Singapore_Air

I am currently staying here and having the worst stay I have had at any chain hotel for the past 4 or 5 years.

I will revert later after the weekend but my advice would be to stay away and choose another hotel.

The incompetence and poor quality is staggering. In brief:

● Extremely poor signage leading to rooms on the second floor
● Idiotic signage leading from rooms on the second floor to the "Leisure Club" (e.g. signs pointing to non-existent stairs)
● No signs warning guests they're about to walk into a construction zone and the construction workers not being helpful
● No one picking up the external number for the hotel at 1630h yesterday despite calling five times
● Condescending response from front desk staff when notifying them of the poor signage and lack of people picking up the phone
● From the room, the telephone does not recognise the number for housekeeping - you have to phone the reception to put you through
● Some other guy's name popped up on the TV's welcome message
● There is no happy hour in the Executive Lounge on Fridays and Saturdays
● Housekeeping is not prompt
● The hotel does not stock or offer mouthwash to guests
● I was initially told an black Americano coffee would be an extra charge at breakfast before it was volunteered to me for free (without prompting)
● Poor quality items at breakfast.

This also appears to be the most expensive hotel Marriott has in the Manchester, UK area according to their website today.

Just vile.

SkiAdcock

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...-weekends.html

Nottingham Nick

I have stayed here a few times before flying out of MAN, and found it to be a reasonable airport hotel, close to the terminals, with not much else around it.

They usually offer really good Park'n'Fly deals that include very efficient taxi rides to and from the airport. You can leave your car in their vast, but very busy, car park and take your keys with you - always a plus with airport hotels.

I can empathise with the OP about the layout of the hotel, it is a big place, with very confusing floor levels and seemingly endless corridors. I also agree that the breakfast offerings are average at best.

I would have no hesitation using it when flying out of MAN but wouldn't use it as a base when visiting the city - the Worsley Park Marriott is our Manc hotel of choice on these, fairly frequent, occasions.

Nick

UKTraveller4Fun

An update not the refurbishments have finished. When I say update I mean more a warning. Gone is the breakfast in the restuarant, it is lounge only and this is a pathetic offering with only scrambled egg as the hot option! The plates you get to use are not actually big enough to fit a slice of toast on so how your meant to eat scrambled eggs off them is beyond me! Will try and get a picture later!

Overall this place has gone down hill in a big way! They are introducing eco-air conditioning which essentially detects when there is no one in the room and turns off! two issues it goes off while your sleeping and the room turns into a sauna! If you arrive late or out all day you get back to a room that is like a sauna, this wouldnt be such an issue if when it turns on it works quickly and efficiently but it really doesnt!

The lounge is nicely done but the offers vary and generally poor! No diet drinks in the fridge, so you can get a cold high sugar drink or water! Only whole milk available as well! On the plus the coffee machine is good! the drinks in the evening consits of beers, 1 white and 1 red option. It would be nice if they could branch out some more maybe add a sparkling let alone spirits, but equally its not a terrible offering!

Breakfast in the lounge as mentioned above is pretty much terrible, frankly insulting would be a better description but I am told this is a new Marriott policy that "All hotels in Europe have to adopt" so may not be the hotels fault but so far its the worst Marriott lounge breakfast in UK I have had!

If you have an issue dont expect them to answer the phone, safe was locked in room on arrival and tried for 15-20 minutes and no one picked up, had to go to reception in the end and get someone to come and unlock it! Shame housekeeping dont check these things when getting the rooms ready!

In regards the breakfast changes what I really don't like is the don't care attitude at Front Desk, was told at checkin a manager would be in touch with me later in the day to discuss and heard nothing. Went this morning to ask to speak to a managerm apparently not in until sometime between 9 and 10, and then only maybe! Also the breakfast if you book it at time of room reservation its £9 per person but as it was always included for Plats obviously didnt book the breakfast rate. Now it isnt included they want £16 per person to take breakfast and absolutly no warning on the website about the change. Basically they are ripping Platinum members off and don't care. Have been staying here for years and they simply couldn't care less! I will be avoiding this hotel going forward and staying elsewhere!

nequine

That is standard for the UK lounges although once a week Glasgow does offer spirits. However at least in the UK you don't have to pay for the alcohol - the red wine comes in at £26 a bottle in the restaurant/bar!


That is no difference to the hotel I stayed at recently in the US! Again, every US lounge I have been in (granted only about half a dozen) the only option for breakfast is either scrambled eggs or porridge.


If you've not bought/got breakfast as part of your rate then you can buy vouchers on check in for £10.

UKTraveller4Fun

I agree on the drinks being standard although some do more!

In regards the US and UK they have historically been different and this hotel specifically until a couple of weeks ago offered Plats full breakfast in the restuarant and before the lounge was refurbed they had various hot items available in the lounge also!

In regards the breakfast voucher this was not offered or available, it is £ 16 per person unless you advance purchase it at this hotel. The hotel did relent for the 2nd morning and agree that when I made my booking I had every reason to believe that breakfast would be included but made a point of saying they will be covering the full price of £16 per person as they get no discount from the restuarant as its a 3rd party operator!

hockeyinsider

There definitely seems to be something happening with Marriott's U.K. hotels, as there are now multiple properties skimping on previously generous lounge offerings. For example, the Marriott London County Hall and Renaissance Heathrow Airport no longer have self-serve food at night, outside of maybe some dessert or cheese. They require you to "order." In the case of the Marriott London County Hall, at least in November/December 2017, you were required to pay for a second round of food.

hockeyinsider

They almost always also have potatoes and either bacon or sausage. Sometimes both. Yogurt and sugary, cheap cereal is generally offered, too.

hockeyinsider

I suspect that's the problem.

Wickersley

RAPC

Stayed here a couple of times recently when in the area for family stuff at weekends.

Two good stays so far, receiving the larger version of the family two double rooms. (These have a full size sofa bed, rather than just a chair). Welcome platter in the room both times, with fruit and biscuits first time and a cake selection on the most recent stay.

Room was large, modern, clean and well maintained. Large TV, although only freeview channels.

We visited the lounge on both visits for evening snacks and breakfast. We found it perfectly adequate, with enough items across both sessions to keep us happy. Breakfast is not as substantial as a full buffet, but it covered enough. There were scrambled eggs and bacon as hot options this morning, along with a selection of cereals, fruits, cold meats, cheeses, yoghurts, bread and pastries.

Staff were really good on both visits, with a warm welcome for us, a kids pack and a few extras for our daughter on both stays.

Back again at the hotel next month, but looking forward to it based on recent stays.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the trip report. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

thegoderic

I had an amusing stay there a while ago. A relative was holding his birthday lunch at San Carlos (decent Italian restaurant on the premises), and we were staying there for the weekend.

After a long lunch, there were about a dozen of us who bought drinks from the bar and in the absence of anywhere to sit such a large group in the bar area, I let us into the empty Exec lounge where we sat down to consume our purchased drinks.

A member of staff came in and questioned how many of use were elite. When I said just me, he told me that I needed to pay for every guest in the lounge, then going on to ask what my status was - Gold? he enquired. "Lifetime Platinum" (old school Lifetime Plat, now Lifetime Titanium), said I. At which point he just about stood to attention and saluted, apologised and left us in peace.

RAPC

Quick update to this thread, as we stayed at the property over the weekend.

The Exec Lounge is currently closed, but they are allowing the breakfast benefit to be used in the restaurant. (It is operated by a 3rd party and they have previously been reluctant to allow guests to have breakfast there if the lounge was closed.)
No airport shuttle in operation, just taxis on request.
Only San Carlo is open outside of breakfast time and as guests were discovering at check in, if you wanted any food or drink, you were out of luck as the restaurant was fully booked. Even room service was not in operation on the evening we were there, as that is run by the restaurant that was closed.

Besides the relative lack of F&B (which we had planned for), the stay was fine. Room was clean and well maintained. Bottled water in the fridge, premium wifi code supplied etc.
Parking was still free for Platinum guests and above as well.

cayohueso

We stayed here at the end of December. It was PACKED. Check-in went reasonably well. No acknowledgement of status. The Italian restaurant was OK. I have never stayed in such a maze of a hotel. It was a 5 minute walk from the elevator to the rooms. The rooms were a place to sleep, nothing more. Arranged for an early shuttle but the driver called in sick so there was a free cab waiting, which was nice. It's an airport hotel with parking and shuttle service.