I just removed a hotel from "most favored" status. I can't believe this was the same hotel I stayed in before. Everything seemed to go wrong from the minute I checked into the Crowne Plaza Market Center in Dallas, Texas.
One: Room for improvement
I checked into the hotel, and went up to the 20th floor and used my key to open the door. When I opened it I heard the television blaring. Then I saw a disheveled bed in the room and I quickly backed out not really knowing what was happening in the room. I'm not sure I really wanted to know. It was extremely disconcerting. I took the elevator back down to the lobby and told the desk clerk what had happened. She was polite, said she was sorry and gave me a key to another room.
Back up the elevator I went - this time to the 21st floor. I went into the room and it was a room with two double beds. I always reserve a king sized bed because the room seems to have more space and for some reason I feel claustrophobic in rooms with two beds. Down the elevator I go for the second time.
Now I'm wondering if it's a full moon or something.
The clerk is now not quite as friendly, but still polite and tells me she has a king room on the 7th floor. I don't mind which floor it is as long as it is quiet. I take the key and go back to the elevator. This time the room is a king and is definitely unoccupied. Finally.
Two: I only have ice for you
By now it is fairly late in the evening, and I want a glass of ice water since I didn't get my traditional bottle of cold water at check in. The guest services book in the room said there was an ice machine located on each floor across from room something or other. I take the ice bucket and head down the hall. The ice machine was broken. I got on the now familiar elevator and went to the eighth floor. The ice machine was not working. Ninth floor. Not working. On the elevator I met a guy holding an ice bucket. Don't bother trying ten or eleven because those ice machines don't work either. I went back to my room and called the desk. The desk clerk said I had to go to the third floor.
Three: It's a no drainer
I usually stay in IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) properties. All of the Holiday Inns and HI Expresses have been undergoing renovations as a part of the re-branding of the chain. Many of the more upscale hotels in the chain have also been updated, and I think I heard that the Crowne Plaza Dallas had also undergone upgrades. One of the nifty things they did was add these classy looking sink stoppers to the sink in the vanity. But I discovered a problem when I washed my hands. There was no way to raise the sink stopper so the sink would drain. I looked everywhere. I thought maybe I needed to twist it or something to get it to stay up. Nope. I imagine the intent was for it to always be open, but this one was always closed. Each time I used it I had to put my hand through whatever I had just washed off in order to empty the sink. See the problem here? A person with OCD would have never left the bathroom.
That night before going to sleep, I made a reservation at another hotel. The phone worked.
The next morning I went to the front desk ready to check out. The friendly clerk asked about my stay, and I said unfortunately I was checking out instead of staying three nights as originally intended. She seemed genuinely concerned and called the manager. It turns out the manager was one of the wonderful employees I had encountered on my previous two experiences in the hotel. He was so nice and seemed genuinely sorry about my less than satisfactory experience. I told him I was really sorry too, and very disappointed. He comped my room. He also said he hoped I'd give them another chance sometime.
I might go back to the hotel some day. Everyone deserves a second chance, even after failing three chances on the same night.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tissue on request
After spending the night at the Michael Phelps Suite at the last hotel, I checked into the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport, in Birmingham, Alabama. This was an older hotel, where the staff answers the phone with "Thank you for calling Birmingham's award-winning Holiday Inn."
When I stay in hotels I tend to look for things that will encourage me to book with them again, and if all else fails I look for the entertainment value of the overnight stay. This was a combination of the two. Like I said before, this is an older hotel which has obviously undergone recent renovations - and some of the improvements were definitely interesting.
For instance, the bathroom. This bathroom had two sinks. Not two sinks in the same vanity, but one sink outside the "water closet" and one inside the "water closet." (That means the room with the toilet for those of you needing a translation.) The first sink wasn't a wet bar, just a vanity. I found it rather strange, but I guess it would be kind of nice if you are the type of person that likes to spread out your stuff all over the place. The little bathroom had a very small vanity, the tub, and the toilet. It also had a really odd layout. There was only about an inch clearance between the door to the toilet. When it was time to "take care of business" I had to step in, move to the side, and then close the door. Leaving the door open was not an option without being skilled as a contortionist. It made me wonder how many people alone in a hotel room actually close the door when they gotta go?
I think there was a toilet tissue shortage in the hotel. My room didn't have any when I checked in, but they bought it to me immediately when I called the front desk. On my way to dinner I passed by a housekeeper delivering it to another room. Maybe it was service on request or something. I think it was a good thing that I noticed the lack of tissue before I closed the bathroom door. That could have been awkward.
I stayed on the second floor, which also happened to be the "housekeeping" floor. When I got off the elevator, it looked as if I'd accidentally pushed the button for the basement. The tile floor looked like a work space and in the mornings the the hallway was lined with housekeeping carts. It was kind of handy if you are the type that takes the little bottles of shampoo, but it created a traffic jam in the mornings as all the housekeepers and their assigned carts made their way toward the newly vacated rooms.
Probably my only "real" complaint was the location. While the hotel was convenient to the airport, it was a less than desirable location for everything else. I'm not sure I would have even ventured out after dark. The first night I had dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was quite average to say the least, and was way over-priced. The next night I found a restaurant before I went back to the hotel.
While I had a few issues with the hotel, I had nothing but kudos for the staff I encountered. They were wonderful. But I do think it would be nice if the hotel automatically offered Priority Club members complimentary toilet tissue along with a cocktail at check in.
When I stay in hotels I tend to look for things that will encourage me to book with them again, and if all else fails I look for the entertainment value of the overnight stay. This was a combination of the two. Like I said before, this is an older hotel which has obviously undergone recent renovations - and some of the improvements were definitely interesting.
For instance, the bathroom. This bathroom had two sinks. Not two sinks in the same vanity, but one sink outside the "water closet" and one inside the "water closet." (That means the room with the toilet for those of you needing a translation.) The first sink wasn't a wet bar, just a vanity. I found it rather strange, but I guess it would be kind of nice if you are the type of person that likes to spread out your stuff all over the place. The little bathroom had a very small vanity, the tub, and the toilet. It also had a really odd layout. There was only about an inch clearance between the door to the toilet. When it was time to "take care of business" I had to step in, move to the side, and then close the door. Leaving the door open was not an option without being skilled as a contortionist. It made me wonder how many people alone in a hotel room actually close the door when they gotta go?
I think there was a toilet tissue shortage in the hotel. My room didn't have any when I checked in, but they bought it to me immediately when I called the front desk. On my way to dinner I passed by a housekeeper delivering it to another room. Maybe it was service on request or something. I think it was a good thing that I noticed the lack of tissue before I closed the bathroom door. That could have been awkward.
I stayed on the second floor, which also happened to be the "housekeeping" floor. When I got off the elevator, it looked as if I'd accidentally pushed the button for the basement. The tile floor looked like a work space and in the mornings the the hallway was lined with housekeeping carts. It was kind of handy if you are the type that takes the little bottles of shampoo, but it created a traffic jam in the mornings as all the housekeepers and their assigned carts made their way toward the newly vacated rooms.
Probably my only "real" complaint was the location. While the hotel was convenient to the airport, it was a less than desirable location for everything else. I'm not sure I would have even ventured out after dark. The first night I had dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was quite average to say the least, and was way over-priced. The next night I found a restaurant before I went back to the hotel.
While I had a few issues with the hotel, I had nothing but kudos for the staff I encountered. They were wonderful. But I do think it would be nice if the hotel automatically offered Priority Club members complimentary toilet tissue along with a cocktail at check in.
Anyone for a swim?
The Holiday Inn Birmingham-Homewood, in Birmingham, Alabama is a beautiful new property on the south side of Birmingham. I was supposed to stay two nights but I checked out after one night and went to another Holiday Inn property.
I encountered something in this hotel that I've never encountered before. It was more humid inside the room than it was outside. If you've ever been to Alabama in the summer then you know this is an amazing statement. But it is not an exaggeration. The room was downright wet. It was bizarre.
My paperwork got limp. The sheets felt damp. When I took a shower the bathroom mirror didn't fog up because there was already so much moisture in the room. I didn't like it but I thought I could deal with it.
The final straw was when my my Cheez-Its got soggy. Nobody messes with my Cheez-Its.
I encountered something in this hotel that I've never encountered before. It was more humid inside the room than it was outside. If you've ever been to Alabama in the summer then you know this is an amazing statement. But it is not an exaggeration. The room was downright wet. It was bizarre.
My paperwork got limp. The sheets felt damp. When I took a shower the bathroom mirror didn't fog up because there was already so much moisture in the room. I didn't like it but I thought I could deal with it.
The final straw was when my my Cheez-Its got soggy. Nobody messes with my Cheez-Its.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Reflections on a Margarita #3
Living in a big city offers many interesting activities. One of the most interesting is getting stuck in a traffic jam.
Fortunately, I was given two very important pieces of advice when I moved to the big city:
1. Never leave home or work without a full tank of gas.
2. Never leave home or work without an empty bladder.
Advice well taken on more than one occasion.
Traffic jams offer an abundance of entertainment if instead of getting mad you use the opportunity to take it all in. For instance, last week I was in a whopper of a traffic jam when traveling to work via Alt 90 E. I used my extra hour and a half travel time to work to enjoy the other drivers equally late to work.
There is an automobile dealership in our area named Weidner. Of course a prankster is going to remove the "d." At 6:30 AM how can you fail to see the humor in following an SUV proudly labeled Wei ner?
One of my all time favorite stuck-in-traffic moments was the opportunity to see a maroon PT Cruiser. Now, PT Cruisers make me laugh anyway because they remind me of Keystone Cops. And it seems to me that most of the unsold new Cruisers were sent to car rental companies because some CEO somewhere had a few too many and decided it would be funny to put a visitor in a strange city in a strange car offering the most restricted view possible.
I followed this particular PT Cruiser for some time. It was painted with a sign on the back that advertised Mobile Tattoo Artist and Notary Public. I wrote down the phone number. You just never know when you might need to prove that you weren't drunk when you got that new artwork on your leg.
Fortunately, I was given two very important pieces of advice when I moved to the big city:
1. Never leave home or work without a full tank of gas.
2. Never leave home or work without an empty bladder.
Advice well taken on more than one occasion.
Traffic jams offer an abundance of entertainment if instead of getting mad you use the opportunity to take it all in. For instance, last week I was in a whopper of a traffic jam when traveling to work via Alt 90 E. I used my extra hour and a half travel time to work to enjoy the other drivers equally late to work.
There is an automobile dealership in our area named Weidner. Of course a prankster is going to remove the "d." At 6:30 AM how can you fail to see the humor in following an SUV proudly labeled Wei ner?
One of my all time favorite stuck-in-traffic moments was the opportunity to see a maroon PT Cruiser. Now, PT Cruisers make me laugh anyway because they remind me of Keystone Cops. And it seems to me that most of the unsold new Cruisers were sent to car rental companies because some CEO somewhere had a few too many and decided it would be funny to put a visitor in a strange city in a strange car offering the most restricted view possible.
I followed this particular PT Cruiser for some time. It was painted with a sign on the back that advertised Mobile Tattoo Artist and Notary Public. I wrote down the phone number. You just never know when you might need to prove that you weren't drunk when you got that new artwork on your leg.
A rose by any other name...
I learned a lot when I went to Tyler, Texas. I already knew the city was considered the "Rose Capital of the Nation." Tyler Roses are magnificent - no doubt about it. But did you know that they have an even bigger claim to fame? Oh yes. They do. You see, Tyler was the very first city in the world to adopt a section of the highway in the Adopt a Highway Program. Now that is a claim to fame.
I also learned that less than satisfactory hotel experiences almost always ride on the heels of a really great hotel experience. I wonder why that is? I gave this serious thought over a margarita, and have decided that it isn't just a matter of perception. It really happens.
My latest adventure into this really weird phenomenon occurred when I checked into the Holiday Inn South Broadway in Tyler, Texas. I stopped by between meetings to see if maybe I could check in a little early. I was told my room wasn't ready. OK, no problem - I'll be back later. I went back several hours later to check in and was told my room wasn't ready. Hmmm. No apology, no thank you for your patience, no thank you for your patronage, in fact, no thank you for anything.
So anyway, now the desk clerk gets on her walkie-talkie and loudly announces the room number to the person on the other end to ask if the room is clean. It was and had been since the morning, but now the whole hotel knows my room number which is generally a no-no for a single female traveling alone, but since the lobby wasn't a beehive of activity I figured it would probably be a non-issue. I hoped.
This hotel's website advertises two executive floors with a club floor lounge. I was not put on either of the executive floors. No upgrade here, at least not when I checked in. I asked if I could have access to the club level, since I was allowed access as a Platinum member even if I was not upgraded. Then I asked if the hotel was full, or if it was policy not to upgrade Platinum members. The desk clerk told me she didn't know what was going on because she just got there. Hmmm again. The clerk said the hotel wasn't full, and asked if I wanted an upgrade. I said that I almost always get an upgrade without asking and didn't really care if I was staying on the club floor if I could have access to the lounge. You can't have access to the lounge without a key and you can't have a key to that floor if you aren't staying on that floor. So I got an upgrade.
My upgraded room was actually just a regular room on a key-access floor. But wow did they make me feel important when I saw that I had a power strip in the room since there was only one open outlet at the desk.
When on the road I don't ask for much. I want my hotel room to be clean, quiet, and secure. Oh, and I like to have a telephone in my room that doesn't have a perpetual flashing light. The message light was blinking every time I went into the room. Room service told me they had a new system. They manually turned it off each time I called. And I didn't even need the blinking phone to provide a wake-up call, because each morning at about 6:00 AM a loud crash - so loud it shook the balcony rails - woke me up. On my way out I stopped by the front desk to ask what it was. The desk clerk told me she didn't know what was going on because she just got there.
Finally, the internet was down almost the entire stay. I didn't even bother to ask the desk clerk about it. I figured she wouldn't know anyway. She just got there.
I also learned that less than satisfactory hotel experiences almost always ride on the heels of a really great hotel experience. I wonder why that is? I gave this serious thought over a margarita, and have decided that it isn't just a matter of perception. It really happens.
My latest adventure into this really weird phenomenon occurred when I checked into the Holiday Inn South Broadway in Tyler, Texas. I stopped by between meetings to see if maybe I could check in a little early. I was told my room wasn't ready. OK, no problem - I'll be back later. I went back several hours later to check in and was told my room wasn't ready. Hmmm. No apology, no thank you for your patience, no thank you for your patronage, in fact, no thank you for anything.
So anyway, now the desk clerk gets on her walkie-talkie and loudly announces the room number to the person on the other end to ask if the room is clean. It was and had been since the morning, but now the whole hotel knows my room number which is generally a no-no for a single female traveling alone, but since the lobby wasn't a beehive of activity I figured it would probably be a non-issue. I hoped.
This hotel's website advertises two executive floors with a club floor lounge. I was not put on either of the executive floors. No upgrade here, at least not when I checked in. I asked if I could have access to the club level, since I was allowed access as a Platinum member even if I was not upgraded. Then I asked if the hotel was full, or if it was policy not to upgrade Platinum members. The desk clerk told me she didn't know what was going on because she just got there. Hmmm again. The clerk said the hotel wasn't full, and asked if I wanted an upgrade. I said that I almost always get an upgrade without asking and didn't really care if I was staying on the club floor if I could have access to the lounge. You can't have access to the lounge without a key and you can't have a key to that floor if you aren't staying on that floor. So I got an upgrade.
My upgraded room was actually just a regular room on a key-access floor. But wow did they make me feel important when I saw that I had a power strip in the room since there was only one open outlet at the desk.
When on the road I don't ask for much. I want my hotel room to be clean, quiet, and secure. Oh, and I like to have a telephone in my room that doesn't have a perpetual flashing light. The message light was blinking every time I went into the room. Room service told me they had a new system. They manually turned it off each time I called. And I didn't even need the blinking phone to provide a wake-up call, because each morning at about 6:00 AM a loud crash - so loud it shook the balcony rails - woke me up. On my way out I stopped by the front desk to ask what it was. The desk clerk told me she didn't know what was going on because she just got there.
Finally, the internet was down almost the entire stay. I didn't even bother to ask the desk clerk about it. I figured she wouldn't know anyway. She just got there.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Shamu, margaritas, and Christmas lights
SeaWorld at San Antonio on a Saturday in August is not for the fainthearted. We learned this the hard way when we went on a mini-vacation recently. Trust me on this one, go any other time than this. But if you don't believe me and go anyway, you might want to consider staying at the Holiday Inn Express Seaworld in San Antonio, Texas.
We used a couple of Holiday Inn reward nights for this trip, and were pleasantly surprised. It was nothing fancy, had no priority perks, and had standard but well-prepared HI Express breakfasts. But it had wonderful customer service - well, that is if you don't count the welcome letter I was given at check in. The letter welcomed me as a valued Platinum guest, and addressed me by name. They got my name wrong, and used a masculine form of my name at that. But they meant well I'm sure.
We were very impressed with the young man that checked us in. When we asked him for a recommendation for a good non-chain Mexican restaurant, he sent us to a Cha-Chas, a local restaurant just down the street from the hotel. It had incredible service, wonderful margaritas, excellent food, and Christmas lights at the bar. It doesn't get much better than that.
When we got back to the hotel after a very long day at Seaworld we were looking for a cup of coffee. Usually HI Expresses have coffee in the lobby, but the hotel was full and they had run out. We already knew we didn't have any in our room, so we were standing there lamenting the empty urns when a man came up and told us if we'd wait a few minutes he'd brew up a pot for us. It turns out he was the night security guard. We decided he deserved a raise.
All in all, it was a whale of a good stay.
We used a couple of Holiday Inn reward nights for this trip, and were pleasantly surprised. It was nothing fancy, had no priority perks, and had standard but well-prepared HI Express breakfasts. But it had wonderful customer service - well, that is if you don't count the welcome letter I was given at check in. The letter welcomed me as a valued Platinum guest, and addressed me by name. They got my name wrong, and used a masculine form of my name at that. But they meant well I'm sure.
We were very impressed with the young man that checked us in. When we asked him for a recommendation for a good non-chain Mexican restaurant, he sent us to a Cha-Chas, a local restaurant just down the street from the hotel. It had incredible service, wonderful margaritas, excellent food, and Christmas lights at the bar. It doesn't get much better than that.
When we got back to the hotel after a very long day at Seaworld we were looking for a cup of coffee. Usually HI Expresses have coffee in the lobby, but the hotel was full and they had run out. We already knew we didn't have any in our room, so we were standing there lamenting the empty urns when a man came up and told us if we'd wait a few minutes he'd brew up a pot for us. It turns out he was the night security guard. We decided he deserved a raise.
All in all, it was a whale of a good stay.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Reflections on a Margarita #2
Today's topic is airplane etiquette.
I've had a cowboy go to sleep on my shoulder, ignored babies crying, listened to people arguing politics, endured the story of more than one stranger's life, been sandwiched between two very large people, and had a beverage dumped on me. I've held my breath when a passenger had to share with us his over-spiced dinner, listened to lavatory sounds, and been hit on the head by fellow passenger's carry on luggage. Once, my foot was stomped on so hard it was bruised for life.
These are a few of the things all air travelers experience on a regular basis.
But nothing has been as annoying as the guy seated two seats over on my last flight. We had an empty seat between us, a very unusual thing on flights these days. I figured it was because it was a late evening flight. Anyway, as soon as we were seated on the plane until we arrived an hour and a half later, this guy shook his foot. You know the kind of foot shaking I'm referring to. We've all seen it. I'm sure it's a nervous habit. But did you know that kind of foot shaking shakes the whole row of seats on the plane? I'm convinced it even shook the entire plane. I have never been susceptible to any type of motion sickness, but I actually started getting a little queasy from the back and forth motion. And it never stopped! I could feel it through the entire flight. I wanted to throw my bag of peanuts at him, but I didn't.
I just added him to my list of things that happen on an airplane.
I've had a cowboy go to sleep on my shoulder, ignored babies crying, listened to people arguing politics, endured the story of more than one stranger's life, been sandwiched between two very large people, and had a beverage dumped on me. I've held my breath when a passenger had to share with us his over-spiced dinner, listened to lavatory sounds, and been hit on the head by fellow passenger's carry on luggage. Once, my foot was stomped on so hard it was bruised for life.
These are a few of the things all air travelers experience on a regular basis.
But nothing has been as annoying as the guy seated two seats over on my last flight. We had an empty seat between us, a very unusual thing on flights these days. I figured it was because it was a late evening flight. Anyway, as soon as we were seated on the plane until we arrived an hour and a half later, this guy shook his foot. You know the kind of foot shaking I'm referring to. We've all seen it. I'm sure it's a nervous habit. But did you know that kind of foot shaking shakes the whole row of seats on the plane? I'm convinced it even shook the entire plane. I have never been susceptible to any type of motion sickness, but I actually started getting a little queasy from the back and forth motion. And it never stopped! I could feel it through the entire flight. I wanted to throw my bag of peanuts at him, but I didn't.
I just added him to my list of things that happen on an airplane.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Ready? Set?.....go figure!
I arrived at the Crowne Plaza in Little Rock, Arkansas fairly late in the evening. It would have been nice to have had my priority check-in ready to go when I got there, but it wasn't. The desk clerk gave me my keys and said thank you. I had to ask where to go to get to the room. I asked if I was on the executive floor and she said yes. Since she didn't offer any other information I decided that I was on my own.
The executive level "club" floor of the Crowne Plaza Little Rock is key access only. My room was spacious, nicely decorated, comfortable - and right next door to the ice machine. So here is a bit of advice to anyone staying in room 507 of this hotel...make sure you have earplugs. Fortunately, Crowne Plaza Hotels usually provide these in a little amenities bag on the bed when you check in. Earplugs are in there along with an eye mask, and linen spray. I never use the spray. Or the eye mask. But the earplugs come in very handy when people decide they need ice at 2:00 in the morning.
The executive floor had a concierge lounge with complimentary breakfast, evening appetizers, and children. Children everywhere. Now, one of the things I like about executive floors is the fact that the concierge lounge offers a quiet area to snack and unwind at the end of a long day. Not so when the executive floor is filled with children. I finished my nice appetizers and went to my room.
I stayed in this hotel on a business trip, so my stay was during a work week. Apparently the executive floor of this hotel isn't a "quiet" floor catering to business travelers. It was more like a race track in a daycare center. I listened to children running track and field time trials as they raced up and down the hall. When they weren't running they were knocking on doors and slamming them once they were let in. Well, they were slamming them when room service wasn't delivering, which was every thirty minutes or so. This went on well into the night. Somewhere around 2:00 in the morning I arrived at the conclusion that the parents couldn't stop them because they were busy filling their ice buckets.
The second night of my stay, (more accurately the second morning) I received a phone call at 5:08 AM. I picked up the receiver and the guy at the other end of the phone asked if I had received my earlier wake-up call. I said I had not, but then I hadn't actually requested one either. The guy said "Oh, I guess I read the number wrong. I apologize." But he didn't sound very sorry. I was sorry, because he woke me up out of a no-children-no-ice machine sound sleep.
Crowne Plazas take their wake-up call service very seriously. In fact it's guaranteed that you'll be awakened as requested. Hence the call to make sure I'd received the call. But I didn't want either call at 5:00 in the morning. I wonder if they have some sort of guarantee that they'll call the right room?
I ate dinner one night in the hotel lobby bar, Rocks. They had a live artist who played guitar and had a lovely voice that reminded me a bit of Dan Fogelberg. He played to a group of people that basically ignored him like they would elevator music. And, he had the background accompaniment of the kids screaming and laughing in the lobby's indoor pool. But I clapped and said thank you. He seemed a little surprised that anyone was actually listening. I've played to audiences of 6 people, too. I sensed a psychic bond between under-appreciated performers. Just then, the waitress, a 20-something sweet young thing stopped by and asked "Can I get you anything else sweetie?" Suddenly I felt like I was the little blue-haired lady on the front row at a Sunday afternoon matinee.
The executive level "club" floor of the Crowne Plaza Little Rock is key access only. My room was spacious, nicely decorated, comfortable - and right next door to the ice machine. So here is a bit of advice to anyone staying in room 507 of this hotel...make sure you have earplugs. Fortunately, Crowne Plaza Hotels usually provide these in a little amenities bag on the bed when you check in. Earplugs are in there along with an eye mask, and linen spray. I never use the spray. Or the eye mask. But the earplugs come in very handy when people decide they need ice at 2:00 in the morning.
The executive floor had a concierge lounge with complimentary breakfast, evening appetizers, and children. Children everywhere. Now, one of the things I like about executive floors is the fact that the concierge lounge offers a quiet area to snack and unwind at the end of a long day. Not so when the executive floor is filled with children. I finished my nice appetizers and went to my room.
I stayed in this hotel on a business trip, so my stay was during a work week. Apparently the executive floor of this hotel isn't a "quiet" floor catering to business travelers. It was more like a race track in a daycare center. I listened to children running track and field time trials as they raced up and down the hall. When they weren't running they were knocking on doors and slamming them once they were let in. Well, they were slamming them when room service wasn't delivering, which was every thirty minutes or so. This went on well into the night. Somewhere around 2:00 in the morning I arrived at the conclusion that the parents couldn't stop them because they were busy filling their ice buckets.
The second night of my stay, (more accurately the second morning) I received a phone call at 5:08 AM. I picked up the receiver and the guy at the other end of the phone asked if I had received my earlier wake-up call. I said I had not, but then I hadn't actually requested one either. The guy said "Oh, I guess I read the number wrong. I apologize." But he didn't sound very sorry. I was sorry, because he woke me up out of a no-children-no-ice machine sound sleep.
Crowne Plazas take their wake-up call service very seriously. In fact it's guaranteed that you'll be awakened as requested. Hence the call to make sure I'd received the call. But I didn't want either call at 5:00 in the morning. I wonder if they have some sort of guarantee that they'll call the right room?
I ate dinner one night in the hotel lobby bar, Rocks. They had a live artist who played guitar and had a lovely voice that reminded me a bit of Dan Fogelberg. He played to a group of people that basically ignored him like they would elevator music. And, he had the background accompaniment of the kids screaming and laughing in the lobby's indoor pool. But I clapped and said thank you. He seemed a little surprised that anyone was actually listening. I've played to audiences of 6 people, too. I sensed a psychic bond between under-appreciated performers. Just then, the waitress, a 20-something sweet young thing stopped by and asked "Can I get you anything else sweetie?" Suddenly I felt like I was the little blue-haired lady on the front row at a Sunday afternoon matinee.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
I love a parade.
My GPS didn't know that the Crowne Plaza San Antonio Airport was here. But it was there in San Antonio, Texas. It was a bit of a challenge to navigate because of the construction on Loop 410, but after I arrived I decided it was worth the effort. What a lovely hotel.
My room was on the "key access only" concierge floor, but it did have its share of weirdness. When I got off the elevator I couldn't help but notice that the entire hall was lined with mini-fridges. It looked like a refrigerator convention. I almost expected to see them pull out their little fezzes and head to the bar.
The room was spacious and comfortable, and had very nice "extra" amenities. But the oddities continued once I got inside. The faucet in the bathroom was hooked up backwards - hot was cold and cold was hot. Now one nice feature in most Crowne Plazas is the nifty little "chip clip" they give you for the curtains to shut out street light. It works. But in this room, I needed some kind of device to cover up the electric blue light on the air conditioner wall control. It was so bright that it would catch my eye in the night if I happened to wake up enough to roll over. It was very annoying. I actually went and bought tape to put paper over it for my second night. The room was awfully warm, too. I turned down the electric blue thermostat, but I think the hotel had set it at a range of temps, so no matter how I set it it would be what they wanted me to have. So much for choice.
There was a concierge lounge with complimentary cocktails and snacks, and it was substantial enough that I ate dinner there my first night. I also enjoyed the full breakfasts. It was nice to have servers that were exceptionally attentive and pleasant. All in all I really enjoyed my stay in this hotel. In spite of its idiosyncrasies it was enough to make me want to grab my fez and join the parade.
The top news story on TV in San Antonio was about a guy that died when he fell into a vat of chocolate. How sad. Death by chocolate. And we thought it was only a description of dessert at the local steakhouse.
The last morning when I left my room the refrigerators were gone. I guess they caught an earlier flight than me.
My room was on the "key access only" concierge floor, but it did have its share of weirdness. When I got off the elevator I couldn't help but notice that the entire hall was lined with mini-fridges. It looked like a refrigerator convention. I almost expected to see them pull out their little fezzes and head to the bar.
The room was spacious and comfortable, and had very nice "extra" amenities. But the oddities continued once I got inside. The faucet in the bathroom was hooked up backwards - hot was cold and cold was hot. Now one nice feature in most Crowne Plazas is the nifty little "chip clip" they give you for the curtains to shut out street light. It works. But in this room, I needed some kind of device to cover up the electric blue light on the air conditioner wall control. It was so bright that it would catch my eye in the night if I happened to wake up enough to roll over. It was very annoying. I actually went and bought tape to put paper over it for my second night. The room was awfully warm, too. I turned down the electric blue thermostat, but I think the hotel had set it at a range of temps, so no matter how I set it it would be what they wanted me to have. So much for choice.
There was a concierge lounge with complimentary cocktails and snacks, and it was substantial enough that I ate dinner there my first night. I also enjoyed the full breakfasts. It was nice to have servers that were exceptionally attentive and pleasant. All in all I really enjoyed my stay in this hotel. In spite of its idiosyncrasies it was enough to make me want to grab my fez and join the parade.
The top news story on TV in San Antonio was about a guy that died when he fell into a vat of chocolate. How sad. Death by chocolate. And we thought it was only a description of dessert at the local steakhouse.
The last morning when I left my room the refrigerators were gone. I guess they caught an earlier flight than me.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Can't you show a little excitement?
The plane was half full. The pilot walked into the aisle and said "Good news folks, we're taking off a little early and getting you there early!" Three people clapped. The pilot said "I know it's Midland, but hey can't you at least act excited?" We arrived 10 minutes early. Nice. It made me want to clap - especially since my morning flight had been canceled. I was just glad to have arrived at all.
This trip was a "freebie" since it was not a business trip, but for pleasure. (Yes, really. We went to see Summer Mummers, a wonderful Midland event.) Anyway, we used one of my free nights, and stayed in the Holiday Inn Express in Midland,Texas. It was a great stay. No complaints at all. We were recognized immediately as priority members and given nice little gift bags with all the necessities - trail mix, chips, cookies and bottled water. Believe me... in Midland you really appreciate the bottled water.
The only thing I can really comment on was the alarm clock. But you know, I didn't even attempt to set it as I always use my Blackberry for an alarm when I travel. But since my husband was with me he was determined to figure it out. I tell you what. I think I'll let you read his story for yourself.
UPDATE: The month after I stayed in this hotel I was matching my credit card receipts against my statement and came across a very odd thing. Two days after checking out I was billed on our credit card for our stay at the highest nightly rate, $170.00. Since we used a reward night I shouldn't have been billed for anything. I called the hotel, and the person I spoke with asked if I had charged anything to the room. I said no we hadn't, but in the back of my mind I was wondering who in the world could charge anything worth that much money at a Holiday Inn Express?! Anyway, I was told the manager was in a meeting and would call me back. After 2 days and making 3 more calls to the hotel (I never was able to speak with the manager) the last person I spoke with said "Oh they took care of it and credited your credit card." I said I was glad to hear it but it would have been nice to have been informed of the action. I asked for a copy of the credit and gave them my email address. The next day I received an email from the manager. It said "Here is your requested receipt. Please let us know if we can do anything else to assist you." There was no apology for the mistake or even a thank you for your patience. I can't believe the manager didn't even take the time to call me. I'm sad to think this lovely stay was marred by an error like this. But mostly I'm really glad I always check my credit card statements!
This trip was a "freebie" since it was not a business trip, but for pleasure. (Yes, really. We went to see Summer Mummers, a wonderful Midland event.) Anyway, we used one of my free nights, and stayed in the Holiday Inn Express in Midland,Texas. It was a great stay. No complaints at all. We were recognized immediately as priority members and given nice little gift bags with all the necessities - trail mix, chips, cookies and bottled water. Believe me... in Midland you really appreciate the bottled water.
The only thing I can really comment on was the alarm clock. But you know, I didn't even attempt to set it as I always use my Blackberry for an alarm when I travel. But since my husband was with me he was determined to figure it out. I tell you what. I think I'll let you read his story for yourself.
UPDATE: The month after I stayed in this hotel I was matching my credit card receipts against my statement and came across a very odd thing. Two days after checking out I was billed on our credit card for our stay at the highest nightly rate, $170.00. Since we used a reward night I shouldn't have been billed for anything. I called the hotel, and the person I spoke with asked if I had charged anything to the room. I said no we hadn't, but in the back of my mind I was wondering who in the world could charge anything worth that much money at a Holiday Inn Express?! Anyway, I was told the manager was in a meeting and would call me back. After 2 days and making 3 more calls to the hotel (I never was able to speak with the manager) the last person I spoke with said "Oh they took care of it and credited your credit card." I said I was glad to hear it but it would have been nice to have been informed of the action. I asked for a copy of the credit and gave them my email address. The next day I received an email from the manager. It said "Here is your requested receipt. Please let us know if we can do anything else to assist you." There was no apology for the mistake or even a thank you for your patience. I can't believe the manager didn't even take the time to call me. I'm sad to think this lovely stay was marred by an error like this. But mostly I'm really glad I always check my credit card statements!
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