
Subject: Fwd: Re: Re: Recent Stay at the Newly-Opened Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans (Ticket# xxxxxxx)
Based on absolutely NO response to last week's email, I am just resending it. Your action and response would be appreciated.
--jmd001
HHonors #03xxxxxxx
Aug 28, 2009, 4:45 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego Area
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott Plat LT, HH Gold, IHG Plat, WoH Discvst, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,834
Roosevelt Hotel Saga -- Conclusion
The saga has finally concluded. Here are the finishing events:
===============================
From: Axxx <[email protected]>
To: jmd001
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:43:54 -0500
Subject: The Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans
Dear Mr. jmd001,
I have received your comments regarding our hotel in Guest Assistance. Please allow me three business days to review and resolve this matter. It is Hilton's policy to give our hotels the opportunity to get involved to resolve pending issues. We want retain your business as our loyal guest and appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention. I apologize for the time and inconvenience this has caused you.
Sincerely,
Axxxxxx
Customer Resolution Manager
Hilton Hotels Corporation
www.hiltonfamily.com
1-800-xxx-xxxx
===================
On Tue, 19 Aug 2009, the one-night credit finally posted to my credit card account. That was good, but I was unimpressed that Mr. Axxxx never got back to me via email or phone.
===================
On Tue, 25 Aug 2009, a Ms. "C" from the Roosevelt left a message on my cell asking me to get in touch if the credit had not yet posted.
===================
I now consider the saga to have ended. Obviously, it could have gone better, but it is time to put it behind me. I hope the Roosevelt is able to do better in the future. I would stay there again based on the outstanding upgrade we got.
===============================
From: Axxx <[email protected]>
To: jmd001
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:43:54 -0500
Subject: The Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans
Dear Mr. jmd001,
I have received your comments regarding our hotel in Guest Assistance. Please allow me three business days to review and resolve this matter. It is Hilton's policy to give our hotels the opportunity to get involved to resolve pending issues. We want retain your business as our loyal guest and appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention. I apologize for the time and inconvenience this has caused you.
Sincerely,
Axxxxxx
Customer Resolution Manager
Hilton Hotels Corporation
www.hiltonfamily.com
1-800-xxx-xxxx
===================
On Tue, 19 Aug 2009, the one-night credit finally posted to my credit card account. That was good, but I was unimpressed that Mr. Axxxx never got back to me via email or phone.
===================
On Tue, 25 Aug 2009, a Ms. "C" from the Roosevelt left a message on my cell asking me to get in touch if the credit had not yet posted.
===================
I now consider the saga to have ended. Obviously, it could have gone better, but it is time to put it behind me. I hope the Roosevelt is able to do better in the future. I would stay there again based on the outstanding upgrade we got.
Sep 4, 2009, 3:27 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Alcatraz
Programs: CO-PLT,Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Silver, AA ex Platinum, Avis 1st
Posts: 544
Anybody know why the rates here just went way up???? My corporate rate went from around $150 to over $200 per night. Checked several dates, week or two out and several months out. As well as different days of the week. Based on their competition in NOLA they are now about twice as much.