The actual stay experience was vastly different from what the platform's promotional photos depicted; the pictures clearly had heavy filters. The room's decor was noticeably outdated, with yellowed and old-looking switch panels, as if it hadn't been renovated in ages. The shower floor was not non-slip and didn't have a non-slip mat, forcing me to be extremely cautious throughout my stay. The absence of such basic safety features is unacceptable for a mid-to-high-end brand.
I checked in around 2:30 PM, and the front desk informed me that an Executive Room was not yet available and I would have to wait. They then asked if I would be willing to immediately check into a similar room type on a non-executive floor. The problem is that the front desk seemed unaware that I had specifically booked an Executive Room, and when suggesting a downgrade in floor, there was no compensation offered – no price difference refund, no upgrade in privileges, just an expectation to 'make do.'
After checking out, I realized I had left my phone charger in the room. I called the front desk for help in finding it, but the hotel reported it wasn't found in the room. The hotel claimed they found a forgotten item of clothing but didn't proactively contact me. When I pressed for a reason, the reply was, 'We don't have the guest's phone number' – a statement hard to believe for a star-rated hotel's system not to have a guest's contact details. When I asked them to reconfirm the charger's whereabouts, their exact response was, 'We can send someone to look for it one more time. If it's there, it's there; if not, it's not.' When I stated I would file a complaint, they directly said, 'It's your freedom; complain if you want to.' For a front desk customer service agent to speak to a guest in such a manner is completely against basic service standards.
After complaining to the client manager, I was promised a callback after 9 AM the next day, but it was delayed until 5 PM. The final resolution was a verbal reprimand for the front desk staff and compensation of breakfast and executive lounge access. I proposed two demands: either an apology from the individual involved or a new, more sincere compensation plan. The client manager rejected both, stating that the offer was final, to either accept it or drop the matter. It's worth noting that I had already clearly expressed my disinterest in breakfast and the lounge, even stating their poor quality. For the hotel to offer compensation in things the guest has already explicitly said 'no' to demonstrates both a lack of genuine listening to guest needs and a perfunctory approach to handling complaints.
From hardware maintenance to front desk operations, from handling lost items to complaint follow-ups, issues were exposed at every stage. Marriott consistently emphasizes its 'Spirit to Serve,' but I certainly didn't experience it at this particular location. Whether the charger was taken by hotel staff is unproven, so I can only retain my suspicion, but even setting that aside, based solely on the service attitude and complaint handling, the stay experience at this hotel was far below the brand's expected standards.
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