I am a guest at the hotel, and unfortunately, the service I experienced in the café and poolside…read morearea on August 21 was extremely disappointing.
After helping our daughter move for school, we returned to the hotel exhausted. We had already had an early dinner, so we decided to have a drink and order a light appetizer and dessert poolside. The bar was crowded, and although three different servers came through the pool area, not one stopped at our table to ask whether we needed menus or anything else. We eventually had to flag someone down ourselves.
Unfortunately, that interaction seemed to set the tone for the remainder of the evening. The staff we encountered were consistently unwelcoming and inattentive. It gave the impression that they were simply there to complete their shift rather than provide the level of hospitality guests should reasonably expect.
The atmosphere was also frustrating. A toddler was repeatedly screaming at the top of her lungs while a musician was performing, and the child's father made no apparent effort to address the situation. While that is not necessarily the hotel's responsibility, the combination of the disruptive environment and poor service made for a particularly unpleasant experience.
The situation became even more frustrating when we accidentally left my arm brace on the table as we hurried to finish our nightcap and leave. Within approximately five minutes of realizing it was missing, my husband returned to retrieve it. Since it had been left on the table moments earlier, we expected that the server or another staff member would be able to locate it easily. Instead, he was sent from the bar to the kitchen and then to the front desk. After approximately 15 minutes, he returned without the item.
That experience reinforced the impression I had already formed earlier in the day: there appears to be very little communication or coordination among the staff. No one seemed to take ownership of a simple guest-service issue or make an effort to resolve it efficiently.
When guests are paying nearly $600 for two nights in a small town such as Nacogdoches, particularly at a property marketed as one of the best accommodations in the area, there is an expectation of professional, attentive hospitality. Guests should feel welcomed, recognized, and valued.
Unfortunately, I did not experience that during my stay. The attitude of the waitress who ultimately served us was particularly disappointing and significantly affected the overall experience. Her demeanor was not appropriate for someone working in a customer-service position, much less one at a property presenting itself as a higher-end accommodation.
I strongly recommend that management take a closer look at staff training, communication, accountability, and expectations surrounding guest service. Tipping is part of the hospitality industry, and guests should not have to repeatedly seek out employees for basic service.
Based on this experience, I will not be staying here again. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and uses it as an opportunity to improve the guest experience for future visitors.
