Canada Halifax Marriott Harbourside

[klam]

For a business stay Nov 25-30, 2007

I'd read to request a room on the non-pub side, as it can get quite noisy over the pub. When I checked in, the agent was very kindly informed me that I could be farther away but on the pub side in a newly renovated room or be on the non-pub side in an yet-to-be renovated room. I really appreciated this as she could have just put me in a room of my request, not informing me that it wasn't a renovated floor. She showed me a map of where my room was relative to the pub below. It didn't look that far but I heard no noise from the pub at all. She mentioned not all the floors had been renovated yet, so be sure to ask the status of your room upon check-in.

My room was very spacious, and overlooked the indoor pool and the harbour just beyond the boardwalk. The washroom had ample counterspace, the "crescent shower rod" mitigated "attack of the shower curtain" episodes, and I appreciated the Bath & Body Works toiletries.

The fitness centre, while small, is well-equipped and brand new looking. I was able to use it on every day of my stay and most times I was there alone, or there were 2 other guest max. Therefore, there were lots of machines available. Each cardio (Elliptical, treadmill, etc.) had it's own tv screen on the machine, and a large screen tv displays from the back wall. A basket in the entry alcove held headsets for the individual tvscreens (I saved mine and brought it down to use each day), towels and an appreciated bowl of fruit. Disposable bacterial wipes are hygenically and conveniently on hand to wipe down machines after use.

This is hotel is conveniently located for walking downtown, good restaurants (Bish, de Maurizio). If you're there during inclement weather, you can use the indoor pedestrian tunnel all the way to Barrington Street (or even the Metro Centre if you've an event to catch).

As you can probably tell, I would definitely stay at this hotel again. However, there is one thing that bugged me enough that if I didn't get a great rate for this hotel, I'd probably stay somewhere else. Parking for this hotel is $19/day. Considering it's Halifax, that's pretty steep but I was fine with paying it since I knew about the cost in advance. So it wasn't the parking cost that bugged me but rather the parking attendant.

The parking lot is underground and allows the general public to park there as well (obviously since they may be going to the restaurant or attending meetings in the hotel conference rooms, etc.). When you check in you are asked if if you have a car. I was given a sign to hang from my rearview mirror when parked underground.

When I first arrived at the hotel on Sunday afternoon, the young lady at the parking attendant booth was great. She asked if it was a rental car, and when I automatically said yes, she just raised the gate for me. I didn't realize at the time she meant a rental car from their hotel but it didn't make a difference since I would still have to pay on my way out.

There was another parking attendant that would invariably work the shift after I'd left the office. He would turn off the machine that allows you to take a parking ticket which of course raises the gate for entry. The next day after work, it was very windy, really cold and pouring rain. When I pulled up to the gate, he asked if I was a hotel guest and I replied yes. He asked to see my room key. I told him it was in the trunk of the car and I did not want to get out in the terrible weather and I showed him the rearview mirror sign I was given the day before, and asked if he could raise the gate. He said that wasn't good enough if I wanted to park I had to show him my room key. After 2 iterations, I was getting soaked from the open car window anyway so I got out of the car, went to the trunk, routed thru my materials and found the room key. I complied but I was p*ssed!

The next evening same thing. But I decided I wasn't going to let him push me around. So I said I was not a guest, would he turn on the machine so I could get a ticket from it (and of course the gate would raise). We just had a standoff, with me repeating my request over and over in a calm manner, "I would like to get a parking ticket; can you pls turn on the machine?" He finally turned it on. We would repeat this every day he was working. I felt like this man had so little power in his life he was exerting whatever he could on everyone else he could bully.

On one day when another attendant was on, I just flashed my rearview mirror sign as I approached the parking booth, and he just opened the gate. Anyhoo, having a standoff with a parking attendant every day after a long hard day of work, is not a fun way to return to your hotel. I was very surprised at this since all the other staff including front desk and cleaning staff were always friendly. I would hope for $19/day for parking, the hotel/parking company could afford to give all the parking attendants some customer service training!

On the last day, I used Express Checkout as I had to leave for the airport very early. As instructed on the Express Checkout document, I called the number to let them know I was using that service. I was asked if I had a car. I replied yes, and I was told to bring my room key and give it to the parking attendant and that would take care of everything. I had planned to leave the room key in the room but thought, "Great, an easy system." So after hauling all my luggage to the car, I drive up to the parking booth to find that it is locked and the parking gate is wide open. There was no slot for me to leave my room key. So I had to drive around to the front of the hotel, make my way to the front desk and then leave my room key there. I commented to the front desk personnel and she said matter of factly, "Oh, there's never a parking attendant on before 7 am" Boy, had I know earlier...LOL!

[Randi66]

We paid 55.00 for Sunday July 13th-08 and 107 for Monday and Tuesday. We did have a rental car but parked at a relatives house for 2 of the nights. We had a minor altercation( like the above poster) with the parking attendent on the last night we did park( we had an early flight out so we decided to park our last night at the hotel).

The room was very spacious with wonderful ammenities. The room at hi speed internet, a large flat panel LG tv, upgrading bedding and bath and body toilietries. The hotel puts out large bowls of fruit every day( often 2 or 3 kinds).

We had the breakfast buffet and while it was good, it wasnt worth the 16.95 price. The hotel was in a great location within walking distance to almost everything. The staff was helpful and knowledgable.

Totally worth the price paid.