Outstanding hotel but......
I waited too long to make reservations for Tech Ready week so I couldn’t get a room at the Sheraton where I normally stay. Even though it was a few blocks away from the convention center I decided to give Hotel Monaco a try. I was impressed with everything about this hotel. The staff seemed genuinely helpful, the bar was great, and the room was huge! I had my wife with me for the first few days; she took advantage of the in-room spa services, which she loved. We ate at Sazerac, the hotel restaurant, it was very good. Like a lot of places right now they do the whole elevated southern thing. I recommend the ribs. Around day three I told my wife that I would be staying here instead of the Sheraton from now on.
This all changed on day five. I got back to the hotel around midnight. Normally there would be a valet to park my rental but as it was pretty late there was no one out front. I parked on the curb directly in front of the hotel and went inside to see how I could get my car in the garage. There was no one at the front desk. I waited a few minutes…. Still no one. I reluctantly walked behind the desk and into the back office thinking someone may have been snoozing (I’ve worked a lot of graveyard shifts myself), however there was no one. I decided to head up stairs and try to call the front desk from my room (I thought maybe the phone had been forwarded). When I got to my room and tried my key I got the dreaded red light. This was the second time my key stopped working during my stay. At this point I’m not thrilled. I went back down to the lobby… Still no one. I headed to the bottom floor which was roped off and said under construction (or something of that sort) I checked a few of the bathrooms and conference rooms… Nobody. I decide to give up, leave the car out front and let the hotel deal with it whenever someone showed up. On my way back up I realize I can’t just give up, because my KEY DOESN’T WORK! I pass the front desk, no one is there but I think I hear someone in the office. I call out… a gentleman came out of the back office, it was apparent I had interrupted a meal as he had a mouth full of food. I asked him if he had left the hotel because I have been walking around looking for someone for thirty minutes. He seemed annoyed that I questioned where he had been and told me that he had not be gone “that long”. I decided then that I wasn’t going to bother arguing with him. I asked him to please take care of the car and replace my room key. I handed him my room key and put my ID on the desk. He took my key asked me what room I was in, hit a couple of keys, replaced my card. However he did NOT, I repeat he did NOT once look at my ID. I just stared at him in amazement. So not only was the hotel door unlocked with no one in the front lobby but apparently if you have an old hotel key and ask for a new key to room 305 at midnight you get one without question. Considering my pregnant wife was sleeping in that room just a few nights prior, I was not happy at the hotels blatant disregard for basic security.
I spoke with the manger the next day who I must say was a complete professional. She did her best to assure me that this was not the norm and the situation would be dealt with immediately. I can’t help but think that something like this would not happen at a hotel with more than one person working the night shift. I guess it’s back to the Sheraton for me.. Shame.