The London Hotel – West Hollywood, California

July, 2008

Above and Beyond

• The London Hotel standard rooms are BIG. You will be incredibly comfortable in them. By comparison, their standard rooms are better than the better known Beverly Hills Hotel which is just down Sunset Boulevard.
• The bedding is incredibly comfortable.
• A fairly large “L” shaped couch makes lounging in the room incredibly comfortable.
• The London Hotel in West Hollywood also has a very large bathroom with a separate shower and bath. The shower has two heads and is very large.
• The London Hotel West Hollywood is very conducive to working in the room. The desk is also BIG with multiple convenient electrical outlets and the TV that sits on the desk faces the bed.
• The London Hotel West Hollywood offers turn down service which includes putting several bottles of water in the room at no additional charge.
• Bravo also to the London Hotel in West Hollywood for including both wired and wireless internet access which is all throughout the hotel.
• The service at The London Hotel in West Hollywood is spectacular. I checked out of the hotel very early on my day of departure. I asked the front desk for a cup of coffee. They called room service who said they would need to brew a fresh pot. The bellman noticed I was in a rush and unbeknownst to me ran to the corner store that was open 24 hours and brought me a cup of coffee. Is this impressive???

A Matter of Taste

• Request a South Side facing room at the hotel. The views are much better. There also are a few rooms that get little light and have dismal views – so be careful.
• The drawer and closet space is just OK so longer stays will challenge your usage of space.
• The clock radio can accommodate your iPod and the hotel has a safe embedded in the closet that is large enough to accommodate your laptop and other items.
• The room comes equipped with a refrigerator/mini bar and a 1 cup Keurig coffee maker.
• The London Hotel in West Hollywood has a modern gym that is open 24 hours per day. The equipment allows one to place their iPod in a holder. The fitness center comes with plush towels as well as included refrigerated water and headsets.
• The balcony is a nice size but is equipped with a small sofa seat as opposed to a couple of chairs or a chair and small lounge chair which certainly can be accommodated.

Needs Improvement

• Absolutely nothing.

My Conclusion

The London Hotel in West Hollywood is a fabulous property located just on the outskirts of Beverly Hills. Having stayed at The London in New York City, I was eager to stay at their new property in Southern California, The London Hotel in West Hollywood.

I was so fascinated with The London Hotel in West Hollywood that I convinced friends from the UK, who were staying at the renowned Beverly Hills Hotel to check out and stay at The London. They did just that, booking both a suite and regular room. They wound up staying for a week and will be returning next year.

Ritz Carlton, Palm Beach, Florida

July, 2008

Above and Beyond

• The rooms at the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach are a nice size with room enough for a small couch.
• I stayed in a typical ocean view room (not to be confused with ocean front) that did have nice views of both the pool and ocean due to the height of my room.
• The desk space is large with multiple electrical outlets for the ability to plug in the modern machinery we travel with.
• The bed is very comfortable and of course, the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach has full turn down service completely freshening the room and bathroom as if it was never used.
• The drawer and closet space is plentiful – fit for one to spend a week or more at the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach.
• I love the Ritz Carlton bathrooms – two sinks, a separate shower and tub, a toilet located behind a door you can close, plenty of towels and wonderful robes.

A Matter of Taste

• The Ritz Carlton Palm Beach is actually located a few miles south of Palm Beach in Manalapan, Florida.
• The hotel is a 6 story structure directly on the beach. The Ritz Carlton Palm Beach has a long beach partly due to the linear structure of the building.
• The room has the “rip” off but convenient mini-bar refrigerator as well as a single serving coffee maker. They do include the coffee and blessedly provide you two bottles of water the exact measurement that you need to pour into the coffee maker. They also provide you simple step by step instructions to make the coffee.
• The balcony size is comfortable for two sitting chairs and a table. I wish it was big enough for a lounge chair so one can return to the comfort of the room and read a book.

Needs Improvement

• One problem with the desk, or the TV, is that you cannot see the TV when working at the desk. I find this incredibly annoying. The safe is located in the closet and of size that can hold most laptops.
• One bizarre find was that the shoe horn and shoe polish sponge were located in the desk drawer. I would never have found this if I was not using the desk and curiously opened the drawer.
• The 24 hour fitness center has with modern equipment although shockingly their weren’t any towels the morning of my workout.

My Conclusion

Like one comes to expect from a Ritz Carlton, the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach is a deluxe hotel.

Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA

July, 2008

Above and Beyond

• The Marriott Copley Place is perfectly located in the Back Bay district of Boston.
• It is attached to the Prudential Center and Copley Place shops which allow one to both shop and dine at dozens of places without having to walk outside.
• On beautiful days, it is within easy walking distance to the wonderful restaurants and shop that dominate the Back Bay area of Boston.
• The bed is just incredibly comfortable with lots of pillows.
• I was also impressed by the turn down service which might be a result of my “Platinum” status with Marriott.
• The TV in the room is wonderful – big and flat.
• The fitness center and indoor pool at the Marriott Copley Place are wonderful. The pool is big and the fitness center is well stocked with the most modern equipment. It also opens up at 5:30 AM, which is wonderful – allowing one to get a good workout and start their day early.

A Matter of Taste

• The Marriott Copley Place is a big convention oriented hotel.
• The service is vintage Marriott which I have come to interpret as efficient and effective. These are code words to say that Marriott will not “wow” you nor will they disappoint you.
• The standard rooms at the Marriott Copley Place are small but comfortable.
• The bathroom is a tad smaller than I would like but was equipped with all the necessary bathroom amenities and plenty of towels.
• The desk is a good working desk at Marriott with a two tier top that allows one to use their laptop at normal typing height which is lower than standard desk height.
• There are plenty of plugs in the lamp for the laptop and cell phone charger.
• The safe is large enough to accommodate any size laptop.
• The drawer and closet space is plenty adequate.

Needs Improvement

• I am NOT a fan of Marriott’s charge for internet use. They package this with unlimited local and long distance telephone calls to try and sell you on this great value. Most people today travel with cell phones. As such, there isn’t a benefit for local and long distance calls. The Marriott Copley Place surcharge of $12.95 per 24 hour period is a “rip off”.

My Conclusion

All in all, the Marriott Copley Place is somewhere I would stay again on business.

Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas

May, 2008

“The Cook doesn’t eat in the kitchen”

This cook does. I took my own advice. For the past 2 months I have been talking to employees in town hall meetings and sharing with our home based agents, in my “Bits from Brad” section of the “business center,” of the “value of cruising”. Two weeks ago I took my family on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas which departed from Barcelona on a 7 night cruise returning to Barcelona after stops in the south of France, Livorno (Pisa, Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples (Capri, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi) and Palermo, Sicily.

Cruising is the GREATEST VALUE in travel today. It makes sense why our sales are bucking the economic storm that we read about and personally experience everyday. It now makes sense why Goldman Sachs picked Royal Caribbean as one of their top 10 stocks for the balance of 2008. However, sometimes one interprets value as a decent product that exceeds your expectations. And there is nothing wrong with this interpretation. Our experience though rates as a fantastic trip, a superb experience that borders on a “luxury” experience, that I would do again, and that also happens to be the GREATEST VALUE in travel today. I say this for many reasons which I detail below. For those of you who have heard me define luxury, you recall that it is simply a 7 letter word – SERVICE. The SERVICE I experienced on the Voyager of the Seas was every bit as good as I enjoy at a Ritz Carlton - my favorite chain for Service. If one was to experience this service at a Ritz, a Four Seasons or on board one of the small luxury lines, they would say to themselves this is the reason they pay up for that experience. Please do not take my words lightly here. My cabin attendant and my waitress at my table could NOT have provided more service. My superlatives on service are not accorded for someone doing their job. I do not simply throw out these words – so let me give you three examples that permit me to shower the word SERVICE on the Voyager of the Seas.

As many of you know, I am recovering from Shoulder (Rotator Cuff) surgery that I had 7 weeks ago. Each day at 6 PM I went to my exercises. On the first day (departure day), I asked my cabin attendant for ice and she helped me put it in the plastic bag that I brought on board to ice the shoulder after the work out. Each day, without prompting, she had ice not only waiting in my cabin but in the plastic bag that I had brought on board. This is SERVICE.

On our first evening in the dining room, we ordered a bottle of wine prior to dinner. We asked for a couple of cheese plates as this is something we enjoy with our wine prior to dinner. Each night, again without prompting, there were two cheese plates on our table. This is SERVICE. I would have ordered a bottle of wine anyway, but what a great subtle way of encouraging wine sales. I sincerely doubt that our wonderful waitress knew that this gesture sealed the deal on us ordering wine each evening.

On the last day of the voyage – our only day at sea – we lucked out with a beautiful day and sat up on deck to enjoy the weather. It amazed me how quickly used glasses, cups, silverware, paper and dishes were picked up when anyone put food down next to their chairs. This is SERVICE.

We did experience the Portofino restaurant one evening. Suffice it to say that the space is very nice and the presentations of food are an upgrade to what one receives in the main dining rooms. However, the food is not an upgrade and we cancelled our second reservation there. They sell it for a $20 per person upgrade. For me, it was worth the change in environment but advise your clients of my comments. In these economic times, tell them to save their money.

The Windjammer Café where most people experience breakfast and lunch is a great presentation for the “buffet”. One can get eggs and omelets made to order. Coffee and tea is delivered to your table so one does not have to get up after bringing their food back to the table from the buffet line. Last December I experienced a couple of nights on Cunard’s new Queen Victoria. Royal Caribbean does a far superior job in handling the presentation and quality of food in their “buffet” experience than Cunard.

Johnny Rockets is a great respite from the buffet. The Voyager also has a place to get coffee, donuts, cookies, sandwiches and pizza (all included in the price) on the Promenade that is open all day – from breakfast to late at night. The pizza looks bad and tastes close to how it looks, but the rest of this food was decent. My overall assessment of the food on board the Voyager of the Seas is that it is OK. The food experience is not Gourmet, but one should not be expecting this. I think the food quality met my expectations. We did ask our dining room captain to make us Chicken Kiev one night (yes, you can ask for special requests). The chef made it and the Kiev was superb.

Another great surprise (for me, as I do not remember this when I sailed on the Adventurer) is room service. Room Service is included – no surcharge (I couldn’t believe this) and we had coffee delivered to our room every morning. I think room service is open 24 hours, but don’t hold me to this. However, get this – they called each morning prior to delivering the order. What a great SERVICE (back to that word). So, not only was it delivered at the time promised, but they give you a courtesy call so you can throw on a robe to answer the door.

We had two cabins – a standard outside balcony cabin on deck 8 and a “junior suite” on deck 10. The junior suite is an aggressive description for our cabin as it really just contained a small sitting area a step away from the bed, but this was more than adequate for an itinerary that had only one day at sea. I found both cabins to have lots of closet space – more than you could possibly desire. The outside balcony cabin had adequate drawer space and the junior suite had more drawer space and storage space than one could use. The bathroom in the junior suite had a full bath and the shower pressure was amazing. I am not a fan of the tacky combination shampoo/conditioner that they paste to the shower wall. The bathroom also had plenty of storage area in two roomy compartments that book-ended the mirror. The outside balcony cabin just had a shower. However, back to the comparison with Cunard’s new Queen Victoria. This bathroom felt much bigger. Kudo’s to Royal Caribbean on the shower door enclosure in this bathroom versus the flimsy curtain that the Queen Victoria had in their standard outside balcony cabins. In that case the curtain was always hitting up against my body and it felt uncomfortable and unsanitary.

I wish Royal Caribbean could perfect internet access in the cabins. While it is available in several areas throughout the ship, I would love the convenience and privacy of working in my cabin.

The public space on the Voyager is fantastic. The ship was full and I always found a seat in the area where I wanted to go. The music at the different venues was “comfort” music and quite enjoyable. They have a fantastic fitness center and spa. I just wish they would open up the fitness center prior to 6 AM. This is just a pet peeve of mine. It has nothing to do with supervision as between the time I arrived at 6 AM each morning and left at 7, there wasn’t any supervision.

We sailed from Barcelona to Barcelona with stops in the South of France, the western coast of Italy and in Palermo, Sicily. The first stop was in Villafranche – a lovely port equidistant between Nice in Monaco. The problem is that you have to tender (take a boat) to shore and the first boat is not until 10 AM. This is a short day as you must be back on the ship by 6 PM. I think Royal Caribbean does a poor job in handling the disembarkation. If you do not buy one of their optional tours, you have to wait in line until all the tour passengers disembark. We had to wait a full 45 minutes. This meant we did not board the tender until 10:45 AM. Between waiting for the tender to fill up and the short trip to shore, we did not arrive until 11:10 AM. Either Royal Caribbean has to arrive at this port earlier or they must have more tenders operating as soon as the ship is cleared for passengers to disembark. Alternatively, you can recommend to your clients to take one of the optional tours. I am not a fan of these in general, but in this particular town you do not need a tour to visit Monaco, Nice or Cannes. In Villafranche, there is a train station within a 7 minute walk of the pier. You can take a train in any direction.

Rome, or the port of Civitavecchia, which is the gateway to Rome for ships, is about 1 hour, 15 minutes from downtown Rome without traffic. Royal Caribbean offers several tours of Rome. Royal Caribbean offers several tours of Rome and an option of just transportation to and from Rome. However for those who have been to Rome or would like to explore Rome on their own, it is less expensive for 4 people to hire a cab for the day. Cabs are plentiful in Civitavecchia and will stay with you all day. We were four, had been to Rome before, and loved the flexibility of creating our own schedule.



In Naples, consider taking one of the Royal Caribbean tours unless you are just going to hop a ferry to nearby Capri. You do not need a tour to see Capri and this is very much a walking experience. If you intend to explore the Amalfi coast – Sorrento (a charming town), Pompei, Positano (a town built into the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea – they made postcards from towns like Positano) or one of the other towns along the Amalfi coast, consider a tour. Naples is also not the safest of the Italian cities. Additionally, renting your own car will test every skill you have behind the wheel.

In Palermo, I stumbled upon this small travel company operated by Alessandra and Antonio. Alessandra lived in Great Britain for 5 years and speaks perfect English, as does Antonio. They operate tours all over Sicily as well as Southern Italy. I highly recommend you contact them for yourself or your clients. It will be a fabulous experience and potentially less expensive than a tour arranged through Royal Caribbean Contact Alessandra at alantrip@libero.it. Their website is www.alantrip.com

Lastly, make sure you put in your clients Crown and Anchor number in the reservation. Their on board savings certificates really add up. Everything from discounts at Johnny Rockets, Ben and Jerry’s, a bottle of wine, free drinks, discounts on the Spa and at the Photographer – this is a true value that should be SOLD to past guests of Royal Caribbean.

My family and I had a wonderful experience, highlighted by a terrific physical product (the Voyager of the Seas) and SERVICE worthy of accolades at resorts and cruise ships that enjoy a luxury reputation.

Brad

West Palm Beach Marriott

June, 2008

Above and Beyond

• The West Palm Beach Marriott standard room is incredibly comfortable with a great bed, more pillows than one dreams, about and a couch and seating area that is just terrific.
• The room also includes a great large screen TV that swivels so you can watch from the bed, desk or seating area in the room.
• The desk is conducive to working with a shelf made for a laptop or keyboard at a comfortable typing height.
• The room comes equipped with a coffee maker and Starbucks coffee – included in the rate.
• There is a refrigerator without the overpriced mini-bar.
• The hotel includes two bottles of water in the room rate.
• The bathroom is stocked with plenty of towels and there was a comfortable bathrobe hanging on the door.
• The fitness center is open 24 hours with your hotel room key(see Needs Improvement).
  

A Matter of Taste

• The lobby is spacious, open and indigenously tropical for a Southern Florida hotel
• I did not use the Internet Access, but they offer it for $12.95 per 24 hour period – a rip off – but they include unlimited local and long distance calls in this rate. This is something that most travelers do not need as cell phones do not charge for domestic long distance.
• The bathroom is small, but comfortable and equipped with a nice assortment of bathroom amenities. The shower head is a nice size with decent pressure and the shower has the curve bar allowing for plenty of room without the shower curtain brushing up against your body.

Needs Improvement

• My one complaint about the West Palm Beach Marriott is the fitness center.
• The equipment is old – it looks it and feels it.
• The hanging TV’s are only for visual effects as the equipment does not have the audio tie in, so when someone is using the equipment, you can’t here the TV. A Marriott of this caliber should have the new equipment with the individual TV’s.
• The fitness center was barely equipped with water and towels. I was one of the first to arrive on a particular morning so I was able to get one of the two remaining waters and one of the 3 remaining towels.

My Conclusion

I spent a night at the West Palm Beach Marriott on business. The hotel is conveniently located just east of I-95 and just west of CityPlace in West Palm Beach – a great complex of stores, restaurants and residential living.

The hotel is a vintage Marriott – meaning my expectations were for a very presentable hotel and it met these expectations.

I did not experience the food and beverage facilities at the West Palm Beach Marriott.

I would definitely stay here again. I hope they improve the fitness center.

Westin Fort Lauderdale Hotel

February, 2008

Above and Beyond

• I found the front desk staff incredibly pleasant at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Hotel.
• The room size is very comfortable with a little seating area.
• The bedding is very comfortable.
• The shower does have two shower heads which makes for a very pleasant experience. Both water pressure and water temperature were great.
• The flat screen TV is a nice size.
• There is a safe in the closet and it is large enough to store a laptop. The drawer space and desk space is plentiful.
• They do have internet access, which they charge for. It works perfectly.
• Lastly, they do have a very nice single serving coffee machine with Starbucks coffee supplied and included in the rate. For coffeeholics like me, this is very nice.

A Matter of Taste

• The Westin Fort Lauderdale Hotel is functionally OK. The lobby and restaurants are pleasant to dine in. I had a cup of coffee but did not experience the food.

Needs Improvement

• The Westin Fort Lauderdale Hotel is in need of cosmetic surgery.
• The carpeting in my room was dirty.
• The elevators are old and there are chips all over inside them.
• They did not fill the bathroom towel racks to make it look plush with towels. I found the amenities weak relative to the price paid. Again, you get more amenities at a Hilton Garden Inn and pay half the price. They did have shampoo, conditioner and moisturizer, but many hotels have a lot more today including shower caps, mouthwash, cotton swabs, etc…The soap bars supplied were sub par. They looked cheap. There is a telephone jack in the bathroom, but no telephone.
• The fitness center at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Hotel has outdated equipment. The room is a narrow room and the TV’s are mounted high on the wall. It is impossible to see these TV’s from most of the equipment, which includes all the treadmills. They do have a filtered water cooler in the fitness center, but they stock it with the “cone” style cups. Try putting a cone style cup in ANY piece of fitness equipment. One other big negative to the fitness center is one has to walk outside to get there. Now, it rains often in Southern Florida. You will get drenched getting there and not have much of a workout. I imagine their fitness center is empty during poor weather.
• The Westin Fort Lauderdale does have a decent size pool area. Unfortunately, it backs Interstate 95 and is very noisy.
• One ridiculous thing is that the Westin Fort Lauderdale hotel charges for parking. This is almost unheard of outside of a city hotel. Shame on them for doing this. The lobby and restaurants are pleasant to dine in. I had a cup of coffee but did not experience the food.

My Conclusion

This is a mediocre hotel. I tell it like it is and this sentiment is more reflective of the quality you get for the price you pay. Just to compare, I think you get a lot more for your money, and similar quality, when one stays at a Hilton Garden Inn then at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Hotel.

You won’t have an uncomfortable stay at the Westin Fort Lauderdale, but you will say you overpaid for the hotel.

Mandarin Oriental New York

February 2008

Above and Beyond

• I found the service at the Mandarin Oriental New York City to be spectacular. I had a minor problem with the toilet on arrival and it seemed the service was there before I hung up the phone.
• I stayed in a superior king bedded room at the Mandarin Oriental New York City. My room was on the 54th floor and afforded me great views of the Hudson River. Being in the travel industry, I loved seeing a Norwegian Caribbean ship (NCL) docked at the pier and watching it pull out traveling down the Hudson.
• The room has both great closet and drawer space.
• This is the second hotel that I have stayed in this week that has a great safe. The safe is both large enough for a laptop and other material as well as having an electrical outlet in the safe to charge the computer.
• The bathrooms at the Mandarin Oriental New York City are spectacular. First, they are large. They come with two sinks, a beautiful tub and separate shower. The shower has both a traditional head and a ceiling mounted head they call the “rain shower”. I found the shower pressure a little weak and the temperature not getting as hot as I would like in a shower. The bathroom comes with a small swivel TV that is very convenient to use while in the bath or using the sinks. There is a huge mirror in the bathroom as well as a full length mirror in the room. I know I am raving about the bathroom, but it certainly is one of the better ones in a standard hotel room. In addition to supplying you with plenty of towels, because of the design of this bathroom, the towel rods and bathrobe hooks are very convenient for use. Robes and towels are not stuck behind a door but rather hung where it makes it convenient to use.
• For those of you who read my hotel blog, you know how important the fitness room is to me. The Mandarin Oriental New York City has a great fitness room. Although the posted hours are 6 AM midweek and 7 AM weekend, they were quick to point out that security will open the room anytime I need it. Bravo Mandarin Oriental New York City.

A Matter of Taste

• The desk is more than adequate and this is another hotel that recognizes that the traveler today needs electrical outlets that are plentiful and convenient. I like a desk with drawer space, especially if I am staying several nights. The desk also has a great lamp that makes working very pleasant.

Needs Improvement

• I found the flat screen TV a little small relative to the quality of the hotel and the room they have to put a larger TV.

My Conclusion

Think Luxury when you think of the Mandarin Oriental New York City. This hotel is located in the Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle. It is located on floors 35-54 of this building.

Treat yourself to a stay at the Mandarin Hotel Oriental New York City. Have coffee, tea or a drink in their lounge on the 35th floor overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park. The views are great and the service is wonderful.

Loews Miami Beach Hotel

2007 - 2008

Above and Beyond

• Loews Miami Beach Hotel does a great job in maintaining the art deco feel of South Beach.
• The lobby is very pleasant and a great place to watch a spoting event with many TVs and full food and beverage service.
• The staff at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel offers very friendly service and they are fairly attentive.
• The bedding is very comfortable.
• The rooms have good workspace for the business traveler, with great internet connections.
• Very nice size flat screen TV and plenty of convenient electrical outlets for the equipment one must charge today.
• The rooms also have great drawer and closet space.
• The beach is beautiful and the Loews Miami Beach Hotel provides full service, including food and drinks, at the beach for a nominal charge. I found the beach service to be excellent. They also encourage you to take a towel from the towel hut located at the pool before you head to the beach as the beach concierge will only provide you a towel to cover the chair.
• The gift shop is one of the more expansive gift shops in a hotel.
• The Loews Miami Beach has a beautiful spa and fitness room.

A Matter of Taste

• This is a BIG hotel – perhaps the largest in South Beach. If you are looking for a boutique hotel, look elsewhere.
• The Loews Miami Beach Hotel is located right in the heart of South Beach, just a block south of Lincoln Road.
• Within walking distance of many of the hotels in South Beach as well as some of the best restaurants in the area.
• A lot of convention business.
• The rooms are adequate. I have always stayed in a balcony room as I love to sit out in the morning or late in the day and have coffee and read. The balconies are too small to accommodate a lounge chair, but adequate for two chairs and a table.
• The bathrooms are way too small and as such, they squeeze in the sink, toilet and shower/bath combination.
• A haven for families and they are everywhere, including dominating the pool area during holiday times.
• Pool chairs are taken very early in the day and the pool is very crowded. Great for children, but this is not a relaxing environment.
• The fitness room does not open until 6 AM. This is not great for someone like me who loves a daily workout, but must be on the road by 7 AM to fight the South Florida traffic and get to my business meetings that usually start at 8 AM. What shocks me here is that Jonathan Tisch, President of Loews Hotels is reputed to be a fitness junkie as well as a hard worker. I wish this hotel would open their fitness room at 5 AM.

Needs Improvement

• Be prepared to wait up to 25 minutes if you park a car at the hotel. The good news is that if you call ahead, the car will be there waiting for you most of the time if you budget 15 minutes.
• Room service trays litter the room floors in the morning with food remnants several hours old. I cannot understand why a hotel cannot track where the used room service trays are since they had to deliver them at some point. It is not pleasant waking up at 5 AM and walking past hours old food scraps.

My Conclusion

I have stayed at Loews Miami Beach Hotel 5 times in the last 3 months. Overall, not a bad hotel given its size. But think BIG, not boutique. With BIG, you clearly sacrifice on service, but this hotel certainly tries. I have found that the Loews Miami Beach is fantastic at apologizing for its missteps.

Ritz Carlton – Dallas

February 2008

Above and Beyond

• The bathroom is very spacious with two sinks, a tub and shower, two comfortable robes, an abundance of towels, plenty of light and just incredibly comfortable.
• The closet is large and there is plenty of drawer space.
• The Ritz Carlton Dallas has a GREAT room safe that is embedded in a drawer. I use the word “great” because the safe has an outlet in it. You can charge your laptop while it is secure in the safe.
• The Ritz Carlton Dallas is very conducive for a business person with a well equipped desk and a TV that swivels toward the desk giving one the ability to work and observe the TV at the same time.
• This Ritz Carlton Dallas has a great fitness room that is open 24 hours. For those of you who read my reviews, you know this is critically important to me. The fitness center has state of the art equipment with individual TV’s. They provide a towel and water bottle on every machine. There are headphones available. The good news is that they don’t charge extra for the use of the fitness room. I find this offensive at other hotels.
• The lobby bar and restaurant are terrific and happening (see Needs Improvement).

A Matter of Taste

• The Ritz Carlton Dallas is just outside of the city.
• The standard rooms are of average size and typically comfortable of what you would expect from a Ritz Carlton.

Needs Improvement

• I had a minor problem in my room on arrival. I made 3 phone calls to the front desk – no one came to resolve the minor issue. I finally made a call to the executive office – which jumped on it immediately. It should not have taken this much time.
• The Ritz Carlton Dallas has wired high speed internet access which they charge for. They claim to have wireless, but I found it very spotty in the room and non-existent in the lobby. This is very disappointing, especially since the hotel opened in 2007. I also find it offensive that they charge for internet access. Hotels like a Hilton Garden Inn include it in the rate – one would expect that a Ritz Carlton would also. People who choose to stay at a Ritz are not going to avoid it for another $10 per night.
• The lobby bar and restaurant - my only complaint is that the service was a little weak for a Ritz Carlton. This is a relative comment. If this was not a Ritz Carlton, I would not make this comment.

My Conclusion

Overall – The Ritz Carlton Dallas is a great property. I would stay here again.

Marriott Fort Lauderdale North - Not a Luxury Hotel...Great For Business Trips

January 2008

Above & Beyond

• Check in is always a breeze and rarely is there a long line at the Marriott Fort Lauderdale North
• The rooms are clean and functional
• The hotel bed is incredibly comfortable
• The bathroom amenities include everything you need for your stay and are of quality
• The new flat screen TV’s in the room are large and they swivel. While “swiveling” might intuitively appear to be a natural for a TV, I find most TV’s – both flat and ones still stuck in an armoire, do not swivel. In this particular case, I was able to work at the desk and truly watch the TV
• The desk is L shaped which gives you plenty of space to work
• The wireless internet service in the room works perfectly and is included in the rate (It bothers me when hotels label it as “free”). I truly appreciate a hotel that does include it in the rate. Charge me more per night, but don’t let me think the bill is an adding machine tape. Thank you Marriott Fort Lauderdale North for doing this.

A Matter of Taste

• The bathroom is small, but very functional
• The sink is separated from the toilet and shower, which I like so the mirror does not get fogged up from the shower and I can shave right out of the shower when my skin is moist.

My Conclusion
The Marriott Fort Lauderdale North is a solid business person’s hotel as it has all the creature comforts that a person traveling on business desires.

I think Marriott does a great job on training. I rarely run into a Marriott hotel whereby the staff is not both efficient and professional.

The Marriott Fort Lauderdale North was a little tired and they have put some money into it. When I was there, the hotel gym was undergoing a renovation. It needed it. I am optimistic that the gym will be very good.

The Marriott Hotel Fort Lauderdale North is not a luxury hotel. It is great for business.

One & Only – Bahamas

October 2007

Above & Beyond

• Rooms – Section 2000 called the Crescent Wing
  Very large and spacious
  Very comfortable bed
  Big bathroom
  Nice size closet
  Plenty of drawer space
  Safe large enough to store laptop computer
  Easy to connect to internet
  Large flat screen TV
  Beautiful balcony overlooking the ocean
  
• Dune Restaurant
  Food is very good
  Excellent service
  
• The Cabanas
  Go over to the Cove at the Atlantis and get a cabana. Cabanas 7, 8, 9 and 10 are the best. Request one of the odd numbers as they reserve the even numbers for casino guests.
  Forbes recently rated these cabanas as the Best Poolside Cabanas in the World…And they are. The Ocean Club would be wise to create a similar setup at the Ocean Club property, which is under common ownership as the Atlantis.
  
  
  

A Matter of Taste

• Rooms - Hartford Wing
  Rooms are very small
  Bathrooms are very small
  
  If you must stay at the Ocean Club and are trying to budget, stay only in the Hartford Ocean View wings. Do not stay in the Hartford wing, especially if you do not have an ocean view.
• Cellular telephone service is spotty. The closer you are to the beach, the worse it is. This is probably by design and I do not view this as a negative. However, those thinking that they could sit by the beach and work the phones should think about another resort.

Needs Improvement

• Gym did not have alcohol wipes or another substance for cleaning headsets and handle bars.

My Conclusion

This is a great example of delivery not meeting expectations. On hotels that are a step below the ultra luxurious, these comments would be made as suggestions on how to get this hotel to the next level. However, the Ocean club positions itself as “ultra luxurious” and therefore they fail to deliver.

Disappointments were inconsistent service and lack of attention to detail.

• Upon arrival, we wanted to have lunch as rooms were not ready. We wanted to eat outside. They said it might rain. We said we would move inside if it did. They fought us rather than trying to accommodate us. We eventually ate outside, had a delicious meal and the rain did arrive – 4 hours later.
• The room did not have hand towels on our arrival
• Rooms did not come equipped with bathrobes; we had to call for them. They normally do, but housekeeping service failed to have them on arrival
• Internet connection was missing plug.
• Balconies were not swept clean on a daily service.
• Outdoor corridors – same thing. One day I returned to my room at 6 pm only to notice a piece of paper and cotton swabs lying on the ground.
• Cushions on chairs and lounges on balcony were dirty. A simple fix would be a great towel freshly placed on the chairs twice per day.

The Hotel at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas

December 2007

Above & Beyond

• Rooms
  All suites, but not just your ordinary suites. They are legitimately two rooms and the best business room that I have stayed in. One person can go into the other room, work, use the separate bathroom, watch TV and talk on the phone while the other person can sleep without hearing a thing. Many beautiful suites at hotels are incredibly large rooms that have distinct areas. This suite is two rooms.
  Plenty of closet space
  3 TV’s (one in the bathroom)
  1 ½ baths
  Wet Bar
  Internet works flawlessly
  Desk is positioned so that one can watch TV, work and look at the beautiful views, all at the same time
  
  
• Pool Areas
  Adult Pool
  Water Playground that is both crowded and fulfilling
  Something for everyone
  
  
• Restaurants – Red Square and the Strip Steak
  SERVICE was SUPERB—
  Food was excellent
  

Did I tell you I love great service? When I get great service in a restaurant, I leave a better than 20% tip. It is my way of telling people how good they were. Hats off to the service at both these restaurants

A Matter of Taste

• The Spa/Gym - Adequate.
  I can’t stand that the fitness center doesn’t open until 6 am. Many guests are from the east coast and we have early morning conference calls as well as naturally wake up early due to the time difference. It would be great to get to the gym, return, and shower and start the day. All this needs to be done by 6 am (9 am on the east coast).

Needs Improvement

• Front Desk/Check-In
  When I arrived the check in line was steady. This is not good at a premium property. It was impossible to miss the statement being made, in uniform, to those checking in, “We do not have any Kings left on a high floor. I resisted falling for this line and asked to speak to a supervisor. I explained to the check in person, who was very professional, that I frequent the hotel once to twice a year and made this reservation months in advance. She went into the back and magically came back with the comment, “I found something”. I received a King on a high floor with magnificent views. Mind you, I am not a gambler. My comments about visiting the hotel and making the reservations months in advance were true. I truly believe that this is the first line of offense at the front desk for non VIP (big gamblers) when checking in. Mild persistency will get you what you desire.
  
  The Spa/Gym
  During this visit there were too many pieces of equipment that were out of order. I always arrive at the gym early to try and start the workout early. Two out of the three mornings I was successful in picking up 15 minutes. On the third morning – the middle day of my 3 night stay – I arrived and was stopped by a rude young woman. She said I could not go in early as they were mopping the floor and no one can get in before 6 AM. I said I did yesterday. She told me that was impossible as they did a photo shoot. I told her that I was here yesterday and started my workout at 5:45 AM. She did not let me in. I asked her if I could use the bathroom which is adjacent to the fitness room. When I went to use the bathroom I did not see anyone cleaning the floors and one guy was working out. I started my workout. I cannot understand a poor attitude anywhere, but it is especially disconcerting at a property that purports itself as “upscale”. I have a simple definition for upscale. It is one word. It is called “Service”. The best physical property in the world cannot overcome poor service.
  
  
  Room Service
  Each morning I would order room service. Each morning (3 in a row), delivery time was estimated at 75 minutes. This was both accurate and totally unacceptable.
  

My Conclusion

I have stayed at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay several times while in Las Vegas so I can confidently say I have been a fan. The Hotel at Mandalay Bay is not for everyone. It makes it on its rooms – the overall décor of the hotel is dark and modernistic. It also is attached to the Mandalay Bay, which can both be a blessing and curse. I am returning to Las Vegas in March, 2008 and have now booked the Wynn in an executive suite.

The London Hotel – New York City

January 2008

Above & Beyond

• The service at The London Hotel is EXTRAORDINARY.
• The Rooms -The views are great, I stayed on the 46th Floor in a corner suite. Easy to connect to Internet. Fabulous desk.
• The Cocktail Lounge - Attactive and happening, even at midnight during the week.
• The Fitness Facility - Open 24 Hours - State of the art equipment.

Needs Improvement

• No door to enclose closet…From my bed, I was staring at my hanging clothes, an umbrella, et cetera.
• The room did not have ANY drawers for folded clothing.
• The shower did not have a closure…in spite of attempts to keep the water in the defined shower area, the floor got flooded.
• Nightly turn down service did not include emptying the garbage cans, this was a little bizarre.
  
  

My Conclusion

I look forward to my next visit to The London Hotel in New York City.