Elan Hotel: A Faded Memory of Luxury
I recently revisited the Elan Hotel, a place I vividly remembered from the early 2000s. Back then, around 2005, it was a brand-new, luxurious experience. I stayed there multiple times (3-5 visits) and was always impressed by the complimentary breakfast, free parking, and the exceptionally attentive staff, including the front desk who would even park your car for you.
This recent stay, however, felt distinctly average. While the staff were still nice and friendly, the five-star service I remembered was missing. And to add to the disappointment, they no longer offer breakfast, which was a real perk in the past. The biggest shock was the $36-a-night paid parking, which felt excessive, especially since I booked two rooms for three nights. Given my past experiences, I expected a courtesy parking offer. The parking garage itself was a nightmare - incredibly narrow, leading to a dent in my luxury car's driver's door because of how close cars were parked. Another major inconvenience was having to call the front desk every single time to enter the garage. You have to stop your car, call them, and then wait for them to open it. It's baffling why they don't have some kind of sensor, CCTV, or a more efficient system for guest entry. The cleaning crew this time around was quiet, almost to the point of being unresponsive, sounding tired even when I tried to say good morning.
Compounding the discomfort, the air conditioner in the room was consistently warm and uncomfortable. Even set to its lowest at 67 degrees, it just wasn't cool enough. On our last night, around 10:30-11 PM, we called the front desk, and while she rebooted it, it only got slightly better. For a newly constructed and renovated room, having an uncomfortable AC for three nights is pretty disappointing.
I appreciate that the hotel informed me about ongoing construction, and I proceeded with my booking despite it. However, the parking garage was cluttered with construction materials, making the already tight space even more challenging. It makes you wonder why the manager isn't ensuring the garage is clean and organized for guest safety and to better accommodate parking, especially with the ongoing construction. A cleaner parking area would have allowed for more careful parking and potentially avoided the damage to my car.
The room remodels are indeed nice, and the rooms themselves look good. However, the overall experience was marred by the decline in service, the inconvenient parking situation, the lack of amenities like breakfast, the uncomfortable air conditioning, and the cumbersome garage entry system. They even missed cleaning my room one night despite me following their instructions. Would I return? It's a tough call. While not a terrible stay, it's a definite three-star experience now, far from the luxurious memory I held. read more