As someone who has worked in &built businesses in the hospitality industry, I understand very well what it takes to operate a successful hotel. Because of that, I do not write negative reviews lightly. Unfortunately, our recent stay was very disappointing.
We booked one night to celebrate my birthday. Our room was only ready after 4 p.m., and we actually entered closer to 5 p.m. The next morning also happened to be the time change, so when we woke up it was already 10 a.m., with checkout at 11. I politely called the front desk to ask if we could stay until 12 noon, explaining that it was my birthday and that we had arrived late the day before.
The response was extremely rigid. I was told that even staying an extra 30 minutes would result in a $50 charge. For a $400 one-night stay, the lack of any flexibility or consideration felt very disappointing, especially given the circumstances.
What made this even more frustrating was that after we checked out exactly at 11, I informed a housekeeper in the hallway that we had left the room. She kindly told me not to worry and mentioned they likely would not even clean the room for another couple of hours. That moment made it clear that a simple one-hour courtesy extension could easily have been accommodated.
This is not only about policy, but about humanity and hospitality. Sometimes special occasions deserve a small exception. Unfortunately, none was considered.
I do want to acknowledge Josh at check-in, who was friendly &professional