lpedro

MY HUSBAND 3 CHILDREN AND I JUST RETURNED FROM A 7 NIGHT STAY AT THE RADISSON SUITES IN MARCO ISLAND.
WE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED.

1. THE HOTEL POOL IS MUCH TOO SMALL FOR THE SIZE OF THE HOTEL. THE POOL WAS ALSO VERY DIRTY AND IN MUCH NEED OF REPAIR.

2. WE ARRIVED ON A WEEKEND AND THE HOTEL WAS PACKED. WE WERE TOLD BY SEVERAL EMPLOYEES OF THE HOTEL, THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE COME FROM THE MIAMI AREA AND PUT UP TO 10 PEOPLE IN A ROOM AT A TIME ON THE WEEKENDS. THERE IS NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY AND OUR CHILDREN WERE JUST NOT SAFE SWIMMING IN THE POOL WITH ALL THOOSE PEOPLE AND NO LIFEGUARD.

3. THE HOTEL EMPLOYEES DO NOT DO A VERY GOOD JOB AT ENFORCING THE RULES AT THE HOTEL. THERE WERE PEOPLE EATING GREASY SANDWICHES IN THE POOL. KIDS BRINGING IN CHIPS AND COOKIES--COME ON, THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF HEALTH CODE AGAINST THIS!!!!

4. THE BEACH IS NICE, HOWEVER IF YOU WANT A CHAIR IT WILL COST YOU $20.00@DAY FOR 2 CHAIRS AND THEY WILL REMOVE THEM PROMPTLY AT 5PM. THE HOTEL DOES NOT PROVIDE CHAIRS FOR THEIR GUESTS.

5. THE RESTAURANTS IN MARCO ARE AWFUL. WE WENT TO THE SNOOKS INN WHICH EVERYONE WAS RAVING ABOUT. JUST AWFUL!!!! THE SALAD BAR
(INDOORS) WAS COVERED WITH FLIES. THE FRIED SHRIMP WAS BURNT AND HAD A 1/2 THICK COATING OF BREAD. CHEEBURGER, CHEEBURGER WAS ALSO TERRIBLE. IT SMELLED AWFUL IN THEIR AND THE FOOD WAS TERRIBLE. BIMINIS ACROSS FROM THE HOTEL WAS OKAY, HOWEVER THEY ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION SO GET THERE EARLY FOR A SEAT THE RESTAURANT.

6. THE HOTEL ROOMS AT THE RADISSON ARE OKAY.
THEY HAVE A FULL FRIDGE. PULL OUT SOFA AND THE DECK IS SCREENED IN TO KEEP OUT BUGS. BATHROOM AND KITCHENS ARE OLD AND IN DESPIRATE NEED OF REPAIR.

7. FITNESS ROOM IS NICE AT THE HOTEL.

8. EVERYONE WE MET AND SPOKE WITH RAVED ABOUT THE MARRIOTT ON MARCO. NEXT TIME THAT IS WHERE WE ARE STAYING!!!!

margo

Sorry to hear about your terrible trip! We own a time share condo at Eagle's Nest Beach Resort on Marco right next door to the Mariott. We love Eagle's Nest but have heard many wonderful things about the Mariott, too. Eagle's Nest, although mostly time share, does rent to individuals and I think is a little less pricey than Mariott. They are also VERY family friendly. There are all sorts of activities if you want to participate. Although they have no lifeguard at the pool, the people staying at the resort seem to form a 'family' as you see the same folks each day. Eagle's Nest is rather small as resorts go on Marco, but very well run. If you do plan a trip back to Marco, email me and I'd be more than happy to talk with you about the restaurants we like (you're right, I think Snook's is VERY overrated,too!)

CMcDaniel

lpedro, I am sorry your vacation was so disappointing, but in defense of the hotel, of the resorts we've stayed in here (FL), the Caymans, Hawaii, St. John, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Hilton Head, wherever, I've never seen a hotel pool staffed with a lifeguard, and the only rules I've seen regarding food around the pool, pertain not to the food and where it's consumed, but the type of container it's in (no glass). I sympathize with you if there was food floating around in the pool...not very appetizing, but I don't believe there are any rules regulating where guests may eat. One would hope their own common sense would come into play.

Now a salad bar covered with flies is another story, and surely a health code violation!

Beach chairs, more often than not, are made available through a concession that services the entire beach area and those are routinely picked up at 5 PM. Our hotel in Cayman had its own chairs, and I can think of one in Hilton Head that did, but generally that's not the case.

Hopefully you'll have better luck at the Marriott next year. Certainly different levels of hotels draw different types of clientele, and that may be all the change you need to make your next vacation a great one.

Cyndi

Margo - Thanks for your post on Eagle's Nest. I know it has been out there awhile, but I am slowly getting to everything on this site!! We just got confirmation on our condo in Eagle's Nest for Dec. We are on the third floor in the "tower". Can you tell me if this is going to be a room with a good view? We were thinking of requesting one of the Villas, but were told the tower actually had better balconies and since we were on the 3rd floor, the view would be unobstructed. Also, how far is Tampa from Marco Island? WOuld it be possible to do Busch Gardens in a day? Thank you.

JoAnn

Cindy and Margo...since you both own a t/s at Eagle's nest, I suggest you go to WWW.TUG2.NET the BBS for and by t/s owners. There is all sorts of information about buying, selling, exchanging, general chat, AND information available about resorts around the world. All you have to do is register, then check out the BBS. If you care to join, it's only $15 for the first year, but you can get into the Members only section and read reviews of resorts done by those of us who have stayed there. But, just for registering, you can ask about where the various units are, and what activities are available, if you don't already know. Enjoy your stay. JoAnn

Linda

We walked over to the Radisson from the Hilton, next door. It really is awful. Hope you didn't pay too much. We got reservations through Hotel Reservations Network for 260/nt. The Hilton is more elegant than the Marriott. The Marriott is probably more suitable for children.

Lisa

We stayed at the Hilton over Easter a few years ago and found certain aspects disappointing, particularly regarding the beach chairs. The day we arrived, we happily went off to the beach and were told we had to make reservations and pay for the beach chairs.
Okay fine, I'll pay whatever it takes to get a chair and umbrella.
Sorry, there are none. You should have reserved them before you left home.

Thanks, would have been nice if I would have known about that before I left home.

Also, if you know the hotel is going to be full over Easter, make sure you have enough chairs and umbrellas for the amount of people who are going to be there.

We all got the worst sunburn of our lives because we could not get an umbrella.

Also, our sea facing room would have had a sea view, if I would have hung a chair over the edge of the balcony in the far-back corner, balanced on the back edge of the chair and held on with my toes while splayed out like Superman.

At that time, there was no sand in front of the Hilton, just shells which made for some painful walking.

So if you do stay at the Hilton, reserve your chairs and umbrella when you reserve your room.

Kathy

Is the Marco Island Radisson Suite really that bad. We stayed there in 1995. The kitchen was old. We just booked a 1 bedroom suite for $120 a night in July . should I cancel? I have tried Marriot and Hilton but the want $$ for just a no view hotel room. Any suggestions Thanks, Kathy