postular

Wonderful hotel and outstanding Platinum recognition. Upgraded to palatial Executive Suite. My only advice: go early to breakfast as it becomes very crowded after 8 or 9am. Also, if you are on one of the lower floors, take the stairs ----much nicer than the small elevators and it's a grand sensation descending the ornate staircase.

missxmelon

I agree - the stairs are so much better!

Westin

Does anyone have the room manager or GMs email? Pretty unhappy about the room I got

Starwood Lurker III

Hi there,

We are here to assist if you can provide your reservation details to us via below email address.

[email protected]

Best Regards,

Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

MAN Flyer

Had a stay here last week, the third this year. While it is undoubtedly a Grande Old Dame and in a great location, it really does need a refurb. The Exec Suite upgrades are nice though!.

pricesquire

I suspect the Ritz refurb will be a sign of things to come for the Palace.

jaejaez

Hmm I actually didn't mind the old world charm and the hardware upkeep was done really well. though it does feel dated, it still retains the sense of grandeur and polish. I would return in a heartbeat.

One advice I'd give fellow travelers - drop by at the museum bar late at night when it gets quiet (it stays open til 2 AM), sit at the bar and chat up the bartenders. many of them have worked in the hotel for decades and are a treasure chest of stories, tips and suggestions that not even the concierge are able to provide.

they might even pour you a free drink (just sayin')

SEA777GUY

Staying at this property now. At check-in, as a plat, agent seemed rushed. Did not offer the usual welcome, just a rushed check-in and didn't go over my plat benefit's at all. Hotel was very busy and was given an upgrade to a Jr. suite. Found room to be an ADA room and was not advised or even asked if I was ok with this. After about 15 min in the room, knock on the door and someone entered the room. Lucky I was decent. The guy right away did it again and said he needed to check the mini bar? Really, I had only been in the room 15 min.! Later in the evening I inquired about a new room and was helped by a manger that gave me another Jr. Suite. This one doesn't even come close to the one I was first given, very nice at first glance. Only later did I began to notice the poor condition of the room. Peeling wallpaper, very bad dry rot, and wall damage. Wonder if the room has mold issues as well. Manger said he would take care of my breakfast for the issue of the interruption. Overall not happy with this stay.

abk

As a platinum you should have had breakfast anyway.

ac/elite

Just checked in 30 minutes ago. Be happy that at least you got a junior suite. As I was pulling up in a taxi to the hotel, I checked the app and it showed a junior suite available. Went to check in. As you experienced, the agent wasn't too friendly. She upgraded me to a Premium Deluxe room. I told her that I just checked the app and it showed a junior suite. She said that they don't have one available and then typed furiously for a few minutes as I tried to pull up the app again. I pulled it up and now there is no junior suite. While I realize that the app isn't necessarily indicative of actual availability and it might very well be a coincidence, the timing did seem very suspicious, especially since there was no one else checking in between the time I first checked the app and saw the suite and the time she was typing away.

She then said that maybe they can move me tomorrow. She called someone and spoke for a few minutes (I don't speak Spanish, so didn't understand any of it), then said that no, they won't have a suite tomorrow either. I searched my app again and saw that they do have an Executive Suite (which is an eligible upgrade here) available from tomorrow for the duration of the stay. I realize that they wouldn't usually block a suite for tomorrow for me today as it could easily be booked overnight by someone paying for it, but hope that if it is actually still available tomorrow they'll consider moving us.

One other thing... I chose the breakfast amenity which she stated clearly is the continental breakfast. I know that they used to actually give the full buffet to Platinum members. Has that changed or does she just not know what she's talking about?

3rdworldresident

i stayed here for 4 nights in early april. didn't get a suite upgrade but they allowed me to choose the room i want (2 choices). room was nice but a bit dated and on the small side. overall service was good but not outstanding. my rate included breakfast already, so took points as platinum amenity.

ac/elite

Just an update to this saga. Later that evening I checked the SPG website and the junior suite had magically reappeared as available. I emailed my ambassador to tell her what had happened before heading out to dinner. With the time difference, it was too late for her to speak to the GM, but she contacted the hotel to express concern. The next morning, a woman from senior management came and found us at breakfast. To her credit, she confirmed that my suspicions were correct and that the desk agent had made the junior suite disappear when I said that I had seen it on the app. She said that the junior suite was not a desirable one, but that nevertheless the desk agent should have communicated that to me and allowed me to decide whether or not to take it, rather than lie to me that there were no suites available. She then upgraded me to an executive suite which was now available and that's where we are now.

The agent was also incorrect with her advice that platinum members get continental breakfast. I am getting the full buffet as the platinum amenity.

SkyTeam777

What's going on at the Ritz?

jmanirish

Mandarin Oriental bought it.

pricesquire

A Mandarin Oriental across this street means I'll likely never stay at the Palace again (barring a multi-million euro renovation/refurb). I love the Palace...hell, I spent much of my honeymoon here, but MO > Palace is sort of a no brainer for me.