JW Marriott Houston Downtown [Master Thread]
May 31, 2022, 4:56 pm
#91
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,152
1. I also indicated in my initial post on the JW Downtown Houston that another issue was they rarely answered the phones when I called downstairs. Inevitably, that meant I had to go downstairs in person to get some action on a required service. My negative opinion of the property is based on various factors...not just the lounge.
2. Pre-pandemic, I've stayed at numerous JW's in the US: Brickell, Galleria, Essex House in addition to stays in Singapore/Hong Kong/Lima/Rio. This brand is not new to me. I know what to expect and my recent experiences in Houston and L.A. did not deliver. Something has changed with JW based on my two stays this year. I hope it is temporary.
2. Pre-pandemic, I've stayed at numerous JW's in the US: Brickell, Galleria, Essex House in addition to stays in Singapore/Hong Kong/Lima/Rio. This brand is not new to me. I know what to expect and my recent experiences in Houston and L.A. did not deliver. Something has changed with JW based on my two stays this year. I hope it is temporary.
Of course, one thing we can likely agree on is that it would be great for things to always get better!
Jun 2, 2022, 12:04 pm
#92
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
Quick tip: The chat tool in the app works great for things like this. I don't even bother calling to the front desk during a stay anymore. You might not get an immediate reply but usually it's not more than a few minutes.
Jun 2, 2022, 10:19 pm
#93
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Redondo Beach, CA USA
Programs: UA 1KMM, Bonvoy LTE+A, HH D, Nat'l EE, Hertz Plat, Avis PC
Posts: 3,712
Jun 3, 2022, 4:51 pm
#94
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA EXP(4mm), DL Gold, UA Gold (1mm), HH Diamond, Bonvoy Amb(l/t Titanium). Former EA/PA elite
Posts: 994
If you think Houston Downtown and LA Live are poor experiences, then you should skip all other JWs in the US. I also think you're generalizing based on one element of the experience - food is not every part of the experience. I've had experiences at luxury brands (such as Four Seasons) where the food wasn't even good enough for a Comfort Inn. That doesn't mean that staying at the Four Seasons felt like a Comfort Inn.
I dislike lounges and vastly prefer breakfast in a restaurant. Unfortunately, lounges are a part of the JW brand and have been for many years. As a result, when I stay at a JW, I know that I have to deal with the annoyance of a lounge. That's just part of the brand - unless you're at a lovely property like LA Live that provides a delicious and expensive breakfast buffet to Elites for free.
Seriously, though, my advice stands - if you aren't happy with Houston Downtown or LA Live (I've stayed at both and many other JWs), you won't be happy with other JWs in the US (perhaps Camelback Inn).
I dislike lounges and vastly prefer breakfast in a restaurant. Unfortunately, lounges are a part of the JW brand and have been for many years. As a result, when I stay at a JW, I know that I have to deal with the annoyance of a lounge. That's just part of the brand - unless you're at a lovely property like LA Live that provides a delicious and expensive breakfast buffet to Elites for free.
Seriously, though, my advice stands - if you aren't happy with Houston Downtown or LA Live (I've stayed at both and many other JWs), you won't be happy with other JWs in the US (perhaps Camelback Inn).
Jun 4, 2022, 9:07 am
#95
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,152
I will give it to Seat 1F that, while friendly, valet service here was notoriously slow and swamped, including around answering the phones. They need a SMS system.
Jun 4, 2022, 10:24 am
#96
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA EXP(4mm), DL Gold, UA Gold (1mm), HH Diamond, Bonvoy Amb(l/t Titanium). Former EA/PA elite
Posts: 994
At one point during my stay, I complained to the front desk about the phones virtually never getting answered. He said that answering calls from guestrooms is a back-office function. So even if the front desk people are free and doing nothing, they are not tasked with answering the phone calls from the guestrooms. Every call gets funneled to this back office person (s) who then is supposed to take action on the request. For instance, if you call down to request your car be brought around, you would not be speaking with the valet directly but rather the general back-office person who would then make the request on the valet directly. If the back-office person is inept or can't keep up with the volume of calls then the whole process falls to pieces. That is what is happening at this property currently.