Just back from HRH, quick tip on room

[thefoyboy]

Okay Barry, if tipping is the answer, then tell me why it got worse from the first day on and I left $20 tips the first two days hoping it would help things out.

In the end, the only thing that really helped was a call to the GM and that should have been unnecessary.

 

[sha_lyn]

Our horrible experience with house keeping was in the beginning of April. I am really hoping they have improved so I can use the free night they gave us for our troubles. I love the HRH but if I have another bad housekeeping experience I will nver stay there again as much I love the decor, the pool and walking to the parks.

 

[catseyepub]

Just returned and although I love the HRH, there were a few disappointing things that made me wonder if I want to go back.


I was glad they had a gym there, since I love working out . But after walking in the doors of the gym, an attendant there asked me for an $8 fee to use the gym. I was flabbergasted that they would require a guest of the hotel to pay an additional charge to use the gym.

Also upon check in, they asked if we planned on using the minibar.
We said no. So we get in our room and the minibar is locked which we wanted ,no problem.

However near the minibar there was a coffee pot and a few plastic bottles of Evian water.

Well, there was nothing there that said if we drank coffee or water, there would be a charge for them. They were not inside the minibar.
Well we drank coffee and my wife drank some water and the day we checked out, there was a $30 charge for using what the itemized bill listed as use of the minibar. Outrageous. Obviously I will not pay this charge.

How do you feel about all these little nickle and dime charges that the HRH throws your way?????

 

[pathubia]

catseyepub,

when we were there the bottles of evian stated that there was a charge for them, i cant remember how much, it was something like
$6. Do you have a loews 1st card? I think you get free use of the gym with that.

we never had any trouble wth housekeeping, but then again we were out of the room from 8 am until 7 pm every evening.

patty

 

[poolmom]

There are big labels on the Evian bottles that clearly state that it costs $6 per bottle. The coffee is complimentary. Many hotels charge for use of gym facilities. The loews card would have provided you with complimentary passes. I don't think these are hidden charges that nickle and dime everyone. I think everyone's first assumption should be that nothing is free. If in doubt ask, or read the info package in every room that outlines all the charges.

When we were at the Grand Floridian paying $300/night we had no complimentary coffee and had to pay $15/hr to rent tennis rackets, $5/hr to rent balls and $15/hr to rent the court. Now that's nickle and diming the guests as if they were the Motel 8.

Don't let these little misunderstandings deter you from returning to a great hotel.

 

[minijeanie]

Selina

Where was the pool 6 ft? We were there 3 weeks ago and I thought max. depth was 4ft 6. As for as zero entry pools and low depth pools, IMHO I hate them. They are not refreshing and my family are all good swimmers & we love going into the deep end. As your children are smaller, wait until they get bigger and want a deeper pool

Poolmom,

I am happy that you got upgraded and only paying $117. On the other hand I paid $149, was told I would get pool view and did not. Please know I do love HRH and would definelty stay there again. Convenience, FOTL and size of the room alone warrants me to pay more than what I did. My comments were just my observations on my trip. Had I gone 2 days earlier or later, my trip would probably been different. I found each trip experience is so different from the one before. After we left HRH, we went to the Poly and stayed concierge. Room was okay, place lovely but I did not find concierge staff to be the greatest in the world. Other people think they are.

I believe it is all in the timing.

 

[poolmom]

Hi Minijeanie:

Not disagreeing with you at all. Timing is everything and 10 people can have 10 different experiences at the same place. I think this is why these boards are so helpful in that they offer differing opinions and allow others to learn from our mistakes in planning.

When we checked in at 2pm the hotel was at full capacity. That is the reason we got upgraded to club. But we asked for an upgrade. If we didn't, the front desk would have re-juggled all the bookings and perhaps bumping someone else who had not checked in yet to give us the GV room. When that later reservation checked in, they would have gotten the club upgrade. The point is, ask for the upgrade. In previous postings, there was talk of bribery, slipping $20, etc. No need, if they can do it, they will.

When we went to the Grand Floridian, we also asked for an upgrade. We were offered a LV room. We declined it because it was a smoking-optional room. So it is the luck of the draw.

 

[Selina]

Hi minijeanie, I thought it said opposite the basketball net 6FT, but I understand that your older kids might like a deeper pool if they want to swim/dive - but I don't think that the HRH pool is intending to cater for that kind of "swimming", more refreshing dips, a seaside atmosphere with the "walk-in" all around the pool and the sandy "beach" part, which makes it reasonably safe for most children who can swim, and ball fun . If the kids want deep underwater swimming, then Discovery Cove is a must I think for us when they get older!!

 

[dreamflight99]

Wow...I have been thinking of booking at the HRH...but not now. I have stayed at the Portofino for the past two summers. I have booked a deluxe room w/bay view w/private balcony for $169.00 an eve. (U.S. Fan club rate). While in the lobby awaiting valet, I inquired about staying a third eve. with the front desk. Associate was VERY friendly, and gave me the Fla. Res. Rate of $139.00 per eve for all three nights! I DID receive my Loews first ammenity in the room upon check-in, (Fresh-baked gourmet cookies and milk on ice...beautiful presentation, with a kids pack on the bed for our daughter). This past summer, we stayed in the Kids suite, and had a great time. We experienced no trouble with the housekeeping, and the service was A++!

Dear mkymouse4-ever.....how did you secure "18 nights" in the Contemporary tower? I have always wanted to stay in the tower with a view of the magic kingdom...Do you mind me asking if you received any discounts or special rates? Any help with this is appreciated. I noticed the G.F. for two weeks prior...was the accomodations as nice as they sound? Thanks!

 

[mkymouse4ever]

At last minute because of this thread changed from delux room to club level, ( slight discount given), Having watched the show on TV travel channel, they were very off on food offerings, drinks, etc. it was minimal to say the best, and the yummy cookies, please 1 nite they had out OREO's & I'm not kidding, I happen to like oreo's but still feel this was inappropriate. Housekeeping is apprently all up on the club level, think if we left room for 10 minutes they were in there cleaning, that must be why they are not doing the other rooms. However never had ice in room, 1 machine at end off the far away hall was broken and the lounge has ice but only for the lounge, I was told to look around the other floors and see if I could find some. (I did and found that the floor below us was also broke, and there was ice on the 3rd floor.) The hotel is beauitful, however as nice as our room and pool view were, there was a strange very large stain on our carpet in front of the beds? Wonder what upkeep will look like after a year or two passes? Note to dreamflight99: tried to e-mail your question but not available, My secret just call cro, and yes I have an annual pass & hope to discount it again, as we did this september. GF is very nice but after 2 weeks I can give you a list of problems there also. MKY

 

[UKDEB]

We stayed on 7th floor club with pool view. We got upgraded to pool view at check-in for some minor hiccup (so minor I can't even remember what it was!), and the check-in staff were way frendlier than check-in at AKL where we'd stayed the previous 2 nights.

Housekeeping was excellent, although they were quite late. They didn't even take the $5 tip we left the first day - we had to leave a note saying 'tip'! The Concierge offerings weren't as good as AKL, though.

All in all, we had a GREAT time at both. Very different, but we wouldn't hesitate to do either again.