Roll Call: Report your Residence Inn 'social hour' offerings
May 2, 2008, 3:06 pm
#46
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: York, PA
Programs: MRSPG LT Tit, HH Diamond, Hertz Pres.
Posts: 1,737
Valley Forge RI
I was at the VF RI.
It was severly delayed. Not served until almost 6:30. It was BLTs, tomato soup and philly pretzels. Tomatoes and lettuce were fresh, bacon was so-so.
Soup was great, alcohol was serve yourself.
It was severly delayed. Not served until almost 6:30. It was BLTs, tomato soup and philly pretzels. Tomatoes and lettuce were fresh, bacon was so-so.
Soup was great, alcohol was serve yourself.
May 2, 2008, 3:08 pm
#47
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: York, PA
Programs: MRSPG LT Tit, HH Diamond, Hertz Pres.
Posts: 1,737
salisbury, MD RI
2 weeks ago, was at RI in salisbury, MD.
GREAT property. Only there one night and everything else booked for some freaking POODLE show
My one night was wings, soup and salad.
All were plentiful and good.
I am not normally a RI person when alone. When we travel, it is always RI as there are 4 or 5 of us.
GREAT property. Only there one night and everything else booked for some freaking POODLE show
My one night was wings, soup and salad.
All were plentiful and good.
I am not normally a RI person when alone. When we travel, it is always RI as there are 4 or 5 of us.
May 3, 2008, 1:49 pm
#49
Join Date: Mar 2004
Programs: DL PM, DL MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG
Posts: 804
I stayed at the Downtown Philly RI Mon & Tues this week. When I checked in, the front desk explained the breakfast and gave me my "card" that entitled me to a free breakfast. Breakfast offerings both days were pretty good - yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs, potatos, waffles, oatmeal.
The front desk never mentioned the "social hour" and I asked about it. It started at 5:30. They said they had free "dinner" but not free alcoholic drinks. They had a free soft drink machine but I had to pay for a beer or wine.
Offerings were limited. They had plain yogurt, celery sticks & humus, salad with packets of Paul Newman's salad dressing, chocolate pudding, 3 bean salad, pound cake and/or brownies. The one hot item the first night was what I call little "pigs in a blanket" - small cocktail weiners with dough (like crescent rolls) wrapped around them. The first night they had salsa and chips but not the second night. The one hot item the next night was gross - macaroni in marinara/tomato sauce.
One thing that struck me as humorous - the 3 bean salad was placed next to the chocolate pudding at the start of the food line, not near the end where the pound cake or brownies were.
Is it customary that the employees can also enjoy the "social hour dinner"?
The front desk never mentioned the "social hour" and I asked about it. It started at 5:30. They said they had free "dinner" but not free alcoholic drinks. They had a free soft drink machine but I had to pay for a beer or wine.
Offerings were limited. They had plain yogurt, celery sticks & humus, salad with packets of Paul Newman's salad dressing, chocolate pudding, 3 bean salad, pound cake and/or brownies. The one hot item the first night was what I call little "pigs in a blanket" - small cocktail weiners with dough (like crescent rolls) wrapped around them. The first night they had salsa and chips but not the second night. The one hot item the next night was gross - macaroni in marinara/tomato sauce.
One thing that struck me as humorous - the 3 bean salad was placed next to the chocolate pudding at the start of the food line, not near the end where the pound cake or brownies were.
Is it customary that the employees can also enjoy the "social hour dinner"?
May 3, 2008, 2:32 pm
#50
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
So, if I had to guess from reading this thread, it sounds like Marriott Corporate gave direction to the local properties to the effect of "do what you want but you must give them something. And here are a few suggestions - cut it back a night, cut the alcohol and maybe use the savings for some catered BBQ pork".
We went from a fairly standardized menu with beer/wine to this. That is the only conclusion I can draw.
Sad. And I love the RI brand regardless of the 1/2 points.
We went from a fairly standardized menu with beer/wine to this. That is the only conclusion I can draw.
Sad. And I love the RI brand regardless of the 1/2 points.
Jul 22, 2008, 1:57 pm
#52
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2
I called the brand new Residence Inn Egg Harbor/Atlantic City Airport, NJ to make sure they had a social hour on Thursdays before using my annual MR Visa free night certificate (I was thinking about trying the new Courtyard in AC, too) and they said they did. So, we got there and it turns out they only have it Mondays thru Wednesdays to our disappointment. I talked to the front desk and they said they had to reinforce this with their workers. Anyway, we stayed at the RI in Langhorne, PA the next night and their social hours are Mondays thru Thursdays.
Jul 22, 2008, 2:26 pm
#53
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Again, I find this new direction sad and pathetic. We went from being able to count on beer/wine 4 nights a week with decent offerings to a hodge podge of nights and food being offered.
Some of the items above sound absolutely wonderful but all I see at the RI's I frequent are limited quantities of pulled pork and no alcohol.
This used to be my favor Marriott brand until they had to tinker with it. Now I prefer the Homewood Suites.
Some of the items above sound absolutely wonderful but all I see at the RI's I frequent are limited quantities of pulled pork and no alcohol.
This used to be my favor Marriott brand until they had to tinker with it. Now I prefer the Homewood Suites.
Jul 22, 2008, 9:19 pm
#54
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Lawrence, MA USA
Programs: Delta Gold
Posts: 273
Stayed two nights in downtown Sacramento RI last week. Both nights (Mon/Tues) had a happy hour from 5:30pm-7:30pm that had soft pretzels, chips/salsa/cheese, snack mix, and I think maybe popcorn.
Didn't notice any wine, there were about a half-dozen types of beer to choose from (Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, Corona, Heineken, Amstel Light, Bud).
If memory serves, the happy hour is every night of the week, and on Thursday evenings there is a wine tasting.
Didn't notice any wine, there were about a half-dozen types of beer to choose from (Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, Corona, Heineken, Amstel Light, Bud).
If memory serves, the happy hour is every night of the week, and on Thursday evenings there is a wine tasting.
Jul 23, 2008, 10:54 am
#55
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 214
Agreed with others.
I would just scrap the hot "food" in the evenings and just offer some cold snacks with the cheap beer and wine.
Who plans on eating a full dinner at a Residence Inn? Why have the kitchens? It seems like it would strech the resources of a hotel/motel with already limited resources to try and put out a dinner offering like that, hence the low quality.
I would just scrap the hot "food" in the evenings and just offer some cold snacks with the cheap beer and wine.
Who plans on eating a full dinner at a Residence Inn? Why have the kitchens? It seems like it would strech the resources of a hotel/motel with already limited resources to try and put out a dinner offering like that, hence the low quality.
Jul 23, 2008, 5:15 pm
#56
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: MR Gold, DCL Silver, RSSC Silver
Posts: 775
The RI near the Indiana state capitol has only 2 social hours this week. Yesterday was a baked potato bar with broccoli, shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream. No bacon.
Calling this an "improvement" or "enhancement" is incredibly Orwellian.
Calling this an "improvement" or "enhancement" is incredibly Orwellian.
Jul 23, 2008, 5:41 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Jul 23, 2008, 5:42 pm
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
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Posts: 13,747
I would encourage you to provide feedback to Marriott as this is not the standard set by the brand
Jul 23, 2008, 5:44 pm
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747