The Hard Rock Hotel had paper thin walls! Noisy!

[pomcoach]

Now don't bash me! I went to the Hard Rock Hotel for Christmas Eve and Christmas night, expecting the time of my life in the Coolest Hotel on Earth. So did my 2 daughters, College daughter age 24 and Teen daughter, age 16, and my husband age 52.
We checked in early and our room #6062 was ready for us. The room was right next to the elvator and ice machine, but it seemed quiet, and at $229 a night we felt this hotel was probably properly soundproofed, so we shouldn't have a problem. WRONG!
But at 2:30 A.M. I was awakened by "Ding Ding" by the elevator. Then again at 4:30 A.M. and again at 6:30 A.M. and then all the voices started in the hall by the elevator. People weren't talking loud, yet we could hear their whole conversations, every word! Then I could even hear a distant dog barking from the Pet Floor, which was the 5th floor, one floor away. I could tell it was a large dog that had 3 episodes of barking around 8 A.M. Of course by this time, I was up anyway, and the dog really didn't matter, except I didn't feel I should be able to hear things a floor away in a very expensive hotel.
I called down to the desk, and they moved us for the next night, Christmas night. We were moved to #6128 near the end of a long hall. This was much quieter, only in the morning a child, about age 6 began screaming and throwing a fit in the room next door. Then to top it off the mother began yelling, "Shut Up! Shut Up!"
I really think the walls at this hotel are paper thin! I also thought for all the excitement we anticipated about this hotel, the room was quite small and just pretty average. The bathroom was way small and nothing special at all. The girls were pretty let down too.
The public areas in the hotel were cool and we really liked eating at "The Kitchen" restaurant, getting ice cream from the "Marketplace", and shopping at the Hard Rock Store.
The hotel areas were neat, but the rooms are nothing special.
We just weren't as impressed as we thought we'd be. Maybe if we try Portofino next time, the walls will be more sound proofed? Anyone know if the walls are better at Portofino?
We would not stay at Hard Rock again. But we do want the Express pass. That was very nice to have. I know I read how many people absolutely love HRH. We expected to also. It just didn't work out for us.
Pomcoach

 

[eblondie]

paper thin walls...they must have paper thin doors too...from the noises that we heard when walking down the corridor!!!

 

[damo]

I've yet to stay in a well sound proofed hotel. People need to be more respectful of others early and late.

Nobody makes more noise than my snoring husband though!!! I swear he keeps the whole floor awake!!!

 

[D&R love Disney]

As much as I loved the HRH I wasn't impressed with the rooms.

 

[dgaston]

I surprised DH with a stay at HRH in August 2003. Saturday night we kept awake by a hysterical toddler. Security even showed up and *bizarrely* the mom talked to the child through the hallway door telling the child they couldn't act that way! Didn't even occur to me the walls were too thin!

 

[pomcoach]

Hi Damo,
We did stay at 2 other hotels that were totally quiet. We stayed at the Renaissance Orlando Resort, right across the street from Sea World. That place was heaven! So beautiful! We stayed there 7 nts., and our 2 teen daughters had an adjoining room and they yacked all night. And as soon as we'd close their connecting door, we couldn't hear a thing from them or from the hallways.

The other hotel we stayed at, right before our flight out, was the Airport Marriott. We slept until Noon and never heard one sound, not even any airplanes.

So I have to say, if a hotel is built well, it should be quiet. Especially at $229 a night, the Hard Rock Hotel should have been quiet. And I have to agree that the rooms were not much to look at.
The Renaissance had huge rooms and a very large bathroom with 2 sinks and all the amenities. Sorry, but even the Hard Rock toilet tissue was the cheapest I've ever seen! Not even 2-Ply!! Ha Ha
The young man at the Hard Rock, that helped us move away from the Ding Ding of the elevator, said he had just helped the man who's room was across from the elevator, move his things too, because he was complaining also.
Pomcoach

 

[Cookiedrop]

We just rteturned from HRH 1/3/05 and were in room 6063 so I was on the other side of the hallway directly across from the ice room....I know the noise you are mentioning!......

I didn't request a room close to the elevators I was just lucky I guess. The noise in the hallway kept me up constantly. The ice machine was utilized late into the evenings and early morning. I saw people filling up soft sided coolers often in the morning. They used that machine so much it went out of service.

My real problem was the constant rolling sounds I heard over me. It sounded as if a cart were being rolled around. I know the club level was on the 7th floor so perhaps this was a concierge room. I just couldn't figure it out. The noise started in the wee hours of the morning.

I won't even go into the arguments that people have near elevators.....

Seeing as I had just left Animal Kingdom Lodge (5 nights) and never heard a peep in the hallways......I was somewhat disappointed with HRH...

 

[Cass]

Sorry the sounds disturbed you! I can sleep through anything

 

[kaceyisme]

I have to say that is one of my worst nightmares! I must have quiet when I sleep. The Portofino was really quiet both times we stayed there. The first time we were there our room was in the Villa wing overlooking the Beach Pool. They have some great soundproofing because you couldn't hear the people at the pool at all, and we never heard anything from the surrounding rooms. The next time we stayed were were in a Bay View room right right over the boat dock. Same experience - no sounds from outside, or inside. I highly recommend the Portofino for a quiet stay.

 

[pomcoach]

I'm very glad to hear that the Portofino Bay is quieter! I was really hoping we'd still be able to stay on-site next time. Thank you so much for letting me know there is still hope for a quiet hotel on site!
Pomcoach

 

[gschmerl]

The RPR is also more quiet than the HRH. I rarely sleep well when I'm on vacation. I had some GREAT sleep at the RPR last summer. I requested a room WAAAY at the end of the hall and we never heard a sound. The room darkening drapes are great too.

 

[Bushman]

Portofino itself was pretty quiet, until we had the screaming child and barking dog arrive next door the day before we were scheduled to leave. Can't blame the hotel for that, though.

We're looking forward to going back this summer for a few days before we make the trek over to Disney.