My mom, my girlfriend and I recently stayed at this hotel (Doubletree Guest Suites in Houston) and it was honestly the worst hotel experience we've had in a long time.
I'll give you a review summary first, and then explain in detail below for those interested.
Review Summary:
The front desk staff were absolutely horrible. They were rude, inconsiderate, and incompetent. I've gotten better service at Taco Bell. The rooms we were given both stunk. Everything is overpriced and amenities you'd expect to be free aren't. Overall value, IMO, is horrible and I won't stay there again if I can help it, nor wil I recommend anyone stay there. I'd rather pay a little more and stay just about anywhere else.
Detailed Review:
There were some positive aspects which I will highlight first:
1. It has a fitness center and a pleasant pool/hot tub area. Neither were ever too busy, though we were there from Tuesday - Saturday, before Memorial Day. So, it may not have been that busy due to the holiday.
2. The warm cookies were definitely delicious and might have been the best part of the stay.
3. The cleaning staff and handyman were very nice (more explanation below). Also, the restaurant staff were very nice as well.
4. Our 2nd room was very clean, though it did smell a little like smoke.
5. The suites (with kitchen and living area) are nice and spacious.
6. It was nice to have a variety of things within walking distance...including the Galleria Mall, and various other restaurants and stores.
Now, I'll go through some of the negatives:
1. The service from the front desk was absolutely horrible with the exception of one person. The rest of the front desk staff were either incompetent, ignorant, rude, and/or all of the above.
2. The first room we were given had a huge wet spot on the floor and the room had that musty smell. Also, the water pressure in this particular suite (#2108) left a lot to be desired.
2.A. Also, there were no bottles of water in the room. We called to ask how much a bottle of water was, and she told us it was $7!! We later found out, when we got a new room, that the room was supposed to come with two bottles of water and that the convenience store downstairs sells bottled water for about a $1.
3. The card keys to room #2108 didn't work. We got one to work one time, and then couldn't get it to work again. I went to the front desk twice to get new keys because she kept insinuating that we somehow locked the door from the inside (I assume she meant we deadbolted it). I told her we didn't and that they need to have someone look at it. A maintenance guy came and looked at the lock and said he would have someone fix it in the morning.
He said we didn't need to be there when they fixed it, so we left and came back about 4pm to get ready for a rehearsal/dinner. We got back and the cleaning lady was outside our door trying to get in. They never came to fix the lock. The maid was very nice and said she had called the front desk a couple times to have someone fix it so she could get in and clean our room, but nobody ever came. So, I went back down to the front desk and then they sent someone who fixed it in a matter of 2 minutes. The maintenance guy was very nice and was obviously upset with the front desk staff (as were we). He said that we should not have been treated this way. All they had to do was change the batteries out on the lock and it was working properly.
4. We asked for another room and they said okay. The other room was much better except that it smelled like smoke and supposedly wasn't a smoking room. Not a huge deal, but not very pleasant either, especially considering the last room stunk.
5. The website makes it seem like the internet is free. It is, but ONLY in the business center (which is 2 computers and a printer/copier) or on the 2nd floor lounge/restaurant area. If you want to use wireless in your room it costs about $11 per day. Being the techy I am, I think this is absolutely ridiculous. There's not even a wired connection in the room!
6. $12 per day for self parking!! Really?! That's a little outrageous.
7. I lost a watch on the 2nd floor lounge while using the internet which was totally my fault, however when I asked the front desk about it, they simply said that nobody turned anything without even looking or asking anyone else. Then I asked if someone might have turned it into the restaurant or someone on the 2nd floor and they said no. Hmmm...then I called the front desk later and spoke to someone else who said they would check with the 2nd floor staff and let me know if anyone turned it in. You'd think the first staff person would have done the same thing.
8. Food prices are absolutely ridiculous! There is NO continental breakfast. No free breakfast whatsoever. That's a first for me. Not only that, but the breakfast was about $18 per person, and it wasn't anything to write home about. And don't even consider room service breakfast as that's way overpriced as well.
9. I was standing in line to talk to someone at the front desk, and another lady was in front of me. She was calmly asking if the hotel had found her laundry. Apparently, they lost it! She sent some of her clothes away for cleaning, and the hotel had NO idea where it was. The guest was being surprisingly calm, but the front desk staffperson was being quite rude. She got an attitude with the lady like it was her fault for not knowing exactly what clothes were missing. She actually rolled her eyes at a customer! I was shocked as I was standing right there witnessing the whole thing and she didn't seem to care at all. Unbelievable and unacceptable considering the hotel lost her clothes.
10. Another negative was that while our suite had a kitchen with a stove, there was not one pot or pan. Seems a bit silly to me...are we supposed to bring our own pots and pans when we travel?
