Westin Savannah
Mar 28th, 2003, 07:29 AM
#1
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Westin Savannah
My wife and I are planning a 1st-anniversary trip to Savannah in June since I have a very good rate on a room at the Westin there. We love Savannah, know about the odd location of the Westin, etc., but my main concern is some of the awful reviews I've read of the hotel itself.
Anyone have any advice?
Anyone have any advice?
Mar 28th, 2003, 07:55 AM
#2
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I had a fantastic stay at the Westin. We were on the club floor and it was pretty cool being eye level with the pilot houses on freighters.
My only pet peeve is that the river shuttle was a pain in the ass. We always missed it by about 30 seconds.
I would stay there again in a heartbeat.
My only pet peeve is that the river shuttle was a pain in the ass. We always missed it by about 30 seconds.
I would stay there again in a heartbeat.
Mar 28th, 2003, 08:01 AM
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Wow, great. I don't taking the boat over and then getting a cab ride home. I used to run a water taxi service when I was a teen-ager and I know the unpredictability of the business.
If you get a chance to read this, most of the reviews I read all complained of the Westin being "dirty" and the staff being rude. I had a hard time believing that.
If you get a chance to read this, most of the reviews I read all complained of the Westin being "dirty" and the staff being rude. I had a hard time believing that.
Mar 28th, 2003, 08:18 AM
#5
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That is astonishing that people think the Westin is dirty. The hotel is less than 5 years old. The staff we encountered couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating. As a matter of fact, it was the front desk clerk that bumped us up to the club floor gratis. We didn't mind taking cabs over to the Westin as it was under $5.
Mar 28th, 2003, 08:24 AM
#6
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Where were you reading those negative reviews? Here? I think I remember one about rude staff, but not dirty. The hotel, especially its public spaces, is beautiful. I personally would prefer to stay within the historic district, but if the location is fine with you, I'd go with no absolutely no concerns. Try to get a river view room--it is worth the extra!
A tale that may be of interest--when we lived there 6 years ago, before Hutchison Island was developed with the hotel and convention center, there was just the tug landing over there, and an long old brick wall, the remains of some sort of factory we are told. The river had just been dredged and we were over on the Hutchison Island where the Westin is now, just walking along the river at low tide, exploring. My husband bent down and picked this thing up out of the mud. "Look" he said, "a cannon ball". And he put it in my hand (and my hand immediately dropped a foot as they are *heavy*). Yes indeed it was a cannonball and from the size we've been told it was a Revolutionary War cannonball, rather than Civil War. Its got a place of honor on its own little stand in our bookcases/display case now, rust and all. So, while you are there, imagine the history that came before you!!
A tale that may be of interest--when we lived there 6 years ago, before Hutchison Island was developed with the hotel and convention center, there was just the tug landing over there, and an long old brick wall, the remains of some sort of factory we are told. The river had just been dredged and we were over on the Hutchison Island where the Westin is now, just walking along the river at low tide, exploring. My husband bent down and picked this thing up out of the mud. "Look" he said, "a cannon ball". And he put it in my hand (and my hand immediately dropped a foot as they are *heavy*). Yes indeed it was a cannonball and from the size we've been told it was a Revolutionary War cannonball, rather than Civil War. Its got a place of honor on its own little stand in our bookcases/display case now, rust and all. So, while you are there, imagine the history that came before you!!
Mar 28th, 2003, 10:29 AM
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Here are a few bad ones:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60814-d219403-r413423-Westin_Savannah_Harbor_Resort_and_Spa-Savannah_Georgia.html
And more:
http://www.epinions.com/The_Westin_Savannah_Harbor_Resort_GA_31402_United_ States
I was so alarmed, I almost canceled. I'm glad I came here. I never got any bad advice from Fodor's.
We've stayed in the historic district several times, and wanted to try something a little different. We got a river view room as well.
That's great story about the cannonball. We're history buffs and last time we were there we found a Savannah cabbie (who knew EVERYTHING about the town) who took us on a 3-hour tour for $20. Of course, he got a 100-percent tip!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60814-d219403-r413423-Westin_Savannah_Harbor_Resort_and_Spa-Savannah_Georgia.html
And more:
http://www.epinions.com/The_Westin_Savannah_Harbor_Resort_GA_31402_United_ States
I was so alarmed, I almost canceled. I'm glad I came here. I never got any bad advice from Fodor's.
We've stayed in the historic district several times, and wanted to try something a little different. We got a river view room as well.
That's great story about the cannonball. We're history buffs and last time we were there we found a Savannah cabbie (who knew EVERYTHING about the town) who took us on a 3-hour tour for $20. Of course, he got a 100-percent tip!
Mar 29th, 2003, 04:02 AM
#8
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I don't blame you for being concerned after reading those two reviews billy2112. I would be as well--in fact, I am. The hotel is beautiful, I've seen their public spaces and peeked in some of the rooms, BUT, I've never stayed there, so never experienced their service. What was expressed there would not be in keeping with Westin standards, certainly. Heck, it wouldn't be in keeping with anyone's standards! Sometimes in reading reviews you sense that there is a bit of exaggeration going on, but I didn't get that sense with the two you listed. They obviously had/have problems that hopefully have been corrected.
As for the water taxi, I know the city is running it, perhaps reluctantly by this point. There was an enormous push to get the new convention center located on Hutchison Island. The land was donated by CSX, and it was a deal for the city, but if the convention center was there, they also *had* to have a hotel there, which meant there had to be some sort of transportation to and fro. The city agreed to the water taxi as part of the parcel of goodies offered to lure development to the island. It seems the schedule is hit or miss, or was--hopefully that's been fixed as well, as Westin relies on it, yet has little control over it. The drive over is a nuisance, as the bridge dumps you south of the historic district going over, and getting onto it you'd better beware. You are having to make a left turn across traffic that is going 70 mph down the bridge, then immediately get into the flow of traffic going equally fast in the opposite direction. Not a good situation.
Part of the service problems are problems which will exist in most Savannah hotels to some degree or other, just as they do in New Orleans hotels. My husband ran the Hyatt across the river and had to constantly hammer on the service aspect..."be aware, do what you see needs doing"..do NOT step over that dead horse lying in the lobby expecting someone else to pick it up for you. (He termed it the Dead Horse Syndrome
gt;) Staff was generally very good, but many were long term and there were ongoing efforts to keep everyone on their toes. Perhaps Westin was still working on that aspect, and I know they had several rapid changes of GMs--never a good situation.
Still...I'd stay simply because the hotel is so pretty, and hope all was fixed. I do hope you have a river view room as the views of the river traffic, as mentioned in one of those reviews, is incredible. We lived on the top floor of the Hyatt with all the rooms in our suite plus our rooftop patio overlooking the river and River St. Like the one review you listed, it was an awesome sight to wake up in the night and see your entire window filled with the image a mammoth ship. I never got over the fun of those views in the 4 years we lived there!
Hope everything has improved by the time you stay there. Hope too you'll post back here and let us know, one way or the other what you find!
As for the water taxi, I know the city is running it, perhaps reluctantly by this point. There was an enormous push to get the new convention center located on Hutchison Island. The land was donated by CSX, and it was a deal for the city, but if the convention center was there, they also *had* to have a hotel there, which meant there had to be some sort of transportation to and fro. The city agreed to the water taxi as part of the parcel of goodies offered to lure development to the island. It seems the schedule is hit or miss, or was--hopefully that's been fixed as well, as Westin relies on it, yet has little control over it. The drive over is a nuisance, as the bridge dumps you south of the historic district going over, and getting onto it you'd better beware. You are having to make a left turn across traffic that is going 70 mph down the bridge, then immediately get into the flow of traffic going equally fast in the opposite direction. Not a good situation.
Part of the service problems are problems which will exist in most Savannah hotels to some degree or other, just as they do in New Orleans hotels. My husband ran the Hyatt across the river and had to constantly hammer on the service aspect..."be aware, do what you see needs doing"..do NOT step over that dead horse lying in the lobby expecting someone else to pick it up for you. (He termed it the Dead Horse Syndrome
gt;) Staff was generally very good, but many were long term and there were ongoing efforts to keep everyone on their toes. Perhaps Westin was still working on that aspect, and I know they had several rapid changes of GMs--never a good situation.Still...I'd stay simply because the hotel is so pretty, and hope all was fixed. I do hope you have a river view room as the views of the river traffic, as mentioned in one of those reviews, is incredible. We lived on the top floor of the Hyatt with all the rooms in our suite plus our rooftop patio overlooking the river and River St. Like the one review you listed, it was an awesome sight to wake up in the night and see your entire window filled with the image a mammoth ship. I never got over the fun of those views in the 4 years we lived there!
Hope everything has improved by the time you stay there. Hope too you'll post back here and let us know, one way or the other what you find!
