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| - This review's not gonna be totally negative, but I've gotta hit the "bad stuff" first, for those with short attention spans:
ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR NON-REFUNDABLE PET DEPOSIT!
You've been warned.
I'm sure there are other hotels that charge pet deposits, but in my limited travels, this is the FIRST time I've been charged a pet deposit of any sort, UP-FRONT at that. Max, my big, lovable 90 lb Black Lab had just been groomed the week before, is constantly on heartworm/flea/tick/mosquito prevention, current on all shots. I was in town to see my friends' band open up for Kansas, at the Vegas Biker Fest. Rooms were at a premium this weekend; combine that with being just plain tired after the 350-mile drive from San Diego, & I resigned myself to bite the bullet, pay the deposit, & check in.
I booked this room via Hotwire, who mysteriously handed me off to Hotels.com, so to be fair, booking was through a third (or would that be FOURTH?) party. HOWEVER, if Residence is gonna secure business via a third party, that doesn't excuse either party from FULL DISCLOSURE. If a pet deposit was mentioned at all, NOT mentioned very prominently. I'll admit to not checking back at the website, but it doesn't matter. If you've ever used an ATM away from your home bank's network, ATM provider is required to advise you of the transaction fee you'll incur, BEFORE you can proceed (you have to accept to continue). NO such mechanism in place for my transaction; there SHOULD be.
I consider charging a non-refundable pet deposit, without proper advisement, to be DECEPTIVE. I had no idea I'd be charged until I was at the front desk, checking in.
Then, my key wouldn't operate the entry gate; I couldn't drive in. At first, I thought they'd given me a defective card. After talking to a lady who'd been there since AUGUST, I realized everyone was having the same problem, the hotel had obviously been aware of this for a long time, & chose to do nothing. Small detail, right? Well, just be the head of a traffic jam, the center of attention, people thinking you don't know how to use your card, and it won't seem as small.
But at least the smartass behind me had to eat his words when his card wouldn't work either; the dude who was SURE I "wasn't using enough authority" with my card. (Yeah buddy, I don't have strength to handle a 1/2-ounce key card; please show me how it's done...)
I didn't expect the type of building I lodged in. Most Residence Inns I've seen are high-rises, with concrete slabs for each floor. This place was a group of 2-story, multi-unit buildings. I don't have a problem with that, but they were obviously wood-frame construction. Why does this matter? Well, if you have a downstairs room, you hear EVERY footstep of your upstairs neighbors, every time a faucet goes on, or toilet flushed.
Before I sound like I can't be pleased, let's get to the good points; there are several:
Residence Inn's located in or near Downtown Las Vegas, depending on who you talk to . There's a monorail station right across the street; I wish I'd had time to make a round-trip on it, just to see the sights. This was my 1st trip to Vegas, even though I grew up in Cali; the only other monorail I've ever seen was at Disneyland. Monorail makes sense for Public Transportation, for several reasons.
Room has full kitchen; I mean FULL. Full-size fridge, w/ icemaker, m'wave, elec range w/ oven, sink, garbage disposal, & all the pots, pans, knives, utensils, silverware you need to cook. Knives were cheap (I had to buy a decent Chef's knife at Albertson's), but understandable; I'd do the same thing if I owned a hotel. Knives develop "legs", just like towels!
They'll even do your shopping, for no add'l charge beyond cost of groceries (but PLEASE TIP).
"Free" WiFi, but if you want SECURE WiFi, $5 more. If I'd brought my laptop, I can use my phone as secure hotspot, so I don't need it myself.
Free breakfast, tho layout of buffet area seemed sorts haphazard. And weird things; all the condiments you expect to make breakfast tacos...except...TORTILLAS. But everything was really good.
Bed was comfy, grounds very attractive. Staff, very attentive & friendly.
Appropriately named, Residence Inn; you could LIVE here for an extended stay (oops, that would be a competitor).
But I gotta come back to that damn NON-REFUNDABLE PET DEPOSIT.
DEAL BREAKER!
I know if I'd invested 5 min of my time I could've easily found a place just as nice with no pet deposit. That said, with OR without Max in tow, if it's a Marriott or Marriott-branded hotel (Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Courtyard, etc), I will avoid them unless I have no alternative. And there's ALWAYS an alternative.
NOW, the "pet deposit question" will be part of my standard routine, & if I book through a hotel app, I'll call the location DIRECTLY, assure there are no surprises when I get there.
Get rid of that deposit, and yes, I WILL stay at a Marriott brand again. Until then, NO WAY JOSÉ!
larrythediner
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