Land-of-Miles

hockeyinsider

This is probably why the property is flagged Autograph Collection. Autograph Collection's brand standards are softer and the brand isn't geared toward business travelers, unlike say Marriott or Sheraton.

As a result, Marriott's flip-flop, reaffirming in-room desks doesn't apply likely apply to Autograph Collection. Chalk this up to the idiots who design hotel rooms:

The Idiots who Design Marriott Rooms

SkiAdcock

Autograph Collection properties are more boutique (which hockeyinsider often reminds us ), so my guess is a boutique hotel doesn't think a standard business desk fits into the boutique model (unlike a bland, bizlike MAR or SPG property). Not saying right or wrong re: desk, but comparing an Autograph to MAR/SPG standard boring doesn't make sense.

Cheers.

hockeyinsider

I concur, although if the property wants the a good rating from the AA -- I think the AA does a better job ensuring consistency in the UK -- then it will likely need a desk. However, almost none of Marriott's UK properties are rated by the AA these days, unlike just a couple years ago.

I remember asking why the front desk at a Marriott property why it had a trouser press in the room and was told it was a requirement for AA.

SkiAdcock

And I would actually like to keep the thread on track, which is property specific reports. Let's keep the AA/AAA requirements to a different thread/forum. Just asking. We all have limited time for threads/reports.

Cheers.

Land-of-Miles

BrightlyBob

Land-of-Miles

I guess the problem is that you tend to stay with a chain due to elite benefits and brand consistency/knowing what to expect. If the selection is so random why would anyone take the risk?

When you strip away elite benefits (I seem to effectively have only a free breakfast) I may as well have just booked a properly independent property on a breakfast inclusive rate at a property which had reasonable sized rooms and desks. Given the location, this is not really a property for the Leisure market I would argue, so they are not going to do well if that is where they end up sitting.

I don't really care about MR credit which seems to be the only other upside.

BrightlyBob

Discostu58

Just completed my 4 night stay with my parents. Hotel was great. Great location, 10 - 15 minute walk to the London Bridge Tube and a 10 minute walk to get over the Tower Bridge. Two pubs within a block that served cheap beer (not the draft house, they were pretty expensive). Within half a mile or so you had some really great restaurants. Jose was a phenomenal tapas place, it was tiny but really good.

The hotel was gorgeous and had so much history. We asked one of the front desk personnel a little about the history and he took the time to walk us around and explain some of the history and point out some of the neat items they did with the decor. As plat I was "upgraded", I booked two rooms, the upgraded room was maybe a bit bigger? It did have the bathroom off of a small hallway while the other was a door next to the bed. The upgraded room did have a nice view of the Tower Bridge. Sound was good in the room as was the shower and bed. As platinum I was provided free breakfast and after the first night, they even provided it to my other room. The continental breakfast was decent, fruit, yogurt, some pastries, meats and cheeses. The hotel was also cheap, I paid an average of 152 gbp a night, i thought that was a steal for London.

I would definitely stay here again.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the trip report. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

EuropeanPete

That is true, but the other way of looking at it is that you get to stay in a uniquely designed hotel, but still get the benefits of status and points that you would get if you were to stay in an ugly, poorly designed 1980s Utah style cookie cutter Marriott with plastic cups and Bud Light in the lounge. If there was a really good brand standard today I'd be all over it, but assuming the St Regis doesn't count I'm not sure that any brands in the mid-tier sector are especially appealing. W's outside the US are fun and Westin's are probably the next least worst, but who gets excited over the prospect of a Sheraton Link Lounge? At the lower end I actually think the design of Alofts and Moxy hotels have something going for them, but they make up relatively infrequent stays for me.

dimon84

My stay was not bad, but it was nothing very good either. First of all, no notification regarding room ready on the app. Long queue to to check-in. Not much of an upgrade for titanium, just a bit larger room. Welcome message on the screen addressed someone else. This hotel is designed for tourists, not for business people. There is no work table, just a tiny round table in the middle. Handle in the bathroom door falls off. Shower keeps switching from cold to hot water every 20 seconds. Asked for the shaving cream on the app, no response for thirty minutes. Tried the phone - was not working. Went down to reception, somebody promised to get back. After an hour went again - got my item. Soundproofing bad as you would expect from an old house. Breakfast (took a vegan option, as not a fan of full English, was very good), but it took them 38 minutes to prepare one. Next day received an email claiming I have taken popcorn from the minibar, I did not. Promotional opening bonus of 4.000 points never posted, had to chase back. So, overall just an average hotel. Chandelier and the stairs were nice though, service was not.

Land-of-Miles

The problem for me in the immediate vicinity you have so much better options at broadly similar price points to the Dixon, which for me would include, Hilton Tower Bridge, Hilton Bankside, Doubletree Tower of London (which I hate but which is functionally better than the Dixon), CP City, Grange St Pauls etc. or slightly further afield the excellent Kimpton Fitzroy.

I have a busy enough life without having to research brand standards for properties that are part of my chain options. I never had to research brand standards with Starwood, I knew what I was going to get. Given Marriot's broad array of properties they are asking for brand confusion mixing some of the fundamentally clashing brand standards at very similar price points. I had intended to progress Titanium this year but have had such fundamentally bad experiences with Marriot thus far (with some honourable exceptions) that

You don't have to go to full US bog standard Sheraton or Marriott models to get a better experience other chains do it better.

Quirky and original is nice but does not trump functionality or basic expected Hotel features (e.g. a desk) etc.

itravelalot

Are the rooms big enough for a desk? My guess is Autograph Collection's design standards don't require a desk.