etail
Episodic Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 7, 1999
- Messages
- 317
We just got back from a week at the Swan.
We used the teachers discount for a lake view for 159 and we are also starwood members.
The hotel was packed with conferences and with early spring breakers.
We arrived at 11 a.m. and were told our room was not ready. We gave them a credit card swipe and went to the parks. When we returned after Epcot Tapestry of Dreams it took the front desk a looong time and many keyboard clicks to find us a room. They ended up putting us in 212 on the east side. The view was bad, but the real problem was the location on a service hallway where the conference services offices are (dark, extra fire door, and looking like you made a wrong turn), the missing arm chair and the terrible beds. The next day they switched us to 511 which was a vast improvement. They promised to leave a message about any room change, but I had to go to the desk to find out, and then re-pack quickly because they wanted to turn 212 around.
Unfortunately on the second last night we got new neighbors who talked and laughed till 2 a.m. despite four calls to the fron desk. The next morning we smelled cigarette smoke. When I called the front desk they offered to spray our room but said they could do nothing about people smoking on a non-smoking floor.
I decided to visit the front desk and try to ensure a good last night. They offered to move me down a floor but could not promise smoke free (sounded like room roulette and not worth another room change). Gaylord (the desk clerk) told me that the FL state law did not allow hotels to enforce smoking rules, only noise rules. And that new guests were informed after the room was assigned that it was a non smoking room. He did offer to do more than spray the room and offered to shampoo the room instead which seemed to help.
I was disappointed in the quality of the rooms and beds they had us in and the inability to resolve problems over the phone. I ended up at the front desk four times during the stay to either resolve problems or try to get an update.
My problems all seem to be with the front desk. The concierges did great as did the bell staff. It seemed that the hotel had just over booked and could not provide the quality of service they traditionally provide.
We will not return to the Swan and I'll write Starwoods as well.
We used the teachers discount for a lake view for 159 and we are also starwood members.
The hotel was packed with conferences and with early spring breakers.
We arrived at 11 a.m. and were told our room was not ready. We gave them a credit card swipe and went to the parks. When we returned after Epcot Tapestry of Dreams it took the front desk a looong time and many keyboard clicks to find us a room. They ended up putting us in 212 on the east side. The view was bad, but the real problem was the location on a service hallway where the conference services offices are (dark, extra fire door, and looking like you made a wrong turn), the missing arm chair and the terrible beds. The next day they switched us to 511 which was a vast improvement. They promised to leave a message about any room change, but I had to go to the desk to find out, and then re-pack quickly because they wanted to turn 212 around.
Unfortunately on the second last night we got new neighbors who talked and laughed till 2 a.m. despite four calls to the fron desk. The next morning we smelled cigarette smoke. When I called the front desk they offered to spray our room but said they could do nothing about people smoking on a non-smoking floor.
I decided to visit the front desk and try to ensure a good last night. They offered to move me down a floor but could not promise smoke free (sounded like room roulette and not worth another room change). Gaylord (the desk clerk) told me that the FL state law did not allow hotels to enforce smoking rules, only noise rules. And that new guests were informed after the room was assigned that it was a non smoking room. He did offer to do more than spray the room and offered to shampoo the room instead which seemed to help.
I was disappointed in the quality of the rooms and beds they had us in and the inability to resolve problems over the phone. I ended up at the front desk four times during the stay to either resolve problems or try to get an update.
My problems all seem to be with the front desk. The concierges did great as did the bell staff. It seemed that the hotel had just over booked and could not provide the quality of service they traditionally provide.
We will not return to the Swan and I'll write Starwoods as well.
I hope your next trip out is more enjoyable. 
" Disney hotel...a regular poster here, I think it was Blondie, had a problem with smokers in a non-smoking building at the Poly, and that resort also said there was nothing they could do. If memory serves, they moved her from Tokelau to the building nearer the GCH, and although she was happy enough with her new room, the original room was nicer. Noisy, inconsiderate people stay at Disney owned hotels too
. It seems the biggest problem is with the Florida law and the inability of ANY hotel to enforce anti-smoking room designations.
