An embarrassment to the Ritz Carlton brand
Review Summary: poor reception, toxic laundry, great shoe-shine, disappointing management, missed wake-up and utterly embarrassing response to an exception.
Upon arrival, FIVE bell boys stood around talking whilst I collected my luggage myself and entered the building. Lets compare this to the Ritz Carlton in Battery Park, the door of the cab is opened for you and you see your bags in your room. POOR.
Put my shoes in for shoe-shine with a request for delivery at 7:00am. The advertisement in the room stated the same too. Called them at 7:25am to ask where the shoes were. Missed breakfast as they arrived at 7:45am!
They were very shiny.
Put a shirt in for laundry. It came back with a stain on the collar. As it was not too noticeable I made the rueful mistake of wearing it anyway. It caused chemical burns to my throat. My skin was heating up all day, a rash formed by lunch, by the afternoon when I finished teaching my class I had a full blown case of contact dermatitis, on a 270 degree scale. My skin is on fire! I won't go into the gory details other than to say it was akin to localised chicken pox. 
Upon return to the hotel I had purchased another top and described to them what had happened. Both the receptionist and supervisor were shocked. The latter took a photo and asked if she could take the shirt for further investigation. I said yes and added that I am leaving in the morning at 8:45am so there would need to be a resolution of some kind before then. I asked for a wake-up at 7:00am.
No wake up call.
Rushed down stairs at 8:40 having woken up 60 minutes late, missed the breakfast again. No shirt back on my door, no call, no message, no "I'm terribly sorry", no acknowledgement at all.
Got to reception. 
RC: "Checking out sir?"
Me: "Yes, please".
RC "How was your stay?"
Silence as she is reading the screen associated with my booking. 
Me: "Not very good. I have a rash caused by your laundry service that has affected the clothing so much that the stainless steel collar pins on my TM Lewin shirt have now changed colour to a caustic green!" 
RC: "Oh"
Me: "I'm in a rush now as I did not get my wake-up call and I'd like my shirt back to send to someone in London to see what chemicals I've been exposed to that could have caused such a drastic response in a matter of hours, akin to a second degree burn. Could you please see where it is".
RC: "Certainly sir, I can see the notes on your booking from last night, that must be awful. I'll call down now. [dials the number]. Hello, it's reception here, do you have Mr Abraham's shirt, you do, good, could you please bring it up to the reception area. [hangs up]. It's coming right up sir. 
Me: "I'm running very late. Could you please print a copy of the bill and I will be back in an hour after my first meeting to collect my luggage, the bill and my shirt.
RC: "Of course sir".
They now have an hour to respond to the unhappy customer. What do they do? Nothing.
One hour later to a different receptionist.
I've come to collect my luggage, my shirt and my bill.
RC: Certainly sir, may I have your room number
Me: 804
RC: I see sir that you had some trouble with the laundry.
I show her my neck
RC: Oh my gosh, that looks very painful. I'm terribly sorry sir. I'll get your things immediately.
She gets my luggage, my bill and after a five minute wait, my shirt.
THAT'S IT! End of story. Perhaps as far as they're concerned.
I left the hotel!
On comparison to the RC in Singapore and in Battery Park, Manhattan, this hotel is a joke. Management need a significant intervention. I'm especially upset as I quote this company as a benchmark for customer service. The property in Dallas is the exception to the rule. A disgrace to the brand.
One thing's for sure, messing up is not the end of the relationship as one can always follow up, but on this occasion I would simply avoid that particular property again. There's no excuse for a systemic disregard for customer satisfaction.
They get a 2 out of 5 for the shoe-shine and the lovely rooms. That's generous.