Archive for the ‘Hotels Not to Stay In’ Category

“All Suite” isn’t what it used to be

Friday, December 12th, 2008

I booked a suite at the “All Suite” Tuscany Inn and Suites in Las Vegas for my husbands 50th birthday. When we arrived it looked like a very nice hotel, when we pulled up in front of the hotel they were washing the drive so we parked the car and walked in , the men that were cleaning continued to spray down the drive and in the process sprayed us down. When we got to the desk there was no one else waiting yet the staff had to finish talking and joking with each other before we could check in. When we finished checking in the young lady handed us a map with a square circled in red and said here is your building. When we visited there was construction going on at several of their buildings with construction equipment all over the place. After driving around the lot for 15 minutes we finally found our building. We parked our car and hauled our bags across the lot to the door. After five minutes of trying to open the door it finally opened. We got into the elevator and as the doors closed we thought the painted and carved graffiti on the doors was a nice touch along with all the torn corners of baggies on the floor. I looked at my husband’s face and was totaly embarrassed as this was supposed to be a very nice hotel based on Tuscany’s and Expedia’s web site. When we got to our room it was again another five minute battle with the key card to get the door open. Finally we are in the room and it smells like moth balls and is very dingy, everything is really old and its not a suite its a room with a bed and a couch with a 19 inch tv on a table by the window.I opened the drapes to see the wall of another building. I looked at the bed which looked like it just had the spead just thrown on it. I pulled it back and you could tell that the bed and been slept in and just remade the pillows even had indentations from the last people on them. The bathroom was supposed to have an oversized soaking tub but it was just a regular bathtub that was even smaller than the one we have at home, and it was dirty including bonus hairs from that last quests. The shower stall was the same but had the nice touch of mold and mildew every where. I called the front desk to inform them that I didn’t think our room had been cleaned and was informed that it had in fact been cleaned. I also explained that our room was supposed to have an over-sized soaking tub I was informed that is what we have. I asked to be moved to a diffent room and was told there were none available. I looked at my husband and said this is unacceptable.We went to the desk to check out and they were very rude,they didnt ask what the problem was they just threw our paperwork at us. When we got home there was a $13.00 charge on our credit card bill. When I called the hotel to ask what this was for they said “for their inconvenience”. Thankfully I called Expedia and they moved us to a real suite at the MGM which was wonderfull, except that the door to the mini-bar was hanging off. I called the desk and it was fixed in ten minutes.

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-Anna

Don’t Stay in Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

This hotel had to shell out several million dollars after one couple sued them on allegations that they had been infested with bugs from their five-night stay. The couple claimed to have awoken to bug bites all over them! After returning home, they discovered that the nasty insects had stowed away in their luggage and were now infesting their own home. They said that there were several pieces of furniture that had to be thrown away due to the incident. All of this for no less than the equivalent of 500$ per night! The hotel admitted eventually to having known to have some infestation in the headboards of a few of their guest rooms. An incident has not since occurred, but still…

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Don’t go to the Westin Europa & Regina, Venice

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

Westin Europa & Regina, Venice: The 6th floor smelled like a sewer, the carpet was torn and filthy, the room needed painting. When I complained to Tauck World Discovery and Westin I received a perfunctory reply that did not address the problem, it is my opinion that no one [cares].

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Don’t Go There - The Breakers in Palm Beach Florida

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

This gentleman got snubbed at the Breakers…well he is kind of scruffy looking….not sure I’d want him around my classy hotel either. Oh, and he works for us. My wife thought this place sounded great.

A bad experience with the breakers? Not what their promotional video portrays:

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Don’t Go to The Dragon Inn - Peoria, Illinois

Wednesday, November 5th, 2008

Trying to get to Miami man…..let’s pull into the Dragon Inn and get a little shut-eye…or a communicable disease!

Don’t Go There - Blood Stained Hotel Rooms

Wednesday, November 5th, 2008

Blood stains on the floor…outside Hartford, CT…

Peter is Heading Out On A Book Tour!

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

Peter’s new book, Don’t Go There: The Travel Detective’s Essential Guide to the Must-Miss Places of the World, goes on sale in stores on Nov. 11, 2008.

To promote his latest book, Peter is heading out on a book tour around the country. Find out if he’ll be speaking and signing copies in your city

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SpringHill Suites Downtown/Riverview: Charleston, SC

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

Bad from the start, empty Marriott Marketplace Store refrigerator. in the lobby due to a holiday three days prior - the staff managed to “find” a case of bottled water in the back somewhere, but admitted no one thought to run to the store around the corner to restock.  The wacky staff didn’t know what was what:  Broken TV remote in room, horrid front desk manager, arguing that we should be fine with NO HOT WATER from 7 to 11 am during our stay - lying about why this happened and how long it would take before hot water would be restored, kept calling and telling us only 20 minutes, and then snarkly telling us - well, “I’m not a maintenance person.  “Zero” customer service here from this pathetic manager. We missed a tour because we could not shower.  Poor assistants tried to smooth things over but this hack manager steamrolled over them.  The assistant said many complained, but we actually asked when we’d have hot water and questioned how sanitary kitchen conditions could be if the entire hotel had no hot water for five hours - during breakfast rush.  Yuck!  The maids also congregated in the narrow hallway in front of our room to gossip and make personal cell phone calls for over 20 minutes.  We fled this icy bath water, lack-o-service shack,  and got much better service down the road at a Holiday Inn Express!  This after being over- charged for our room and having to deal with it twice after we got home from trip.  Marriott needs to bury their head in shame for ever hiring this mediocre general manager hack.  Close the doors - Don’t go there.  This place is a joke!

Written by:  Cee - Manchester, NH

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Peter Greenberg’s Book Tour

Monday, November 3rd, 2008


Peter Greenberg talking about his upcoming book tour.  Find out if he’ll be speaking and signing copies in your city.

Don’t Go There - Tampa, FL Hyatt

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Smelled like a swamp…welcome to sunny Florida!