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| - I recently visited the Omni William Penn on business. I did not choose or book this hotel as it was booked by my company's corporate travel department. Part of the fun of the job is playing wheel of hotels with work. This would mark my return to the William Penn. The first visit was generally pleasant.
Pittsburgh generally is a tough town to navigate with a car. If you're driving, prepare to go in circles a few times, and always trust instinct, not GPS, as downtown is tight and GPS signals tend to weaken between buildings. I needed to turn down the street in front of the hotel, but it was closed...turns out there was an open ally that I was able to bypass the road closed signs and pull into the Mellon Square Garage directly across the street from the hotel's main entrance.
The garage charges $13/night (July, 2013), it's a terrible garage. Old, beat up, very tight, and the icing on the cake--they double park cars in on almost every aisle. There's only one lone garage employee that has the keys to move them. I would valet, but the last time I valet'd at the hotel they advised it'd be 30-45mins for the car the next morning, which would make me terribly tardy for work.
Check-in was up a set of stairs from the main entrance. Not pleasant when you're walking with a rollerboard in tow. I've yet to meet anyone at the front desk where English is their first language. I've also yet to receive a room as requested prior to my visit via my telephone call.
They swiped my card, advised me of the charges, advised me of the two-tier internet and handed me keys to a room tucked into a far corner on the 8th floor.
Finding the room was a pain. Their signage is terrible and it points in many directions. They almost need a "You Are Here" map, similar to what you'd find in a shopping mall. I found my room and walked in. I was delighted to find that it wasn't pitch black, and was at a generally comfortable temperature.
To some extent the hotel marketing is true when they say they're a perfect blend of accommodations from the past and the present. The rooms are nicely appointed with most of the modern amenities. Power outlets, flat screen TV, wifi all bring it up-to-date.
The bedding was comfortable, and I liked that the air conditioner wasn't restricted and would freeze you out if you wanted.
The bathroom could have used an extra cleaning, especially with the vent ducting that was one giant dustball. I wanted to ask that they clean it, but then didn't want all that dust displaced to create an even bigger problem. The shower's low flow restrictor allowed for terrible water flow.
I was not pleased that the hotel housekeeper had apparently checked me out of my room after night 1 of a two night stay. Thankfully the hotel had rooms, but it was just frustrating having to deal with a room swap at 1am, then there was no make-good, no upgrade, no apology, instead a suggestion that I leave toiletries in the room as a sign I was coming back....here's a sign I'm coming back--a guaranteed reservation for two nights!!! I don't care if it does sit empty, we're still paying for it. Pure, corporate greed, trying to maximize the profit of a room.
Having now visited the Renaissance, Westin, and Fairmont, I would pick either the Renaissance or Fairmont for a return Pittsburgh visit, and additionally would steer our corp business to those properties.
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