Tipping the Butler

[sail7seas]

[B]Of course, these are only my opinions/my personal observations.

We found there is currently a very bad attitude throughout the whole property. Pleasing/satisfying customers is not a priority.

The pool area which used to be very beautiful, has now been redone to include much concrete which can be used to set up outside events for conventions and meetings. It used to be a very floral pretty area and now is way less so.

Prices for lunch at the outside pool bar/cafe are ridiculous. DH and I are used to high prices at resort hotels but this was high on a new level. Hyatt Pier 66 never was the caliber of a Four Seasons or Ritz but is charging higher than those fine hotels.

Breakfast for two in the 'coffee shop' is $50 with an 18% tip added to the check......for a buffet? We always leave a buffet wait person something but we never tip 18% when all they do is bring us coffee and we help ourselves . Attitude there was something to behold. Guests were spoken to rudely. In some instances, they made people feel they were doing them a giant favor to seat them.

They have people waiting in the lobby for hours waiting to check into their rooms. Check out is 12 noon. It appears to me they do not have a large enough housekeeping staff to get the rooms cleaned and new guests into them. People were still waiting at 5 P.M. to get their rooms. The front desk offered no apologies. In fact, they were arrogant and haughty and really had no interest that some senior person had been traveling for many hours and was exhausted.

To make it even worse, the lobby restaurant (casual) now closes at about 1:00 so people couldn't even go in there for a sandwich and relax and make their wait a little more pleasant. But that is part of my complaint with the new management at Pier 66...comfort and consideration for the guest are not priorities.

We tried three times to work with the front desk to make future reservations.....because of dates we thought we would be in FLL, we expected if we waited until later to book we might have trouble getting a room. We wanted the peace of mind knowing we had a reservation and could decide when we got home if we would go to that hotel or another. It took three tries before we could get anyone to make an effort to make this booking for us????!!!

The room prices are considerably higher than in the past but that's not my main issue with them.

I was told (don't know if it is true) that the group who purchased these hotels are investors and not hoteliers. They will put some money into the properties and sell 'em fast. Pleasing their guests doesn't matter to them. All that matters is the improvements they will make and how much profit they can make when they sell.



[/B]

[bookworm0911]

Thanks. I can see why you would reconsider staying there again. There's too many nice resort hotels in Ft. Lauderdale.

[gizmo]

$50.00 + 18 % tip for breakfast in the coffee shop ! :eek:

[sail7seas]

:eek: We agree, Gizmo. :cool:
That is rather steep for an 'average quality' buffet breakfast. The buffet is basically fine but they have not changed their offering in over 10+ years. It is definitely adequate but so ridicuously overpriced that it is absurd.

[twinkletoes4445]

sail7seas...

$50 for a breakfast buffet is crazy. We've paid that, but it was a spread that was unbelieveable. And to add on an 18% tip on to top of that...is not something I'd like to see happen. I'm with you...I tip, but not 18% on a buffet.

We've not stayed at Pier 66...so from what I am reading, all hotels along that area are owned by a group of investors? It sounds like we'd probably not be happy even for just a couple of nights.

I don't blame you for being less than happy. Thanks for sharing this with us. I keep a file with all this information for future travel reference.

[ekerr19]

[quote name='sail7seas']:eek: We agree, Gizmo. :cool:
That is rather steep for an 'average quality' buffet breakfast. The buffet is basically fine but they have not changed their offering in over 10+ years. It is definitely adequate but so ridicuously overpriced that it is absurd.[/quote]

We thought it was overpriced when it was $22 per person, but there is no way I'd pay $25 each. Especially, since I don't eat a huge breakfast - just coffee and a bagel or cereal - and there was no way around the $22 per person charge; with our two kids it was over $100 for breakfast.

I have to agree about the service, we weren't impressed our last stay either, but thought maybe it was an "off" day or something - just getting the hostess to seat us seemed like it was overly hard work for the staff.

Also, I had to pay $25 to send a two page fax - ridiculous.