Out of my Element

Food and drinks are available at a bar or at your lounger.

niteowl94

How can a hotel take both elevators out of normal service and set them on "Shabbat" mode where they stop on every floor on the way up and down?

It would have been an inconvenience to take one elevator out of service but to do it to both elevators for 48 straight hours is unconscionable.

If I would have known that this hotel was going to waste 30 minutes of my time each ride in the elevator I would have stayed elsewhere.

nologic

The Sheraton Jerusalem used to do this (when it was part of SPG, I presume it still does this outside of SPG).

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niteowl94

I wouldn't complain if I were in Jerusalem but were in Florida during spring break!!

If you want to take 1 elevator out of regular service for this purpose fine but to take both elevators is ridiculous.

niteowl94

UPDATE:

The hotel did open the freight elevator for those not wanting to wait for the 30 minute ride to the lobby so I guess I wasn't the only one to complain. I have to commend the hotel for that.

Im still moving out of this tower anyway because the people who requested the elevators stop on every floor are now clogging up the freight elevator and they either ask you to push the button for their floor (sorry but there is no way I'm doing that since you took all regular elevators out of normal operation) or they have their kids do it for them, I guess kids have different rules than adults.

I do have a serious question on this issue though, why is it that you can't push a button on an elevator because it's electric but you can insert the room key into the electric door lock of your room?

travellingcari

Likewise with the Sheraton Tel Aviv. I don't think it's that uncommon. South Florida can skew heavily Jewish so I don't find this surprising.

niteowl94

I've stayed at the Sheraton Tel Aviv and they don't take all elevators out of service for Shabbat (it's just 1 elevator) so why would they do it in South Florida during spring break?

I'm moving to the other tower to get away from this situation but this hotel should warn people of this inconvenience ahead of time next time they do this.

If I wasn't on a pre-paid rate I would have cancelled and paid the extra money at the W next door.

niteowl94

And on a different issue this hotel has some nerve charging a $35 per day resort charge for doing absolutely nothing.

Part of the resort fee covers chairs you can take to the beach so you don't get hit with the $12 per chair, per day fee for the beach lounge chairs charged by a 3rd party but this is useless when you have 20 chairs for a hotel with a capacity of over 1,000 people.

I also have a handicapped son and directly in front of the hotel there is handicap parking stalls (perfect you think). No, I parked there and was told it's $39 per day and I was told I needed to hand over the keys to my car.

I came down 1 hour later to go for dinner and my car was gone. When I asked what happened the attendant told me they moved it to the garage because the handicap spots are used for a "staging area" when people call for cars and they need space in the driveway.

I inquired how someone could park a car in a handicap spot without a handicap plaque and I was told "this is private property we can do what we want".

Needless to say I can't wait for this stay to be over and I'll permanately cross this place off the list of go to resorts.

I so miss the Diplomat hotel in Hollywood, real nice resort with a great beach and the handicap spots are free from hotel charges if available.

dreschen

It seems that the Resort Fee is now 45 USD plus Tax

Resort Amenities Include:

Complimentary High Speed Internet Access
Cold bottle of water in Guest Room
Complimentary morning newspapers by request
Pool and beach towel usage
Access to WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio
Local and domestic long distance telephone calls
Heavenly Spa by Westin™ discounts
Twice weekly RunWESTIN™ events
Weekly sunrise yoga

niteowl94

All "amenities" are totally useless if your platinum and this hotel has some nerve claiming to be a resort property. The place was last updated when Don Johnson was relevant.

They should pass a law that outlaws resort charges and makes the hotels add these fees to their base rates so people know what they are paying upfront.

KENNECTED

@niteowl94 Based on what you wrote, I feel this is a fair question. Have you physically been to and stayed in a guestroom on this property? Why do you think the property is outdated?

travellingcari

All of which used to be free until they implemented the amity fee. niteowl94, I disagree though. It's gone through extensive updates in the last two years. Alas, that's what the fee is going to. Who needs USA Today or phone calls anymore, so we're paying for what we already get/don't need. If you pay for it (spa), is it a discount?

I love this property and won't move my stays most likely since they're all the same up and down the beach, but I hate this fee. This must be new though as I was just there and it was still ~$30 or maybe that's what it was when I booked and they honored.

rrgg

What does this mean that the city will charge me beach use? Is it that hotel doesn't have enough chairs for its guests so end up renting them from a 3rd party? Or do you mean you have to pay for chairs no matter what? (I was looking at this, the W, and the Marriott Harbor.) Thanks.

hhoope01

I can't speak to what the W or the Westin charge, but I can say that the Harbor Beach Marriott charges a $30/day resort fee which includes an umbrella and chairs.

travellingcari

Yes, I believe it's a city beach use fee tacked onto hotel rates via resort fee. I can't remember if hotel told me that or someone local. Also happens at the Jersey shore.