Dave Noble

I don't think it just somehow qualifies, I think it qualifies entirely

I am not sure exactly what IHG classes as speciality - I kind of supposed that a hotel could class anything above a basic suite as being one

saaveraward

The Executive Suite is not on the exclusion upgrade list at this property. They "choose" not to upgrade to that category.

Dave Noble

if the hotel is the one that gets to decide what is excluded, then fair enough

Even so, the hotel is meeting the upgrade criteria by upgrading to club. If not wanting club, perhaps book the next category down and get the suite for a lower cost

markis10

You might be surprised when you checkin (vs badgering prior to arrival), as an RA I am often given the executive suites.

saaveraward

Thanks. Not a RA, just Spire Ambassador. Did not badger, just posed a question to the team.

saaveraward

IC Adelaide

What is your Status?
Ambassador Spire

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?

one bedroom suite

offered club access at check in.

Went to the room (X17) and looked out the window to see I was directly in line with construction for the convention center. Not wanting to hear the noise (they're zoned to work from 6am until midnight), I asked for a room change.

Person on the phone said they have suites adjoining this one facing the other way and would I be ok with that?

Sure.

Second person calls back and says, we can offer you a club king room and a $25 discount. Seeing as I was already offered club access as a SA, I said that was unacceptable and the hotel should not be blocking SAs in to rooms that are directly on top of construction, especially since I booked eight months in advance and it's a paid stay.

I asked a few front-line employees if they had gotten noise complaints and all of them said "many."

What about the adjoining suite I was offered? Oh, they're sold out. So they blocked a SA in to the worst room possible in that category.

That person called back again and upgraded to an executive suite on the top floor.

How are the rooms?

The suite is nothing remarkable or even interesting. The "meeting" space is a small table with six chairs huddled around it with two more against the wall. Not even a centerpiece on it. The living area has no art on the walls or anything to make it look or feel homey. Bedroom does not have blackout curtains, only room darkening ones. Bathroom is very large but no separate door for the WC and no second sink.

What was good and what was bad?

Pros:

- great wifi and comped ethernet connection
- great location if you have meetings at the convention center
- Lounge has excellent breakfast and evening selections, although repetitive they are of good quantity and quality (I actually like the chicken dim sum)



Cons:

Horrible training for a lot of the staff. Lounge attendants are friendly but are in no way hosts and are not able to facilitate the simplest of tasks.

"Is there a gift shop on property?"

"Sorry, no"

"Can you tell me where I can buy XYZ?"

"Just wander outside the hotel and you'll find something"
**************
"Can you recommend a place to get XYZ for dinner?"

"This street has a lot of restaurants on it. You'll find something."
**************
And my favorite interaction of the stay:

"Does the hotel have a courtesy car? I'd like to be driven to dinner. It's a little too far to walk and I don't want to take a cab."

Person one - "I can ask the GM if he can let you borrow the hotel BMW but it may be an insurance issue."

"No, sorry, I want someone to drive me to dinner. I don't want to drive your car."

Person two standing next to him - "Just take a taxi"

Went to the lounge and asked the same question, "I didn't know we have a hotel BMW."

Called the concierge - "I just started here so I don't know. Let me ask someone and I will call you back in five minutes."

Person number onbe ends up calling me back and says, get this, "I'm sorry, we're not able to let you drive our car."

For the second time I'm telling him, now bluntly, I want to be driven somewhere. Can the hotel provide somethinbg even if I pay for it. Seriously? Has no one at the Adelaide IC ever asked to book a car service before?

Finally they got someone to drive me 2km for $20. Five interactions to get a car.
***************
Turndown was wildly inconsistent.

Night one - changed out the decorative pillows for the sleeping ones and that's it. Couldn't even be bothered to remove the runner from the bed! ...or close the drapes, or leave chocolates, or remove trash or even leave a light on.

Night two - typical, correct service

Night three - left for the night at 6:15 with a "service room" note on the door. No one came through.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?

I'd stay away from this hotel until construction is completed otherwise you're rolling the dice. The lounge is sufficient for full meals but don't expect the offerings to change at any point during your stay.

Score: 7.5/10

Dave Noble

I think that you need to adjust your expectations if expecing that the hotel will provide you a free chauffeur for your stay

Perhaps the person should clearly have simply said no rather than look for solutions

IAN-UK

Sorry, but I think i might have whispered the same words ....

saaveraward

I expect no such thing. I asked if they had a service. A service MANY ICs have around the world. In the same breath, I said to three different people, I'll pay you for that service if you don't offer it as a courtesy. I'm a guest in a supposed 5* hotel. If I want a car service to take me somewhere, they darn well should figure out how to provide it either free or at a cost. That's what service is and a reasonable expectation.

I guarantee if I asked to purchases roses for the room, I'd have to go through half a dozen people and would end up with daisies at this hotel.

Dave Noble

They did figure out how to get a car to take you somewhere - the person suggested a taxi

saaveraward

... yes, while they had a house car that they didn't know how to book.

You should work there. You'd fit right in.

markis10

Absolute rubbish. They usually start at 7 and finish at sundown at the latest. It's illegal for any construction work to be done outside the hours of 7am to 7pm all days excepting Sunday's where no work must be done.

As for the offerings changing in the lounge, in fact they change every night, with different hot food in the second hour compared to the first, and the sashimi plates only come out in the last hour, usually with very good salmon.

Baze

If you worded it to the hotel the way you worded it in your post it could come across the wrong way. I would have just asked if they have a car or shuttle service I could procure or if I should take a taxi. The way it is worded in your post comes across as you want some hotel employee to drop everything and drive you to dinner. If the rest of your interactions with the hotel are the way you posted and using the words you posted it comes across as very DYKWIA and demanding.

saaveraward

May be rubbish but that's what a member of staff told me because they were "behind" in construction. I didn't make up those times.

night one: chicken dim sum, egg roll
night two: chicken dim sum, egg roll
night three: chicken dim sum, egg roll
night four: chicken dim sum, vegetable samosa

The only difference I saw each night was the "salad jar"

saaveraward

The request was many hours before it was needed. And when I have to do a 360 degree circle and explain yet again that I don't want to DRIVE your car, it shows a complete lack of understanding and responsiveness.

If there is simple training, you don't have those problems.

Check out my review on the IC Wellington. Complete night and day difference in staff training.