Knoxville FS Marriott - NASTY!
Jun 11, 2009, 5:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Indianapolis
Programs: Northwest Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Platinum, Hertz President Circle
Posts: 108
Knoxville FS Marriott - NASTY!
I just checked in and this place is very tired and old. It is a pyramid shaped building right on the river and appears to have not been touched since it was built 30+ years ago (my guess). I got "upgraded" to a Jr. Suite with a deck. The room is still quite small and the deck is a black topped roof w/no furniture.
The top floor with concierge lounge smells like mildew so bad it gave me a headache.
I'm thinking I'd have been better off in a Courtyard or Fairfield.
I'm a 10 yr. platinum and normally only stay at FS Marriotts and Ren's so I've been around their facilities across the country. This is probably the worst FS Marriott facility I've ever stayed in! Don't they have some standards and remodel requirements?
Anybody have any experience there or any of the other Knoxville facilities? If I come back, I'll be staying somewhere else. Mr. Marriott needs to step in and get this building remodeled or suggest they choose another flag.
The top floor with concierge lounge smells like mildew so bad it gave me a headache.
I'm thinking I'd have been better off in a Courtyard or Fairfield. I'm a 10 yr. platinum and normally only stay at FS Marriotts and Ren's so I've been around their facilities across the country. This is probably the worst FS Marriott facility I've ever stayed in! Don't they have some standards and remodel requirements?
Anybody have any experience there or any of the other Knoxville facilities? If I come back, I'll be staying somewhere else. Mr. Marriott needs to step in and get this building remodeled or suggest they choose another flag.
Jun 11, 2009, 5:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 859
I was there two years ago and it was the exact same. Awful hotel. The inlaws had given us a night away without the kids and we didn't want to go far but still wanted a decent hotel and boy - did we not get it.
We now do a springhill suites, but it isn't downtown (about 10 miles outside)...
We now do a springhill suites, but it isn't downtown (about 10 miles outside)...
Jun 11, 2009, 7:34 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,474
Formerly a Hyatt, and owned by Columbia Sussex.
Jun 12, 2009, 7:54 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Pasadena,Ca.,US.
Programs: AA, Delta, United, SPG plat, Hyatt dia
Posts: 7,140
Wondering how long this has been reflagged as a Marriott?
Operators often keep hotels open during renovations=it is expensive to totally shut down a hotel.
However Columbia Suc*s has a very bad reputation so I avoid the properties they own/manage.
Operators often keep hotels open during renovations=it is expensive to totally shut down a hotel.
However Columbia Suc*s has a very bad reputation so I avoid the properties they own/manage.
Jun 12, 2009, 8:05 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,078
Thanks for the info. Anyone have insights on Anchorage Marriott owned by them?
FWIW, I stayed at the following properties owned by them:
Saddle Brook Marriott Nice staff though
Hilton Head Marriott Beach and Golf Resort ^ Worn and dated
Louisville Marriott - East (FWIW I thought the OP was talking about this property)
Phoenix Airport Marriott ^
Richmond Marriott West ^
FWIW, I stayed at the following properties owned by them:
Saddle Brook Marriott
Nice staff thoughHilton Head Marriott Beach and Golf Resort
^ Worn and datedLouisville Marriott - East
(FWIW I thought the OP was talking about this property)Phoenix Airport Marriott ^
Richmond Marriott West ^
Jun 12, 2009, 8:32 am
#6
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Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
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Jun 12, 2009, 10:24 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
I needed to be at a customer site in the morning and asked the bellman the best way to get there. If you've been at the property, you know that it's right on the highway exit, but there is a fence that ends just beyond the parking lot exit which prevents you from making a turn onto the highway entrance. The bellman told me to pull out of the parking lot, drive the couple feet to the end of the highway, u-turn and enter the highway. There was no traffic coming, so I did this safely. Just as I was finishing, a cop pulled off the exit, saw this, pulled me over and gave me a ticket! $140!!
The bellman stood at the front of the hotel watching. I know he felt bad.
Jun 12, 2009, 10:39 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Charleston, SC
Programs: UA 1P, CO Plat, MR Plat, SPG Plat, US Dirt
Posts: 1,506
Thanks for the info. Anyone have insights on Anchorage Marriott owned by them?
FWIW, I stayed at the following properties owned by them:
Saddle Brook Marriott Nice staff though
Hilton Head Marriott Beach and Golf Resort ^ Worn and dated
Louisville Marriott - East (FWIW I thought the OP was talking about this property)
Phoenix Airport Marriott ^
Richmond Marriott West ^
FWIW, I stayed at the following properties owned by them:
Saddle Brook Marriott
Nice staff thoughHilton Head Marriott Beach and Golf Resort
^ Worn and datedLouisville Marriott - East
(FWIW I thought the OP was talking about this property)Phoenix Airport Marriott ^
Richmond Marriott West ^
They also treat employees pretty poorly thus the high turnover. My favorite CL attendant, Vira Joyner is now gone......im now pondering a change in my richmond hotels because she was the only reason I stayed at that place.
Jun 12, 2009, 10:48 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,474
I stayed there a couple of times about 2-3 years ago. Attractive property form the outside, and spacious lobby ala Hyatt's from the era when it was built. Rooms seemingly unrenovated and mediocre. Front-end Staff seemed to me to be the usual Marriott, that is young, eager, pleasant, and trying to please. Nothing much in the immediate neighborhood except the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jun 12, 2009, 10:50 am
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: NYC (formerly BOS/DCA)
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Posts: 60,745
Yes, this hotel sucks. I remember I had a room with a "window" looking out onto the lobby. I felt like I was in a casino or something.. couldn't see daylight.
It sucks.
It sucks.
Jun 12, 2009, 11:00 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: DAB
Posts: 98
That is probably the worst hotel to stay in when in downtown Knoxville. The Crowne Plaza is ok and the Hilton is nice.
Jun 12, 2009, 11:56 am
#12
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA ExP, Hyatt Diamond, MR Platinum, PC Platinum, SPG Platinum, HH Gold
Posts: 498
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) -- Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is back in the Atlantic City casino business for what amounts to at least 80 percent off.
A bankruptcy court judge in Camden approved the sale of the Tropicana Casino and Resort on Friday to a group of creditors led by Icahn. They're getting it in exchange for $200 million worth of debt in the Tropicana that they bought at a steep discount...
The Tropicana had to be sold because the New Jersey Casino Control Commission stripped its former owners, an affiliate of Kentucky-based Columbia Sussex Corp., of their casino license in Dec. 2007 for poor performance.
Jun 12, 2009, 4:12 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Central New Jersey (EWR, ABE, PHL)
Programs: Marriott LT Plat,SW, Hertz #1 Gold, Amtrak SP, jetBlue, et al
Posts: 953
they are, from what a couple associates told me....notoriously CHEAP! I have NO CLUE how that dump gets 4 diamonds from AAA! The inspector must be a moron!
SOME of their staff is OK.....but a few are clueless. I had a large number of issues with the room (and things not working, lack of cleanliness), food in the restaurant.....and a number of other problems......
And their GM (Sorry to any GMs/former GMs out there) is, well....my mommy always said that if you can't say something nice....
OK...he had her in tears in the lobby. i won't say anything else......except SKIP IT!
Jun 13, 2009, 1:27 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: Airline Free Agent/MR Gold/ HH Diamond/National/MGM/Amex
Posts: 662
Being a former Columbia Sussex employee (I worked at the Buttes, A Marriott Resort, www.marriott.com/phxqq) I can say that they treat their employees as poorly as they keep up with their hotels.
That being said, the CP in Knoxville isnt all that great either. Their respect for PC benifits is non existant and their upgrades are the same. I have heard good things about the Hilton, but also heard its hit and miss.
That being said, the CP in Knoxville isnt all that great either. Their respect for PC benifits is non existant and their upgrades are the same. I have heard good things about the Hilton, but also heard its hit and miss.
Jun 13, 2009, 3:01 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Pasadena,Ca.,US.
Programs: AA, Delta, United, SPG plat, Hyatt dia
Posts: 7,140
"Hotel is 37 years old. Purchased by Columbia Sussex and reflagged as a Marriott over seven years ago. http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2...illeHyatt.html"
Thanks for the info Ohmark.
Seen years?-welll that should be enough time for TWO makeovers in a well run property.
I believe Columbia Su**s just goes in and drains all possible income out of a property with the least capital improvement possible-and then unloads it.
This property is proof of that strategy.
Thanks for the info Ohmark.
Seen years?-welll that should be enough time for TWO makeovers in a well run property.
I believe Columbia Su**s just goes in and drains all possible income out of a property with the least capital improvement possible-and then unloads it.
This property is proof of that strategy.