Nottingham Nick

Many thanks for that post - wombat7.

I had just booked a two night stay there for the NFL game at Wembley in October, but on reading that mere golds don't get lounge access, I will swap to our favourite out at West India Quay.

The WIQ hotel may be a bit out of the way, especially at weekends, but it has a seven day lounge, which is MOST welcoming and staffed by friendly people.

The extra time spent on the tube will be a bit of a pain, but saving almost Ł100 a night and getting a warm welcome as a gold, should more than make up for it.

Nick

SkiAdcock

Ok, I'm a bit confused. Is the Chambers Club a separate lounge, ala Club 90 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, which requires a separate co-pay (unless they give it to your gratis), or is it the regular executive lounge?

If it's a regular executive lounge, I don't think they're allowed to say golds can't enter. Marriott's bennies are Gold/Plats get access to the executive lounge, regardless if they're on the exec level.

If it's a Club 90 situation, I can see how they could exclude golds (or Plats for that matter). If it's a reg exec lounge I don't see how they can, unless they've gotten permission from corporate to do so.

Is it due to small lounge size? The 'reduced' bennies sound ok (although a bit skimpy on the booze ).

But since other London Marriott properties, such as Grosvenor House & WIQ, allow both Gold & Plats into the lounge, this would be a reason not to stay at St. Pancras.

Cheers.

wombat7

Thanks for the rsponse nottingham nick - the Light snacks mean that you can order one item from the bar snacks menu at no charge - to eat with your complimentary one glass of wine - i picked a white wine to go wit my salmon fish cakes. A quite acceptable Sauvignon Blanc - superior to the white wine severed in the County Hall lounge ( for the comparison).

My Barlow King room is not as nice as those in CHM, in my opinion. The plus is that the wifi does work in the room and it is not as far a walk at those rooms that are in the 20s or lower at CHM.

Negatives
The window is very small - I am on the side that faces the British Library - perhaps the oth side has bigger windows

The bathroom is small, and the door is hung to close - so if you want to have the door open wihile you are using the wash basin, you need to wedge the door open with a towel.

The work area is a round table - which seems a bit strange - have not used it yet so will report back

Found the water pressure to be a little low - again my benchmark is CHM which might be unfair becuase the pressure there is amazing

Positives
Just tasted one of my fish cakes - more like a fish balls really - very good. Crispy and hot - far better than the usual food offerings in Marriot lounges - makes sense becuase it was made to order ( actually should say that the food in the Hong Kong lounge is amazing).

Sitting at the bar in the Booking Office while writing this - quite wonderful setting.

Had a quick walk around some of the public spaces this afternoon before venturing out into teh "chance of rain" - incredible staircase but there was a hotel employee "guarding" it - strange


more to come
Tomorrow will report on breakfast and the bed

lexdevil

The Chambers Club is the only concierge lounge so far as I can tell. I am surprised that they exclude golds from it. I wonder if this is an error?

At the same time, the Booking Office Bar deal for golds seems to be better than club access in some ways. Though it is more restrictive than club access, it sounds like the food is better, at least in the evening. I found the pre-dinner canapes in the Chambers Club to be uninspired. Bland chicken on a skewer. Warm savory puff pastry with next to no filling. Two kinds of cheese. Mini tarts and some sort of mousse-like cake option.

The cocktail options in the lounge are a bit frustrating as well. No problem with the liquor or the mixers, but I would have really appreciated a wedge of lemon or lime. Annoying to have to make a gin and tonic without one. And my homemade Bloody Mary was nothing more than bottled tomato juice and vodka, because there's nothing to be found that might add any life to it. What I would have given for the aforementioned lemon, some hot sauce, or horseradish. I can't imagine why they stock bottles of tomato juice without also stocking the other bits needed for a palatable Bloody Mary.

wombat7

My welcome letter states:
Dear Guest
I would like to wish you a very warm welcome to the St Pancars Reannaisance London. I am delightted to invite you to enjoy the benefit of a heathy heart start breakfast in out Booking Office Restaurant.

The Booking Office Restaurant is found on the Ground Floor behind the Reception. It opens for breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 seven days a week for breakfast.

Furthermore we are delighted to offer you every day during you stay a complementary cup pf cmanden roast coffe or tea in the afternoon and a complementary botle of Camden beer ot a glass of house wine and a light selection of snacks between 17:00-19:00

You are welcome to order your complementary drink in our Booking Office Bar or dial "0" and our Guest services team will be hsppy to assist you with your order in your room.


No report on breakfast today - did not have time to partake.

+ bed very comfortable as to be expect from Marriott
+ bath of a recent length but not as good as CHM
+ complementary cheese tray tasty and the hold red pepper jelly, well worth crossing th eroad for

- wrong newspaper delivered - was given the usual Murdoch rag

SkiAdcock

Does it say due to gold status, or do you think most folk get that letter?

Cheers.

wombat7

Sharon I was saving some typing thre heading is:

Gold Member Benefits. In bold font for further precision - so no mistake

SkiAdcock

As some have said, it might be a better offer w/ stuff freshly made, but I still am wondering if the property is allowed to arbitrarily exclude Golds from the exec lounge. I think we need to get some clarification from Marriott Concierge.

Cheers.

ohmark

Ah, now I more fully understand the motive for the new language as to the lounge benefit. Lounge access outside the U.S. and Canada may no longer be guaranteed. "Outside the U.S. and Canada, you are entitled to continental breakfast 7 days a week." http://www.marriott.com/rewards/member-benefits/gold.mi So, while you're now guaranteed breakfast 7 days outside US/Canada, maybe you're no longer guaranteed lounge access. As an aside, I read an article a while ago that mentioned that the St Pancras was considering selling club lounge memberships.

VickiSoCal

Help yourself to light snacks, beverages and complimentary continental breakfast in our Concierge/Executive/Club Lounge at participating JW Marriott Hotels, the Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Hotels & Resorts. If your hotel doesn’t have a Concierge/Executive/Club Lounge, we invite you to enjoy complimentary continental breakfast on your weekday stays. Outside the U.S. and Canada, you are entitled to continental breakfast 7 days a week.

It doesn't say- if we decide not to admit Golds to the lounge you get breakfast, it says you get the lounge, period, unless your hotel doesn't have one.

waterbug111

I'm a little confused by the wording as well - since the exec lounges in many International Marriotts are open 7 day a week, I wonder if the language means that in US/Canadian Marriotts, the healthy start breakfast is only good during the 5-day business week (when lounges are open), but it's good for all 7 days at international properties (since typically hotels with lounges are open 7 days a week).

Of course, if the Chambers lounge is excluded from this benefit, it wouldn't matter if the above interpretation is accurate...

VickiSoCal

I think you are analyzing it beyond what the writer intended. There are international hotels without lounges- at these locations Gold/Plat get breakfast 7 days a week. At domestic hotels without lounges Gold/Plat get breakfast 5 days a week. Ditto if a domestic or international lounge is closed for some reason. I don't see any wiggle room for denying access to the lounge unless they are claiming the Chamber's Club is neither a Club, Concierge or Executive lounge but is in some other, special, super exclusive lounge category.

ohmark

As with so many Marriott rules the language can be read either way. Nowhere in the rule do I read the words "you get the lounge period." I read various wording as to what you get. Then I read the words "Outside the US and Canada, you are entitled to continental breakfast seven days a week." You could argue that means "in addition" to everything else, or it could mean "instead of everything else." We all, of course, would prefer "in addition." Apparently, from above posts, St. Pancras reads it "instead of."

lexdevil

There is no mention, in the first or second sentence, of any limitation to hotels in the US and Canada. The clear implication is that this is a benefit offered worldwide. The "outside the US and Canada" language is only used after the "If your hotel doesn’t have a Concierge/Executive/Club Lounge" language, indicating that in those hotels you will have a greater benefit than in hotels located in the US and Canada.

Sentence order is key to interpretation. The order in the quoted paragraph indicates that hotels without lounges outside of the US and Canada are being distinguished from hotels without lounges inside of the US and Canada. In hotels with lounges, no distinction is made.

If there is a source of trouble in the cited language, I'd say that it is in the phrase, "at participating JW Marriott Hotels, the Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Hotels & Resorts." This language clearly leaves it open to any hotel to say that it is not participating. I find that wording very troubling, because it appears to allow any hotel to opt out.

redbaron94

Thanks for the update on the denial of lounge access. I am a new gold and lounge access is a big deal as we will be staying five nights. I have changed my reservation to Grosvenor Square where access (and a king size bed) is guaranteed.