I recently switched hotel chains so I could take advantage of the Hilton's "double-dipping" policy. The good part of this is that I get hotel points and miles. The bad part of this is that I am basically starting over in a hotel recognition program. I guess I should say I am spoiled. I am used to being treated "special" when I check in and during my stay.
When I checked into the Hilton Garden Inn Nashville Airport hotel in Nashville, Tennessee I was assigned a room that overlooked the trash bins.
Not exactly the treatment I am used to, but I knew that when I switched loyalties. Plus, at the rate I travel it's only a matter of time before my status with Hilton is such that I'll receive the same kind of perks. I can wait.
I did enjoy my dinner though. And there was a cute young thing singing her little country-soul out to all three of us in the restaurant. Bless her heart. She was pretty good, too.
I went back to my room. The bathroom door wouldn't stay open, and I had to use the ironing board to keep it open. Then imagine my excitement when at 5:00 AM I was awakened by the trash truck outside. OK. So I wasn't given a room on the top floor. I could probably accept these things - until I woke up to take a shower the next morning and there was no hot water. NO hot water! This was not a welcome discovery.
When I went to check out before catching my plane the desk clerk asked how I enjoyed my stay. I said the hotel itself was fine, but I was not at all happy about the cold shower. She said the system had gone out for the entire hotel but as compensation she would remove my previous night's dinner charge from the bill.
Since dinner was the best part I think they should have charged me for the dinner and removed the rest of the stay. I stay in a lot of hotels, and all I want to accomplish when visiting their property overnight is two things. While I'm there I want to get a good night's sleep, and I want a nice hot shower. This hotel fell short on both of those counts.
I probably won't be back to this hotel. But, I like the fact that they allowed the young country singer a venue. We all want to reach for the stars and accomplish our dreams. As for my dream? I want to sleep past 5: 00 AM and start the day off with a hot shower.
May we both succeed.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Dust in the Wind
I have a love-hate relationship with the Intercontinental Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Well, maybe hate is a little strong. I have a love-dislike a little relationship. Yes, that phrase represents it well I think. Most of my stays have been absolutely wonderful. But the hotel has no wireless, and that alone impacts my feelings of love. It's just one of those things I have learned to put up with. I guess I view my relationships with my favorite hotels a lot like marriage. If it is worth the commitment, you just have to learn to live with strange little habits.
Anyway, since my last visit to the property several months ago they have gutted the lobby and started extensive renovations. One of the managers met me when I arrived, showed me the blueprints and fabric swatches, and assured me that the hotel was going to be quite the showplace when everything is finished.
Staying in the hotel during renovations was interesting to say the least. There was no check-in desk, no restaurant, no lobby bar, and no concierge lounge. I usually take advantage of evening appetizers and continental breakfast in the lounge, so I had to figure out where to have dinner. There was a makeshift restaurant in the lobby, but I really wasn't interested.
It would have been nice to know all this before I checked in. If I had known about this in advance, I could have stopped after my meeting for take out. The first night I ended up changing clothes and going to Jack in the Box for fine dining. The second night I splurged with Taco Bell. Ah, the joys of life on the road.
I spent two nights at the hotel on this trip. As usual, my room was very nice, but it was hot. Nothing cooled it down. Maybe during the remodel the process was to re-route all the cool air from the guest rooms to cool down the construction workers in the lobby.
When I checked out I asked if part of the renovation plan was to install wireless internet in the guest rooms. No one could give me the answer to my question. I would like to think they read my 482 comments to that effect. Time will tell.
I have another trip to the DFW planned in a month or two. I'm anxious to see if the renovations will be finished. Maybe I should call first. It would be nice to know in advance if I need to take a fan - and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Anyway, since my last visit to the property several months ago they have gutted the lobby and started extensive renovations. One of the managers met me when I arrived, showed me the blueprints and fabric swatches, and assured me that the hotel was going to be quite the showplace when everything is finished.
Staying in the hotel during renovations was interesting to say the least. There was no check-in desk, no restaurant, no lobby bar, and no concierge lounge. I usually take advantage of evening appetizers and continental breakfast in the lounge, so I had to figure out where to have dinner. There was a makeshift restaurant in the lobby, but I really wasn't interested.
It would have been nice to know all this before I checked in. If I had known about this in advance, I could have stopped after my meeting for take out. The first night I ended up changing clothes and going to Jack in the Box for fine dining. The second night I splurged with Taco Bell. Ah, the joys of life on the road.
I spent two nights at the hotel on this trip. As usual, my room was very nice, but it was hot. Nothing cooled it down. Maybe during the remodel the process was to re-route all the cool air from the guest rooms to cool down the construction workers in the lobby.
When I checked out I asked if part of the renovation plan was to install wireless internet in the guest rooms. No one could give me the answer to my question. I would like to think they read my 482 comments to that effect. Time will tell.
I have another trip to the DFW planned in a month or two. I'm anxious to see if the renovations will be finished. Maybe I should call first. It would be nice to know in advance if I need to take a fan - and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Grand Welcome
When I arrived at the Hampton Inn Detroit Metro Airport in Detroit, Michigan, there was a huge party in the lobby.
I jokingly asked the desk clerk if the party was in my honor because I had recently started staying at Hilton properties from Holiday Inn. The clerk laughed and we talked about my reasons for switching. After our conversation she upgraded me to a lovely suite!
It turns out the party wasn't for me though.
The hotel was celebrating it's grand opening. It was nice to be there and I enjoyed the reception. The appetizers were excellent and I met the hotel manager. They definitely pulled out all the stops to impress the media and other local celebrities. I had to wonder if they do that at every Hampton opening.
There's only one reason I won't stay a whole lot at Hampton Inns. When I travel I like to stay in full-service hotels so I don't have to get out and drive after dark in strange cities if I can help it. Hampton Inn's don't have restaurants. They have very nice breakfast buffets, but I don't usually do breakfast so that isn't a draw for me.
There were no restaurants near this new hotel, so oddly enough I ended up at the Crowne Plaza next door for dinner - the very hotel I would have been in had I stayed with Holiday Inn on this trip. It kind of reminded me of a line from one of my favorite Eagles songs... You can check out but you can never leave.
I jokingly asked the desk clerk if the party was in my honor because I had recently started staying at Hilton properties from Holiday Inn. The clerk laughed and we talked about my reasons for switching. After our conversation she upgraded me to a lovely suite!
It turns out the party wasn't for me though.
The hotel was celebrating it's grand opening. It was nice to be there and I enjoyed the reception. The appetizers were excellent and I met the hotel manager. They definitely pulled out all the stops to impress the media and other local celebrities. I had to wonder if they do that at every Hampton opening.
There's only one reason I won't stay a whole lot at Hampton Inns. When I travel I like to stay in full-service hotels so I don't have to get out and drive after dark in strange cities if I can help it. Hampton Inn's don't have restaurants. They have very nice breakfast buffets, but I don't usually do breakfast so that isn't a draw for me.
There were no restaurants near this new hotel, so oddly enough I ended up at the Crowne Plaza next door for dinner - the very hotel I would have been in had I stayed with Holiday Inn on this trip. It kind of reminded me of a line from one of my favorite Eagles songs... You can check out but you can never leave.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
It'll be our little secret.
Shhh. Don't tell anyone, but I stayed at a Hilton property. It was the Hampton Inn in Madison Heights, Michigan.
So what was it like? It felt a bit like I imagine it must feel when someone is cheating on a spouse. I felt like I was going to get caught.
But I was determined that I would go into this experience with an open mind. I would not compare. No I wouldn't. But I did.
It ended up not as the greatest hotel experience I've ever had, but it certainly wasn't the worst. (That distinction belongs to the Holiday Inn in Columbus, Georgia.) This hotel held its own in the challenging department. The light bulb was burnt out over the desk, the phone didn't work, and the air conditioner had a horrible rattle - thank goodness for earplugs!
The staff in the hotel were wonderful, friendly, and certainly knew about customer service. That counts a lot in my hotel rating system.
By far the best part of the stay was the breakfast. For comparison purposes (I know I said I wouldn't compare but I lied) the Hampton Inn is the equivalent of a Holiday Inn Express. I have stayed in a lot of Holiday Inn Express properties. So many, in fact, that when I smell the "famous cinnamon rolls" I want to run in the other direction. There was not a cinnamon roll in site at the Hampton. It was so nice to have new options! Waffles, fresh fruit, breakfast potatoes. I liked it.
Does all this mean I'm going to switch? I don't know, but I will certainly not rule out an occasional stay. I've been with Holiday Inn a long time, and familiarity is comfort. But I think I can handle a thrill every now and then.
Shhh. It'll be our little secret.
So what was it like? It felt a bit like I imagine it must feel when someone is cheating on a spouse. I felt like I was going to get caught.
But I was determined that I would go into this experience with an open mind. I would not compare. No I wouldn't. But I did.
It ended up not as the greatest hotel experience I've ever had, but it certainly wasn't the worst. (That distinction belongs to the Holiday Inn in Columbus, Georgia.) This hotel held its own in the challenging department. The light bulb was burnt out over the desk, the phone didn't work, and the air conditioner had a horrible rattle - thank goodness for earplugs!
The staff in the hotel were wonderful, friendly, and certainly knew about customer service. That counts a lot in my hotel rating system.
By far the best part of the stay was the breakfast. For comparison purposes (I know I said I wouldn't compare but I lied) the Hampton Inn is the equivalent of a Holiday Inn Express. I have stayed in a lot of Holiday Inn Express properties. So many, in fact, that when I smell the "famous cinnamon rolls" I want to run in the other direction. There was not a cinnamon roll in site at the Hampton. It was so nice to have new options! Waffles, fresh fruit, breakfast potatoes. I liked it.
Does all this mean I'm going to switch? I don't know, but I will certainly not rule out an occasional stay. I've been with Holiday Inn a long time, and familiarity is comfort. But I think I can handle a thrill every now and then.
Shhh. It'll be our little secret.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Reflections on a Margarita #8
The larger the city, the larger the ego.
I have wondered for some time about TSA agents at the airports across the United States.
In my unofficial random sampling of TSA agents around the United States I have noticed a running theme: The larger the city, the larger the ego.
Anyway, one day after being felt-up once again by one of these agents after I refused to go through the Nude-O-Scope (full body scanner – but that’s another blog unto itself) I decided to find out the qualifications required to apply for a job with the Transportation Security Administration. Here are the requirements as listed on the TSA official website.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Have reached his/her 18th birthday at the time of application submission;
Be proficient in English (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, and listening);
Have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent
These are the people going through my personal items, ordering me around, touching my body, and telling me to step into a virtual strip search machine. The TSA agents are not required to submit to the same process, even if they are traveling for personal reasons and out of uniform.
The least educated of our society are given the most powerful positions when it comes to air travel. The average business traveler is college-educated, professional – and forced into submission. Is it any wonder that the agents are arrogant?
I have wondered for some time about TSA agents at the airports across the United States.
In my unofficial random sampling of TSA agents around the United States I have noticed a running theme: The larger the city, the larger the ego.
Anyway, one day after being felt-up once again by one of these agents after I refused to go through the Nude-O-Scope (full body scanner – but that’s another blog unto itself) I decided to find out the qualifications required to apply for a job with the Transportation Security Administration. Here are the requirements as listed on the TSA official website.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Have reached his/her 18th birthday at the time of application submission;
Be proficient in English (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, and listening);
Have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent
These are the people going through my personal items, ordering me around, touching my body, and telling me to step into a virtual strip search machine. The TSA agents are not required to submit to the same process, even if they are traveling for personal reasons and out of uniform.
The least educated of our society are given the most powerful positions when it comes to air travel. The average business traveler is college-educated, professional – and forced into submission. Is it any wonder that the agents are arrogant?
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