Watch a Hotel Fix All the Minor Complaints I Can Throw at Them

by Gary Leff

My recent stay at the Hyatt Centric Arlington (former Hyatt Arlington) was a case study in how to slap together a renovation. The bathroom countertops, floor tiles, and much of the wallpaper are the same as before the renovation.

There was little thought that had gone into my room even for those things that were changed, and consistent mis-execution during the stay. Here’s what I criticized:

  • Living room was too dark

  • Only one free outlet plug-in near the desk

  • No trash can in the bathroom

  • Random out-of-place table in the entryway

  • My room didn’t get the standard bottle of water for the hotel’s top floor and suites, and I had to call for it each day.

I stayed here again. The hotel never contacted me after my review, but I have to wonder whether they read it. And I wonder whether they addressed my criticisms only for me, for everyone, or whether I had just gotten the One Very Bad Room last time.

Here’s what they did differently on this stay:

  • Two lamps in the living room, not just one

  • Added a power station at the desk

  • Added a trash can in the bathroom

  • Moved random table from the entryway, so that it’s out of place near the window instead

  • There was water in my room

It’s still a pretty slapped together renovation. The staff, while not always the most competent, are always very friendly. Still, I had to wonder if they were bitter over the issues I blogged about. I discovered in the morning that housekeeping had left the toilet paper in the bathroom empty and body lotion instead of shampoo in the shower.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. My gosh, sounds like a very bad service. Why do you still stay there? It looks like housekeepers don’t even pay attention to what they do and that they don’t even care about their customers.

  2. I see the WorldOfMeh / WorldOfH2O is working very well for the new WizBang Hyatt. Color me not impressed (again)!

  4. The old “Hyatt Arlington” was a straightforward, pleasant enough, functional, hotel for business travelers. My best ever redemption was not for the night before, but the day of the Marine Corps Marathon. My Brother and a bunch of his running friends appreciated a shower at the end of the run, and my diamond status ensured a 10:00 am checkin.

    But trying to transform it into a fashion forward property is a bit like putting lipstick on a pig.

  5. I stayed here a couple of times when it was a regular Hyatt–maybe 2012/2013. It wasn’t bad. At the time, it was much better than the very tired Marriott Key Bridge, which has since been “renovated.”

    Despite this “renovation,” the Marriott Key Bridge remains beyond redemption, though the rates are about half of any Marriott across the Potomac in the District of Columbia. My new go-to is the Marriott Georgetown, which is barely in Georgetown and only a quick walk from the Mayflower on Connecticut Avenue and G.W.U. in Foggy Bottom.

    Anyways, I went for a walk from the Marriott Georgetown and found myself in Rosslyn by the Hyatt. I was hungry and thought I could get a meal, so I walked in the hotel only to find the old lobby restaurant and bar was missing. I guess the hotel no longer has a real restaurant or, if they do, it’s been moved.

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