CPRich

Depending on how sensitive you are to noise, a large number of rooms may be unacceptable due to outside roads, HVAC, etc. at many properties.

When I stayed at a property in Delaware for a year, check-in was always "5th or 6th floor, room higher numbered than 40, odd number if possible, please". There were about 25 rooms (540-550 and 640-650, iirc, plus 3 odd ones in a center core surrounded by hallways) of the 250 in the property that weren't too loud for me.

You would think they'd have enough feedback by now to have eliminated some of them. I understand road noise is just a cost issue, and they'll put up with a certain number of complaints or room moves rather than pay for better glass. But HVAC placement and other controllables should be known by now.

writerguyfl

You seem to be assuming that your preferences are universal. Here at home, I purposely placed my bed directly under the vent because that's my preference.

This is a developer issue, not a design one. Marriott (and virtually all other hotel groups) will provide stock plans for many of their brands for franchisees. Not every plan is appropriate for every site. Unfortunately, it's not unusual for a developer to choose the plan that maximizes room count and to build with the cheapest materials.

That manager shouldn't be criticizing the designers. Rather, she should be complaining that the owner didn't consider the immediate surroundings and failed to adequately sound-proof the rooms.

Antarius

Bingo. I like AC vents blowing on my feet, keeps me cool.

Simply put, RI, CY properties are cheaper because they are cookie cutter. If someone had to individually design each room to be optimal due to the surroundings, well, thats gonna cost a lot more.

s0ssos

I can tell you at least half the world doesn't like air blowing directly on them.

s0ssos

I used to tell people in Asia that in America we have it better, we have "central" air conditioning. But then, as you say, there are these "hotels" where it is just something stuck in a wall.

beachmouse

However you can come up with 5-6 different subsets of each brand that meet different needs and conditions based on what surrounds the hotel. Property in rural area at least 100 meters from four lane or wider highway? You don'r have a soundproofing requirement. An airport hotel underneath the runway approach for a major hub airport? You must meet these soundproofing specs because most of the time they will result in room noise levels less than X decibels of noise when a 777 takes off overhead. Here's a product list of approved sound mitigation materials you may select from.

Marriott15

My biggest pet peeve with Marriott is they build these brand new hotels or update their hotes and everything looks so nice and modern and then you look at the AC Unit right below the window that looks like it is from 1985!

Aventine

I'd like to bludgeon the designer who designed the lighting in rooms for St. Regis Astana. A suite with separate doors for guest powder room, main bathroom, closets, living area but unable to work and light up the living room. No clear dimmer settings. No independent lamps to talk about for the living room. Ended up working on a chair near front door with bathroom lights on.

goodeats21

I don't mind the split units in Asia as much. They are typically mounted high on the wall, and have better controls to direct the flow of air where you want it. Most even have a "swing" feature, that directs the flow back and forth. The cheap ones in these hotels have no such flexibility. On or off is pretty much it....

And the ones in Asia are usually much quieter...

cre95

Funny to have read your last line. I do the same in many hotels... even in some where they have a desk but they have all these advertisement and materials cluttering it so that it is not usable. First thing I do is take it all off and put by the TV or some other place.

This last time, I was staying for 3 nights so I went ahead and moved it all off so that I could use the desk. Following day when I come back in the evening... you guessed it. Everything had been neatly arranged back on the desk.
I guess, old dogs do learn at some point. So, I take it all off and put it away in the closet on the ledge above the hangers.

cre95

Really. I don't understand these half-barrier glass contraptions either. Not only is the ambient cold air a problem but also, in many instances, you have no way of containing water in the shower area.

hockeyinsider

I don't understand why hotels, whether new-build properties or renovated properties, don't have better overhead lighting. Seriously. Instead of a half-dozen lamps and switches, how about one or two central, overhead lights that aren't yellow?

damon88

s0ssos

Oh yeah, one hotel I found many plugs in the kitchen that didn't work. I thought the blender was broken but apparently it just didn't have electricity. Why make plugs that aren't actually powered?

Aventine

Or, rooms that have 5A USBs but cut the power off when the main power switch is pressed. Like when going to bed. Utterly pointless.