Marriott Lexington Griffin Gate Resort
5/26/2004: I've always been told that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Well, I'm a reviewer. I've got to say something, so I'll keep this one simple. The room itself was nice. Our visit was not.
Upon arriving at Lexington's Griffin Gate Resort (by Marriott), we were noticing what a lovely hotel it was. Things seemed nice, but that was right up until you have to deal with the hotel staff.
We booked our room through Priceline, and as such, we got a really good deal. We called to make a few confirmations, and the first staff person we talked to (on the phone) immediately told us that we didn't have a reservation, only a courtesy hold. The hold was only for 24 hours, and would require a credit card for an actual room. After a lot of explaining about how we already paid for our room through Priceline, they finally caved and decided that would let us stay in their precious hotel.
After arriving, we were reading in the guest book that there was a VIP lounge for those guests staying on the 1st through 5th floors. (We were on the 3rd.) We called to inquire about it, and the front desk clerk told us that there was a lounge, but "our rate" didn't cover it. (I guess we weren't good enough for it.)
Our second night saw a bunch of tornado activity in the area, and the power was knocked out late in the evening. It was out for more than 10 hours. This made our stay VERY uncomfortable, as the room got to be like 200 degrees. (Plus, it was DARK!) In the morning, the power returned like 10 minutes before we were to leave. Did the hotel offer any compensation? No. They didn't even ask how my stay was. I'll tell you how it was. It was rustic. Amish. Primitive. Bad. I understand that it was a "natural disaster" as they called it, but it's still their job to ensure that their guests have a good stay. They didn't even try. They were too snooty. They could have offered a free night, a partial refund, a glass of OJ, or at least SOMETHING! They chose not to. You'd think that they'd have some sense for a place that charges $189 a night. (We only paid $38, by the way.)
Overall, this hotel is NOT for Regular Joes. If you're a t-shirt and jeans kind of guy, you'll feel really out of place here, and the hotel staff will certainly help you feel worse. At least I've got a few stories to tell my friends.
In a Nutshell:
+ Nice Room
- Rude Staff
- No Nearby Food (except for the hotel's restaurants)
- Rude Staff (I'm aware it's listed twice.)
Score: D-
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