Okay, I'm more critical because I'm a Marriott snob (titanium elite) and don't get me wrong, I…read morethink the modern design elements are a nice touch to this refitted holiday inn, but some of the finishing touches in the rooms show a lot of deferred maintenance which is in direct contravention to the luxury aesthetic that it's trying to portray.
Hotel room: the rooms are a nice standard size. I was in a standard king; nice amenities that you would like to see such as a nice desk and chair, an additional plush sitting chair, a very comfortable mattress with appropriate linens, and a fridge and microwave. However, the cleanliness! I was disappointed to check in closer to 6 PM to find a bunch of bugs hoarding in multiple lampshades and a wall and an additional different bug was on the curtains. The bugs were sleeping, not dead, and you could tell that they had lived there and multiplied there for a while. Which that can only mean that the rooms have not been cleaned and periodically checked in between stays. That is not a housekeeping issue that's a general manager issue. Years ago, I worked for a four diamond star hotel, and they were relentless about periodically cleaning empty rooms. The general manager would literally walk each floor with the housekeeping and front desk managers and inspect every single guest room, every quarter. I notified the front desk and right away they sent a member of housekeeping staff to tidy up. Unfortunately, she only had Windex to clean and kill the bugs. So that unpreparedness is another indication that the hotel manager is completely oblivious to the Pest problem. Never put your staff in a position like that --that is a huge red flag. In the bathroom, there was hookless linen shower curtain with tattered grommets clearly needing replacement. After showering I could see that the glass mirror paneling was peeling off likely due to the humidity, which would be an easy fix with the appropriate commercial grade adhesive. There is also a lot of chipping around the silver plated faucet base which looks horrible and brings the entire aesthetic down. It really should just be scratched/ peeled off entirely so that the actual faucet can look more consistent. Perhaps most disappointing was that one of the hotel towels I reached for had tan colored stains, clearly indicating that the towel had not been thoroughly cleaned. Also, a few of the towels seemed to be different shades of white and cream, which indicates either a cleaning solution issue or an inventory supplier issue. All of these things are truly easy fixes that make a huge difference when you have a general manager who maintains the brand through regular quality audits.
Bar: really neat bar and grill with great craft cocktails; really nice feature cocktail menu specifically for the women's tournament series. I really appreciate it them going the extra mile. The bar area was sleek and clean. However, it was extremely warm almost like the AC and intentionally been turned off.
Poker room: I enjoyed my time in the Poker room the entire staff from the front desk to the cage were extremely welcoming and inviting! I received a really nice cocktail and food voucher since my birthday was falling on the same day as my first night stay. Really excellent way to make a first impression! I enjoyed one of the special event cocktails as well as the Houston restaurant weeks special four course dinner. Really, really well executed ! There were only two downsides to the Poker room in my opinion: (1) lack of communication and clarity around the tournament events and the particular rules. I overheard some ladies complaining about that piece and I just really think that more details could have been added to the online event details web page to make clear to everyone how the events operated. (2) The tables as well as the food trays were so jampacked together that there was little room to walk in and out. Very uncomfortable. I should not have to hug the table to avoid being unintentionally, pushed, hit, and tripped over. I observed it happening at many tables multiple times and it happened to me. Not an upscale experience at all.
Anyway, I'm really glad that I experienced playing Poker with so many enthusiastic women. Generally, I think with improvement, this place can recruit more many members and charge more and be even more profitable. Maybe things I've mentioned don't really matter to men who generally dominate the venue, but I think as a hotel operation you should want to kick it up a notch at every opportunity.
