Though this post doesn't detail beds & dining & such, it's just our little experiences here.
This is the majority of a letter I faxed to RPR & mailed to Loews in NY, regarding our two seperate overnite stays:
6/29 -6/30
Never thought we'd have to write a letter about an unsatisfactory stay at a Loews hotel, but this cannot go without your being made aware of.
Our stay at the Royal Pacific on June 28 began with the slowest check-in clerk of all. Twelve - fifteen guests BEHIND us were processed and long gone when our 30 minute escapade finally ended. We made one simple request of a possible room upgrade and were promptly told no, not available. None of this process involved the clerk trying to accomodate that request. This was simply a pre check-in, as room would not be ready until later (which is fully understandable). We won't even go into the inconsistencies of your "Grade A Kids program". Our daughter has learned that only at Portofino have they seemed to always get it right.
Upon returning later in the afternoon to secure our room, we find that our pool-view reservation (confirmation letter attached) is only a canal-view. While we did come to an agreement on price concession (and concession not even offered until mention of problem below), I must say... it stinks when you have to spend your off-duty time "haggling" about things you're promised and do not receive. (I find this to be a completely unacceptable and deceptive practice on Loews' part.) Keep in mind, we booked thru 1-800-23LOEWS.... not some discount room broker.
To top it all off, there was a square yard area of the carpet, at foot of one bed, that was soaking wet. (Housekeeping had just left, how did they miss this? It "squished" when walked on!) Front desk said we couldn't be moved and would dispatch housekeeping back to the room. Well, so much for unpacking & relaxing! We return to the amusement parks wondering if we're getting moved later, or if perhaps our luggage will be floating down the hall.
When we do return that evening, we find a high-speed blower on full blast with a note for us to contact Maintenance to pick it up. I never knew there was so much responsibility involved to be a Loews guest! (Nevermind the abscence of the requested milk & cookies my daughter has grown so fond of with previous stays at Hard Rock and Portofino! Don't you just hate it when even your kid is disappointed?)
I'm too tired to deal with anymore of this, so I turn it off and coil up the cord to the machine and push it to the corner of the room. (This is the part where I notice our 2 putters and ONE LESS golf ball have been moved. Funny, I made it a point to leave them on the far side of the room from the wet spot. Keep the ball, I'm glad no one liked my cheap, lucky putter.)
Just as we are laying down to sleep, there is a continual noise in the ceiling above us. Every few seconds there is a "scurrying" type sound. Worst case thought... rats; best case thought... a dice game in room above. We just never hear human footsteps though.
Well, grab the note from the blower and call Maintenance afterall. At least we'll have a witness to this irritant. He arrives to pick-up the blower and verifies our problem. Word is passed to a supervisor and he arrives around midnight. And he came quickly too! We're assured a pipe isn't getting ready to burst on our heads, and that it's just Engineering using some drilling type tool to unlock the room above us.
Thankfully, it all finally ended. And, so sad to say, ...thankfully, we had only booked the one night.
(*John was supv.'s name, and he ensured our daughter would receive her milk/cookies when she woke up next morning... and it indeed happened! John should be elevated in Loews' pecking order.)
And mucho accolades to Joyce in Jakes' Bar. She kept us smiling & feeling welcome whenever we needed. And that was a bunch!
Back for more 7/20 - 7/21 (But this time we did use some room broker, HotelKingdom. Better deal & they have never abused us!)
Much more pleasant.... until 6 AM big, barking dog wake-up call (rare morning that we wanted to sleep in). Later, 3 security guards showed up, but no one was home ('cept Marmaduke). DW & DD headed for pool & I headed for putting green. Asked 2 different pool employees where green was located, they didn't know there was one! It was actually kinda funny. They showed me the big map by the towel room, and I showed them how to read a map. Good trade I guess.
The environment at RPR is splendid. Right now though, the experience isn't. Our family just seems destined to NOT sleep whenever we're here.
That afternoon, we did get to enjoy watching British Open play-off with MIB999999 & MsDis over cold beverages at Jakes!! (I didn't tell Loews that though, they may not let us all back there if they knew we had fun)
*As of 8/9 there has not been a response from Loews. Did allow plenty of time, just to give them the benefit of the doubt, so now I have no heartburn posting our little experiences at RPR.
The following didn't make it in the letter, but it's just a bit more FYI:
Another disadvantage to staying here, and I know it's beyond hotels' control (I think), boats leaving RPR to CityWalk have priority on the one-lane waterway.... at nite-time anyway. At parks' closing we boarded a boat with about 25-30 (tired) people and proceeded to the hotel, only to end up floating around the CityWalk lagoon for at least 10 minutes (seemed like more, but 10 is at least accurate!). Now, I know the ride only takes 5 minutes, so.... there wasn't the usual friendly "waves" to the dozen people on the other boat when they finally entered the lagoon. I know, shoulda walked.
Maybe I'm not getting it though. Life in "the Islands" isn't always perfect. You do have to deal with the proverbial "No Plane on Sunday", as J. Buffett would say. "Maybe be one come Monday...."
Gosh, I would truly hate staying at RPR when there's a convention!
Vent over.
Jim
This is the majority of a letter I faxed to RPR & mailed to Loews in NY, regarding our two seperate overnite stays:
6/29 -6/30
Never thought we'd have to write a letter about an unsatisfactory stay at a Loews hotel, but this cannot go without your being made aware of.
Our stay at the Royal Pacific on June 28 began with the slowest check-in clerk of all. Twelve - fifteen guests BEHIND us were processed and long gone when our 30 minute escapade finally ended. We made one simple request of a possible room upgrade and were promptly told no, not available. None of this process involved the clerk trying to accomodate that request. This was simply a pre check-in, as room would not be ready until later (which is fully understandable). We won't even go into the inconsistencies of your "Grade A Kids program". Our daughter has learned that only at Portofino have they seemed to always get it right.
Upon returning later in the afternoon to secure our room, we find that our pool-view reservation (confirmation letter attached) is only a canal-view. While we did come to an agreement on price concession (and concession not even offered until mention of problem below), I must say... it stinks when you have to spend your off-duty time "haggling" about things you're promised and do not receive. (I find this to be a completely unacceptable and deceptive practice on Loews' part.) Keep in mind, we booked thru 1-800-23LOEWS.... not some discount room broker.
To top it all off, there was a square yard area of the carpet, at foot of one bed, that was soaking wet. (Housekeeping had just left, how did they miss this? It "squished" when walked on!) Front desk said we couldn't be moved and would dispatch housekeeping back to the room. Well, so much for unpacking & relaxing! We return to the amusement parks wondering if we're getting moved later, or if perhaps our luggage will be floating down the hall.
When we do return that evening, we find a high-speed blower on full blast with a note for us to contact Maintenance to pick it up. I never knew there was so much responsibility involved to be a Loews guest! (Nevermind the abscence of the requested milk & cookies my daughter has grown so fond of with previous stays at Hard Rock and Portofino! Don't you just hate it when even your kid is disappointed?)
I'm too tired to deal with anymore of this, so I turn it off and coil up the cord to the machine and push it to the corner of the room. (This is the part where I notice our 2 putters and ONE LESS golf ball have been moved. Funny, I made it a point to leave them on the far side of the room from the wet spot. Keep the ball, I'm glad no one liked my cheap, lucky putter.)
Just as we are laying down to sleep, there is a continual noise in the ceiling above us. Every few seconds there is a "scurrying" type sound. Worst case thought... rats; best case thought... a dice game in room above. We just never hear human footsteps though.
Well, grab the note from the blower and call Maintenance afterall. At least we'll have a witness to this irritant. He arrives to pick-up the blower and verifies our problem. Word is passed to a supervisor and he arrives around midnight. And he came quickly too! We're assured a pipe isn't getting ready to burst on our heads, and that it's just Engineering using some drilling type tool to unlock the room above us.
Thankfully, it all finally ended. And, so sad to say, ...thankfully, we had only booked the one night.
(*John was supv.'s name, and he ensured our daughter would receive her milk/cookies when she woke up next morning... and it indeed happened! John should be elevated in Loews' pecking order.)
And mucho accolades to Joyce in Jakes' Bar. She kept us smiling & feeling welcome whenever we needed. And that was a bunch!
Back for more 7/20 - 7/21 (But this time we did use some room broker, HotelKingdom. Better deal & they have never abused us!)
Much more pleasant.... until 6 AM big, barking dog wake-up call (rare morning that we wanted to sleep in). Later, 3 security guards showed up, but no one was home ('cept Marmaduke). DW & DD headed for pool & I headed for putting green. Asked 2 different pool employees where green was located, they didn't know there was one! It was actually kinda funny. They showed me the big map by the towel room, and I showed them how to read a map. Good trade I guess.
The environment at RPR is splendid. Right now though, the experience isn't. Our family just seems destined to NOT sleep whenever we're here.
That afternoon, we did get to enjoy watching British Open play-off with MIB999999 & MsDis over cold beverages at Jakes!! (I didn't tell Loews that though, they may not let us all back there if they knew we had fun)
*As of 8/9 there has not been a response from Loews. Did allow plenty of time, just to give them the benefit of the doubt, so now I have no heartburn posting our little experiences at RPR.
The following didn't make it in the letter, but it's just a bit more FYI:
Another disadvantage to staying here, and I know it's beyond hotels' control (I think), boats leaving RPR to CityWalk have priority on the one-lane waterway.... at nite-time anyway. At parks' closing we boarded a boat with about 25-30 (tired) people and proceeded to the hotel, only to end up floating around the CityWalk lagoon for at least 10 minutes (seemed like more, but 10 is at least accurate!). Now, I know the ride only takes 5 minutes, so.... there wasn't the usual friendly "waves" to the dozen people on the other boat when they finally entered the lagoon. I know, shoulda walked.
Maybe I'm not getting it though. Life in "the Islands" isn't always perfect. You do have to deal with the proverbial "No Plane on Sunday", as J. Buffett would say. "Maybe be one come Monday...."
Gosh, I would truly hate staying at RPR when there's a convention!
Vent over.
Jim
