Meh, nothing special
My ho-hum experience here started with the chilly reception we received from the night clerk. You know the kind--they look you up and down, decide you are not worthy, and act like checking you in is a big favor. Normally, I could care less, but we'd just arrived from a long train journey, it was dark and rainy out, we had our discombobulated 7-year-old in tow, and could have used some 'hail fellow well met' at that moment. Publicity boasts about catering to the young uns, but I had to search the website the next day to see what was available for him, and then ask, which put the morning staff in a flutter, because the person who checked us in--I'm looking at you, chilly night check-in guy--should have taken care of it. A much heralded gold fish was brought to our room, which then died. Okay, it happens, it is a living thing, but when we called to have it removed--more 7-year-old discombobulation--we were cheerfully told to put it outside the door, and chirpily asked if we'd like another. I know it's just a fish, but the attitude seemed rather cavalier, especially with a child involved. Yes, they have coffee and tea, but 2 days in a row I had to tell them they'd run out of hot water, breakfast tea, and milk. Don't count on it if you are off to business meetings in the morning as I was. And then there is the nickle and diming that I just can't stand when I'm paying hundreds of dollars for a hotel room--one-ply toilet tissue, big bottles of shampoo and soap bolted to the wall, slippers with a "if-you-use-these-we'll-charge-you-$15" tag attached to them. I moved to the Fairmont, got my slippers for free, had beautiful toiletries and was treated to super-friendly service at every juncture. Quirky can carry you only so far--it shouldn't come at the expense, literally and figuratively, of a comfortable stay.