Vent: Marriott's Horible Experience - 2x in 4 days!!
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 633
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vent: Marriott's Horible Experience - 2x in 4 days!!
I stayed at the Marriott Hotel Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti, MI over the weekend and then a Fairfield Inn in Jefferson City, MO today and had horrible experience with them!
Is anyone else experiencing this as well? I used to associate Marriott with a reliable clean room, but not anymore. The one in Ypsilanti Michigan had dried blood stains on the shower curtains!! I called and nobody apologized. They came to replace the liner, only for me to see that there were other spots in the outer liner of the shower curtain that we missed as well. They credited back my points after I demanded it to be put back in my account. This one has a gorgeous landscaping and hosts a lot of wedding, but YIKES... ! They offered a complimentary breakfast and I said, yea right, like I am going to eat at your restaurant!
And then the one in Jefferson City, MO, was actually today, there was a questionable big dark spot on the carpet by the sink, and I didn't even check closer to see what it is, I demanded to be moved to a different room. I am just shocked that their quality has appeared to decline! This is very frustrating because I actually travel a lot, and used to rely on Marriott chain for my accomodation.
I don't usually write reviews on hotels or call to complain, but this was a hard one to take. Two locations, about 10+ hrs apart, and both are in the same chain group-- and both have cleanliness issues. Is anyone else experiencing this decline of quality as well?
Is anyone else experiencing this as well? I used to associate Marriott with a reliable clean room, but not anymore. The one in Ypsilanti Michigan had dried blood stains on the shower curtains!! I called and nobody apologized. They came to replace the liner, only for me to see that there were other spots in the outer liner of the shower curtain that we missed as well. They credited back my points after I demanded it to be put back in my account. This one has a gorgeous landscaping and hosts a lot of wedding, but YIKES... ! They offered a complimentary breakfast and I said, yea right, like I am going to eat at your restaurant!
And then the one in Jefferson City, MO, was actually today, there was a questionable big dark spot on the carpet by the sink, and I didn't even check closer to see what it is, I demanded to be moved to a different room. I am just shocked that their quality has appeared to decline! This is very frustrating because I actually travel a lot, and used to rely on Marriott chain for my accomodation.
I don't usually write reviews on hotels or call to complain, but this was a hard one to take. Two locations, about 10+ hrs apart, and both are in the same chain group-- and both have cleanliness issues. Is anyone else experiencing this decline of quality as well?
#4
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I stay exclusively at Marriott porperties and have never experienced this. I usually have great service and very nice accomodations. I wonder if the hotels that you stayed at were corporate owned facilities or franchises. I don't think that Marriott has as much control at the franchised locations.
#5
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,294
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm sorry, but you sound very high maintenance. These are not 4 or 5 star hotels. You noticed a cleaning issue that housekeeping missed and the hotel came to replace the offending item. What's to complain about? Asking for a refund (of points or whatever) took a lot of gall. And dark spot on the carpet? Big deal.
People like you raise the rates for the rest of us.
People like you raise the rates for the rest of us.
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,343
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unless the OP was checking into an Alfred Hitchcock hotel, I don't think she sounds like high maintenance for asking for a room switch/refund after finding blood stains on her shower curtain!! A dark spot on the carpet is a different story, but I still think travelers should be able to expect a reasonable level of cleanliness when they're paying good money for a hotel room. That being said, my husband and I have noticed an incredible decline in overall room quality at everything from motels to five-stars,and believe me we are not that picky, but are clean sheets, clean bathrooms, so much to ask for these days?
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,425
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I almost exclusively stay at Marriott properties for business too. I have never expereinced anything that has prevented me from going back.
I am sorry you had that expereince. I think you were correct in calling - If you dont speak up nothing changes is my motto.
Some elbow grease goes a long way!!
I think I stayed at an Alfred Hitchcock Hotel in Hot Springs AR,.... it was the scariest, filthiest, most disgusting haunt I have had the pleasure to stay. It was the only thing availabe for a conference I had to attend. (NOt a Marriott)
I am sorry you had that expereince. I think you were correct in calling - If you dont speak up nothing changes is my motto.
Some elbow grease goes a long way!!
I think I stayed at an Alfred Hitchcock Hotel in Hot Springs AR,.... it was the scariest, filthiest, most disgusting haunt I have had the pleasure to stay. It was the only thing availabe for a conference I had to attend. (NOt a Marriott)
#8
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Write to the President & CEO, with CC to the regional manager. I had leaking problems at NY's Marriott Marquis and I was able to travel back to NY and they got me an upgraded room for 2 nights to make up for it. MY personal experience with t hem, due to this has, been good.
#9
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,336
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You had cleanliness issues with your rooms and both hotels corrected these issues, including returning your points, offering you a complimentary breakfast and moving you to a new room. It sounds like the hotels were responsive to your "demands" so why are you still complaining.
Inconvenient or annoying? Yes. Horrible? NO.
Inconvenient or annoying? Yes. Horrible? NO.
#10
I can't resist--can you top visible semen stains on both sheets of a bed? (perhaps a contest by the football team?)Then the manager says, "what do you want", as if I merely wanted to tell him, then go to sleep on it.
(Comfort Inn-Morgantown)
(Comfort Inn-Morgantown)
#11
I hate Fairfields. Everyone I've stayed in has been nasty. For a month (during training) I was forced to stay in Fairfields because the trainer was collecting Marriott points. After a month I rebelled. I had my own car. I picked my own hotel.
I absolutely refuse to stay in a Fairfield.
In my experience, traveling in smaller markets, Hampton Inns and Holiday Inn Expresses are better maintained than Fairfield Inns.
I absolutely refuse to stay in a Fairfield.
In my experience, traveling in smaller markets, Hampton Inns and Holiday Inn Expresses are better maintained than Fairfield Inns.
#14
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'd be grossed out too by blood spatters on the shower curtain and stains on the carpet, BUT, they seem to have compensated you for your "trouble". If you want perfection, I guess you'll just have to stay at the Four Seasons instead.
#15
Things are missed in any type of service industry. The measure of a hotel, IMO, is how they respond to complaints.
In your case, they came and replace the curtain, then later came and replaced the second one, which you even said you'd missed noticing earlier. Then you got the night for and an offer of a free breakfast.
In the other, you noticed a stain on the carpet and they moved you to another room.
I recognize this is just a vent among friends, but it sounds like the hotels did their best to make you happy on the spot. You didn't have to live with the problem, leave, or write long letters to get compensated. Considering that, your post is a bit harsh.
In your case, they came and replace the curtain, then later came and replaced the second one, which you even said you'd missed noticing earlier. Then you got the night for and an offer of a free breakfast.
In the other, you noticed a stain on the carpet and they moved you to another room.
I recognize this is just a vent among friends, but it sounds like the hotels did their best to make you happy on the spot. You didn't have to live with the problem, leave, or write long letters to get compensated. Considering that, your post is a bit harsh.
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 633
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry I haven't came back and checked to respond on this post. I was venting mainly out of disappointment on the Marriott chain. Sometimes, unfortunately--I don't have a lot of options on hotel when I travel for business (because my destination could be smaller towns, and have limited offering on the type of hotels available. So maybe Four Season is not available). And I used to think of Marriott as a pretty reliable chain. I also have a hard time going "expensive" on corporate account, so Marriott or Radisson are just the basic general hotel--where I can expect clean standard hotel room.
The spots on the curtain, well--you know, they were brownish-reddish color, in clutters--along with a bunch of other black spots (that could have looked like mold). The reddish spots could be blood, or rust, either one, which should not have been there to begin with. I didn't have my contact lens with me when I showered, so I caught it later after I was in the shower.
I posted on another travel board, and I read a couple of people claiming to have poor experience with Fairfield Inn. So maybe in the future I can avoid that. I am just disappointed with the first one, since it was called a "resort" with nice grounds and I also heard that they hold a lot of weddings.
The spots on the curtain, well--you know, they were brownish-reddish color, in clutters--along with a bunch of other black spots (that could have looked like mold). The reddish spots could be blood, or rust, either one, which should not have been there to begin with. I didn't have my contact lens with me when I showered, so I caught it later after I was in the shower.
I posted on another travel board, and I read a couple of people claiming to have poor experience with Fairfield Inn. So maybe in the future I can avoid that. I am just disappointed with the first one, since it was called a "resort" with nice grounds and I also heard that they hold a lot of weddings.
#19
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I used to avoid staying in Marriotts when they had that SW theme - orange carpets, plastic wood to imitate the heavy wood that's usually used - does anyone remember those Marriotts?
The current Marriotts are a dream in comparison. I've stayed in several Fairfield Inns and the quality has been varying from good to not-so-good.
My Alfred Hitchcock hotel was one during my student days and was really a youth hostel predating even the orange carpet Marriotts. It was out on a high, lonely bluff overlooking a dark river. Everything was dark and brooding about the place. The two men who ran the hostel were neither welcoming nor hostile but they both were a bit creepy looking. I was the only guest. I barracaded the door to my room, but the high windows might as well have been open highways into the room. Couldn't sleep and the wind was moaning. Around midnight I hightailed it out of there and drove to a Rest Area where, in the car, I slept very well among the safety of the big trucks.
The current Marriotts are a dream in comparison. I've stayed in several Fairfield Inns and the quality has been varying from good to not-so-good.
My Alfred Hitchcock hotel was one during my student days and was really a youth hostel predating even the orange carpet Marriotts. It was out on a high, lonely bluff overlooking a dark river. Everything was dark and brooding about the place. The two men who ran the hostel were neither welcoming nor hostile but they both were a bit creepy looking. I was the only guest. I barracaded the door to my room, but the high windows might as well have been open highways into the room. Couldn't sleep and the wind was moaning. Around midnight I hightailed it out of there and drove to a Rest Area where, in the car, I slept very well among the safety of the big trucks.
#20
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 940
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have to admit, I have only stayed in 2 Fairfield Inns, but my husband and I loved them -- one, in Mount Vernon, IL and the other in Naperville, IL. We have stayed in the one in Mount Vernon many times. The beds are comfortable, the rooms have been clean, and they offer free breakfast -- not a gourmet meal, but plenty to get you going in the morning. I usually have yogurt, fruit, and a muffin or cereal, with hot tea and juice. We also stay in the Courtyard Marriott in Brentwood, outside of Nashville, TN. We always enjoy it, though I wish they offered free breakfast The grounds are lovely, though, and it feels like home when we arrive there. Our son lives in Nashville, so we have stayed there many times.