First, the hotel is undergoing a renovation. It will, I am sure, be much better post-renovation than now. However, the experience during the renovation is very bad, and there are some larger problems with the hotel.
The room was not just dated but shabby. Stains everywhere, including the marble countertops; rusty/mildewed corners in the shower; dust on the surfaces. Room was huge, which was nice, but the layout meant there was no natural light in the suite section (and the overhead light was very dim). This was fine, as the couch sagged and the tv was tiny, so we spent almost no time there. Very few plugs. A clock that didn't keep time. Out-of-order elevator. Broken/missing vending machines and ice machines. Huge shower with tiny shower-head. Etc.
The beds were lumpy and the sheets were scratchy. Oddly, I still wished there were more, because the room was freezing (and there was no duvet, only a small waffle blanket between two sheets, and no extras in the closet). You had to set it to 80 to get any heat going at all. This was important as there weren't any bathrobes, so you had to rely on wearing extra pjs not to freeze at night.
The renovation itself was very disruptive. It ran 8-5.30 every weekday and Saturday. Yes, it started at 8 am on a Saturday, waking up my family. Banging and sawing and drilling and all sorts.
The room service was very poor (something that won't necessarily be helped by the renovation). I ordered a rare steak. They sent a medium-well and a butter knife to cut it. (Not kidding.) I ordered for two people. They sent one water glass. Sides came without the requested sauces. Beer delivered in a non-screwcap bottle without an opener. (Had to open with said butter knife.) Genuinely a disaster, and an expensive one at over $100 for the dinner; to be fair, this included starters, mains, and a drink. I can recommend the salads, which were good, as was the beer selection and the wings.
The good news: the new restaurant is lovely, which gives hope for the future. Service was charming if slow; food was quite good. The hotel has most things you'd need; in fact, you really never need to leave if you're there for a conference. Plenty of parking. And the front desk was very kind. The towels are good, even though the sheets are awful.
But that was really it. I have rarely had a less happy stay: the whole thing was just straight-up depressing.
My husband turned to me at the end of the stay and said "this has been the motel of hotels." I love a hotel, and I'm usually very kind about accidents and incidents, but he's absolutely right. Not everything is the Ritz, nor does it need to be, but I'd far prefer to stay in a Holiday Inn Express than the current incarnation of the Galt, especially at the very high price point (with tax, over $200 a night for a shabby and uncomfortable stay).
