This visit did not make fans of us.
This was our second visit to this property. We were in Alexandria this time for a funeral, and the location is convenient to family and friends.
First, the good. All staff we encountered were courteous and helpful. Care was taken in designing the rooms for guests’ comfort.
The not-so-good. Unfortunately we’d changed into bed clothes before noticing that there were just four standard size pillows for our king-sized bed. Elsewhere we’ve been given king sized pillows or at least six standard pillows. In the bathroom, there was conditioner, bath soap and body lotion but no shampoo, as would be expected.
The bad. The hotel charges $28 per DAY for SELF-parking. I paid slightly less than this recently elsewhere, for on-demand valet parking. I simply picked up the phone and my car would be waiting at the front. I fail to see $28 of value in what this property provides, and if you are traveling with someone who has mobility challenges—as my spouse has—you’re in for another unpleasant surprise, as half of the automatic doors between the distant parking structure and the hotel are not functioning.
Further, despite the lack of a discount, it appeared that our floor was in need of repairs and refurbishments. There was a foul odor, like stagnant water or sewage, in the hallway. Wallpaper was peeling and the ceiling showed signs of water damage.
Finally, the morning of our departure we waited twenty minutes for an elevator. One elevator appeared to be working, but it was full each time it stopped at our (16th) floor. While we were waiting, a family walked down from the 20th floor, baggage in tow, to see if they’d have better luck. We finally pressed the up button and got on a less crowded elevator and were at last able to descend.
Needless to say, we’ll be booking elsewhere next time we’re in the area.
