Points Scrounger

Booked a king room at an AC for tonight. Was a bit startled to see an exterior sink right away, but even more so to realize that there didn't seem to be a doorway to the actual WC + shower area. There is a sliding rod above and a slot on the floor for a door to move back and forth, but no door present.

Called down to the desk to ask whether this was some sort of an oversight where the door had been taken out on purpose to be repaired, or something, but not yet put back? No, they apparently have No Barn Door rooms. Obviously a no-go for couples, but thought okay for solo travelers.

Have you folks run across an "open plan" room such as this before? Pretty sure I haven't. I did the War Crimes Booth open shower once at a W, but this isn't quite the same thing.


Doorway you see is what at first it seemed management intends.


Rear view of "exterior" sink

Andykh

Not exactly "No Door", but has already encountered the similar bathroom designs at some newer Springhill Suites. In my case the door was (still?) there but it did not have a lock of any kind.
The sink is also awful, btw, totally unpractical.

Points Scrounger

At checkout today, turned out it was a bit of a misunderstanding. Doors to be replaced after a maintenance issue - clerks today laughed out loud at the idea of rooms without bathroom doors as standard.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

itravelalot

How long does it take to fix a door?

Points Scrounger

I'm rather sensitive to light, so noticed the night light in the bathroom.

Can't see it lasting long if they intend to have couples in those King rooms.

daloosh

That makes more sense. Looking at the rod above and the slotted door stop-ey thing makes it sure look like the door was missing!

SkiAdcock

Depends on what's wrong w/ it

Cheers.

flightrisk

This post reminds me of a warning sign I found on the barn door at a revamped FS Marriott. You just know they posted this because too many guests were breaking the doors...

btonkid12345

OP - is this the AC Bellevue WA?

I ask because I saw rooms with the exterior sink and ones with a sink in an enclosed, grey-tiled room on TA.

Called the hotel and clerk said they got the same question today in person but didn't know the difference and would have to follow up...

itravelalot

This is yet another example of the idiots who design hotel rooms. Great idea in a design studio. Highly impractical in reality.

The Idiots who Design Marriott Rooms

SkiAdcock

Yes & no. A barn door is a bit like a pocket door, so takes up less space by sliding sideways than swinging in (especially if bathroom is small) or out. And the designers were probably watching some of the HGTV shows where barn doors are becoming very popular

Cheers.

KRSW

I *hate* the barn doors. I don't live in a barn, nor date farm animals. For some reason designers also put in frosted glass in these doors, which is terrible when you're not traveling solo. If anyone gets up in the middle of the night, you're waking up the entire room. Making matters worse are some hotels now have motion-activated lights in the bathroom which come on full-throttle; definitely NOT appreciated at 3am.

The barn doors also don't seem to block noise either.

I have to agree with @itravelalot -- these things are probably great in the mock rooms, but your typical road dog wouldn't ever want it.

Points Scrounger

Yes, it is. However, I only brought up the door nothing to do with exterior sink.

EuropeanPete