Please Take Care of Your Rooms

[englanddg]

What further pumped up my rewards rates was that, at least for a portion of the opening ranging from 4 - 12 weeks, sometimes longer, I'd fly in a team of 4 - 20 people (depending on the opening) and I'd book all their rooms under my rewards as well.

 

[Andrew C]

Marriott and Hilton were my two common stays. Every now and then a Best Western, an Extended Stay America or AmeriSuites, or something like that. Marriott has improved a lot the past few years, especially their Garden Inn line (I love the lobby restaurant/bar they've added). But, at the time, my HHonors and Marriott Rewards point values were insane (another reason I stayed with those two most of the time, I'd get "perks" and "room upgrades" just due to my rewards level. I traveled for work (opening restaurants around the country), hence why I lived out of hotels.

Over the last we years, Hilton has gotten rid of a lot of their bad hilton branded hotels by either removing the hotel entirely from Hilton or by converting them to a doubletree if they were able to meet the less but still decent standards of this brand. Have done the same thing with their Hampton brand over the last several years as well.

 

[englanddg]

Over the last we years, Hilton has gotten rid of a lot of their bad hilton branded hotels by either removing the hotel entirely from Hilton or by converting them to a doubletree if they were able to meet the less but still decent standards of this brand. Have done the same thing with their Hampton brand over the last several years as well.

Yeah...now that I think about it, it is the Hilton Garden Inn that I really like what they done (the restaurant /bar). I conflated it with the Marriott Residence Inn when I was typing that out...

Whoops!

 

[englanddg]

In fact, reviewing the hotels I stayed in last year (approx 20 stays)...they were all Hilton brands. Dunno how I got Marriott stuck in my head. Replace Marriott in all my previous posts (with the exception of the mention of Brooklyn) with Hilton.

 

[Andrew C]

Yeah...now that I think about it, it is the Hilton Garden Inn that I really like what they done (the restaurant /bar). I conflated it with the Marriott Residence Inn when I was typing that out...

Whoops!

Yeah. HGI is a good mid tier brand. Not as limited as the Hampton as they offer extra services like an on site restaurant. But also not a full service like a Hilton so still at a relatively inexpensive price point...usually.

 

[englanddg]

Yeah. HGI is a good mid tier brand. Not as limited as the Hampton as they offer extra services like an on site restaurant. But also not a full service like a Hilton so still at a relatively inexpensive price point...usually.

I stayed in one a week ago in Knoxville. Great room (akin in decor to somewhere between a moderate and Deluxe at Disney) and it was $85 a night.

I'm quite a fan. I just hope their foray into food service doesn't slip...it is still rather new. But, seems to be popular with guests, so, that is a good sign!

 

[Andrew C]

I stayed in one a week ago in Knoxville. Great room (akin in decor to somewhere between a moderate and Deluxe at Disney) and it was $85 a night.

I'm quite a fan. I just hope their foray into food service doesn't slip...it is still rather new. But, seems to be popular with guests, so, that is a good sign!

What was the restaurant? Great American Grill? I think that is that standard for that brand.

 

[mousehockey37]

I agree with this. While Disney DOES need to build maintenance time into the room rotations (taking a few out of service all the time to repair things), they can't address everything all the time.

And yes, housekeepers SHOULD take notice of things that are obvious while they're cleaning, and notify maintenance. But I'm sure they don't.

We've stayed in rooms before, mostly DVC, where something was broken or damaged....but they were very often things that Disney wouldn't know about unless a guest told someone during or after their stay.

Yeah, it's just sad that people have to go and break things and damage rooms that others pay the same or more for. More than likely, the people that leave these rooms trashed at the end of their stay are the people who have spotless homes and freak out if someone doesn't use a coaster under their drink.

 

[englanddg]

What was the restaurant? Great American Grill? I think that is that standard for that brand.

Im really not sure what they call it. They have a cook for breakfast lunch and dinner in a small, but well stocked, open kitchen, a full bar, and a decent menu. Ive seen them in Knoxville and Nashville...though I am fairly sure they are rolling them out nationwide, was the impression I got.

 

[Andrew C]

Im really not sure what they call it. They have a cook for breakfast lunch and dinner in a small, but well stocked, open kitchen, a full bar, and a decent menu. Ive seen them in Knoxville and Nashville...though I am fairly sure they are rolling them out nationwide, was the impression I got.

Interesting. They could be trying a new concept. Will have to look into that.

 

[englanddg]

Interesting. They could be trying a new concept. Will have to look into that.

The manager in Nashville indicated it was rather new (as of last fall)...but that it was out of trials and was being rolled out to the whole brand. The restaurant they had been trialing there for about a year, but the bar had just recently been added along with a dining area update when I stayed the fall.

 

[Andrew C]

The manager in Nashville indicated it was rather new (as of last fall)...but that it was out of trials and was being rolled out to the whole brand. The restaurant they had been trialing there for about a year, but the bar had just recently been added along with a dining area update when I stayed the fall.

Nice!

My favorite is still Embassy Suites. I feel like you get the most bang for your buck. Although they would typically be more expensive than HGI as they are full service.

 

[englanddg]

This looks like the one in Nashville (though it's from Fort Myers, FL).

Hard to make out, but that's the dining area in the lobby. Off in the back, to the right, is the open kitchen. In the mornings a chef will custom make eggs/omelets with up to about a dozen toppings for you there, along with fresh waffles and some other things. They also offer fresh sausages/bacon/hashbrowns. In front of that is the hot/cold buffet, which has the standard breakfast fare you'd find at most medium level hotels, and is a salad / dessert / fruit bar for other meals.

For lunch they have burgers and sandwiches. Dinners are fish, steak, chicken dishes, etc. All pretty decent (TGI Fridays level stuff).

The full service bar is off to the left, under the TV. Bartenders double as wait staff during peak times. The restaurant is a blend of quick service (order with the chef) or Full Service, and it's really up to you. They issue you a red tent number to deliver your food to you. You can order at the table, at the bar or at the grill. Or you can order it as room service (including drinks).

 

[englanddg]

Here's a better view of the "buffet/open kitchen" setup.

Different decor, obviously. This one is from TX, but is the same layout as the one in Knoxville.

 

[englanddg]

Anyhow, didn't mean to get off point, but I love that little addition to the hotel! It's so nice after a long day of travel to, at a rack rate of < $100 generally, be able to get a steak and a rum and coke and chill in the Lobby before crashing for the night!

 

[Andrew C]

Here's a better view of the "buffet/open kitchen" setup.

Different decor, obviously. This one is from TX, but is the same layout as the one in Nashville.

That looks really nice! Dig the warm colors too.

 

[englanddg]

Here's what the bars look like. This one is from Athens, GA, but the bar in Knoxville (while larger) has the same decor.

 

[englanddg]

Ok, last one.

(can you tell I'm a fan?)

 

[OSUgirl77]

Ok, last one.

(can you tell I'm a fan?)

These are being rolled out at full-service Hiltons? Looks great, I wish Marriott would do something like this...

 

[englanddg]

Ok, one last one...here's examples of the food...

Breakfast (all you can eat, costs 10 dollars in the TN markets)

Lunch / Dinner (prices range from 10 - 20 dollars...market prices, reasonable)