Sacramento, California / Homewood Suites by Hilton Sacramento (SMF) Airport-Natomas

September 2016, Weekday, 1-night, King Studio #309

I stayed in this Homewood Suites in 2012, when it was brand new. The guestroom I had this stay was pretty much the same as the one I had last time.

Arrival and check-in

When I arrived, the front desk agent offered me bottled water. I received another bottle of water and Milano cookies in the guestroom.

View from living room window; HIX pool visible

Stockton, California / Hilton

September 2016, Weekday, 1-night, King executive guestroom 544

Arrival and check-in experience

I had reserved a king guestroom at this Hilton. When I viewed online check-in, I saw that my room had been upgraded to an executive room before my arrival. I thought about checking in online and using the Hilton digital key; however, the Hilton check-in site had changed somewhat, and I did not figure out how to view the entire floor plan until after I had arrived at the hotel. When I had looked at it that morning, the only portion of the building that was visible was the corner where the guestroom that was pre-assigned to me is located. I could not tell if this was a top floor guestroom, or where it was located. Later, I realized the entire floors can be viewed as follows: hoover over the diagram, and then click "choose your room" when it shows. You can then view the entire floor and change floors to view all of the floors.

When I arrived, the front desk agent made my keys for the guestroom that had been pre-assigned to me. I did not understand why my keys were not ready, because I observed 10 or more prepared packets on the front desk for guests checking in that day. She did not recognize my Diamond status, and I did not receive a bag with two water bottles, like I observed other guests receiving later that evening.

View of courtyard from elevator foyer; guestrooms on north and south sides

Guestroom 544

This guestroom is on the top floor at the end of the hall. It is located in the worst possible area of the hotel; on the side of the building facing traffic, rather than the courtyard or canal. Usually, hotel staff members assign top-tier guests guestrooms in prime locations (not just Hilton; Marriott, and other chains, too). I do not recall ever being assigned a guestroom in a location like this before, and I wish I had realized the hotel layout and guestroom location details before unpacking. If I had been staying more than one night, I would have returned to the front desk, and requested a different guestroom.

The guestroom was spacious. The bathroom and a closet were located near the entrance. The bathroom contained the usual Hilton bath amenities and good quality towels. The shower head was very low. I am only 5' 2" tall, and I had to crouch to get my head under the spray. The closet contained an iron, ironing board, summer robe, hangers, and a safe.

Sacramento, California - SMF Airport / Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sacramento Airport Natomas

April 2016, Weekday, 1-night, 2-Queen beds guestroom 313

I have previously stayed in two SMF airport hotels: Fairfield Inn & Suites, not located near this hotel, and Homewood Suites, which is located next to this Holiday Inn Express. I chose Holiday Inn Express this time because they offered 24-hour shuttle service, and they had the best rate.

Sunset from guestroom over Homewood Suites - where I stayed in 2012

Arrival and status perks

I do not expect to receive a guestroom upgrade every time I stay in a hotel, and that is not the factor the most affects my satisfaction. I did not receive an upgraded guestroom during this stay, and my experience at this hotel was better than it had been at the other hotels I have stayed in in this area. 

Sign where I waited for the shuttle

Sacramento, California / Embassy Suites by Hilton Sacramento Riverfront Promenade

April 2016, Weekend/weekday, 3 nights, 2 double beds - guestroom #712

View from guestroom 712

Arrival and status perks

I arrived at the Embassy Suites from the airport after dark (around 10:00 p.m.) on a Sunday evening. My updated Garmin GPS could not find the hotel address when I entered it; however, after I did a search for the hotel name, it came up--with the exact same address I had been inputting! Go figure.

My key packet had not been prepared, and the front desk agent did not tell me what kind of guestroom she was assigning me. I inquired about the guestroom and floor, and she said she was assigning me a double bed suite on the 5th floor. I asked if this hotel has a Hilton Honors floor, or if a guestroom was available on the top floor. She reassigned me a room on the 7th floor (this hotel has 8 floors), although she did not answer my question about a Hilton Honors floor. When I asked about a different guestroom type, she curtly said, "That's the room type you reserved." Wow! She did not even offer me the option to pay for an upgrade. I would have reserved a king bed guestroom to begin with, if the cost had not been ridiculously high for my 3-night stay. It was almost $200 a night for a room with two double beds, and $28 more for a king guestroom.

I received the 500 bonus points in my profile for my on-property Gold perk; however, I did not receive two bottles of water. I should have asked for them the next morning, as the employee working in the early mornings was more accommodating than the employee who assisted me at check-in.

Los Angeles Airport, California - LAX / Crowne Plaza

June 2013, Weekday, 1-night, King guestroom #1420

Status perks and check-in

The front desk agent at this Crowne Plaza, said that the club floor rooms were all reserved, so he coded my key for access to the club floor lounge, and I also received a coupon good for a complimentary house brand beverage at the lobby bar or at the Java Net Cafe.

Guestroom 

I arrived before check-in time, and guestroom 1530, which had initially been set aside for me, was not ready yet. The agent then assigned me guestroom 1420. Both guestrooms are located in the same area; just on different floors. Guestroom 1420 is the first guestroom around the corner after exiting the elevator. There is not a guestroom on the South side of this room. 

The guestroom had been recently renovated, and it was tastefully decorated. The bathroom was on the left after entering. It contained a long vanity with bathing amenities, and a hairdryer in a bag. There was a tub/shower combination with a shower curtain on a curved rod.

A closet with mirrored doors was located outside the bathroom. It contained an iron and ironing board. There was not a safe in this guestroom, like there had been in the nearby Marriott when I stayed there a few days earlier.

The guestroom contained a suitcase bench, king size bed, night stands with an alarm clock, flatscreen TV, single-serve coffee maker with supplies, large desk and armoire combination with drawers and slide out work area, desk chair, soft chair and footstool, and an end table that slides under the chair for working. There were plenty of outlets and lamps. The guestroom was well lit. 

The bed and desk area were both comfortable, although the soft chair with the footstool was not. It looked comfy, and I do like to sit in a soft chair with the slide in end table for a comfort change; however, the chair was quite stiff and hard.

This guestroom does not face the airport. Even so, I heard quite a bit of airplane noise from the guestroom. I did not hear any noise from the hallway or from other guestrooms. 

Food & Beverage

I had a late lunch in the restaurant after I checked in. I wanted to try the Sushi Bar; however, it did not open until evening.

I had the salmon sandwich and tossed salad in the restaurant, which I would not recommend. The food items tasted fresh with good flavor; however, the salmon was overcooked, and the service was terrible. It took me over an hour to have lunch, and there were less than five tables with guests at the time of my visit. I observed two servers, a busperson, and a bartender working during my meal. 

Club floor lounge

Food in the lounge in the evening included salsa type dip with chips, a couple of fresh vegetables with dip, and a hot food item, which I do not recall. I thought the food offerings were average to low--the quality and the choices. Beer and wine was included; I thought the wine quality was also poor quality. It was the same house brand wine that was served in the lounge. Coffee, tea, and bottled water were also available. I left before breakfast in the morning, so I do not know what was available in the morning. The service in the lounge was excellent.

Business center

This hotel does not have a business center, and there was not a computer or a printer in the club lounge. Documents could be printed at the Java Cafe for a fee. The last time I stayed at this hotel, I was able to print documents from a printer in a business center type room on the banquet room floor. This room was no longer open.

Airport shuttle and misc.

I was told that the airport shuttle runs continually 24-hours a day, every 15 to 20 minutes. The shuttle takes guests from two hotels, and it is first come, first serve, so I went to the lobby as soon as I was ready in the morning. I must have just missed the shuttle bus because I waited almost 20 minutes. The shuttle bus stops at the other hotel first, so my ride to the airport was very quick after the bus returned. It took me less than 5 minutes to get to the Delta area, since that was one of the first stops.

I arrived at the airport earlier than I needed to. LAX is a big airport, and it had been a few years since I had flown out of LAX. I did not recall how long it took me before, and I did not want to miss my plane home! The Delta ticket counter did not open until after 4:00 a.m., and the security line next to the Delta counter did not open until around 4:15 a.m. A TSA pre-check lane, and a Sky Priority lane, were located to the right of the regular security line.

This hotel is just down the road from the Marriott where I had stayed and picked up my rental car. After I unloaded my belongings at the Crowne Plaza, I returned the rental car to the Marriott and walked back. There is an exit behind this hotel, so I did not need to drive back out into the traffic on Century Blvd.

Hacienda Heights, California / Courtyard by Marriott

June 2013, Weekday, 2-nights, King guestroom #244 and #223

Status perks and check-in

I did not receive any additional perks other than the standard platinum on-site amenity. This hotel has several corner suites; the agent at check-in did not tell me if they were all reserved, and I did not ask.

Guestrooms

balcony 244

I stayed in two different guestrooms for my 2-night stay at this hotel, because the guests in the guestroom next to room 244 were smoking in this non-smoking hotel. When I got something from the gift shop the next morning, I asked about this, and the agent asked if I wanted to be moved. The two guestrooms are both king rooms, and they are similar. 

door diagram room 244

The guestrooms at this hotel are laid out in a horseshoe shape, and the center portion has three floors. The two end hallways have only two floors of guestrooms. Guestroom 244 is located in the center portion of rooms, so there is a floor above this guestroom. Even so, I did not hear any noise overheard. Guestroom 244 has a connecting room door (the reason I could smell the smoke), and a courtyard view.  

The courtyard view was nice, and the balcony was large enough for two chairs. All of the courtyard photos here were taken from guestroom 244. I did not use the balcony or sleep with the door open, because there were also a couple of ashtrays in the courtyard area. This is something I have not seen at a Marriott property since the chain became totally non-smoking. I was surprised to see this because I was told at a full service Marriott once, that guests are not supposed to smoke outside on the balconies either.

Guestroom 223 is located in one of the end wings, so it is located on the top floor. This guestroom overlooks the parking lot, and the balcony is not as large. This guestroom does not have a connecting room door. I think both guestrooms were the same size, although the second guestroom looked larger because it did not have the connecting room door. There was more room to walk through between the bed and the armoire because the furniture location was closer to the outside wall, since the arrangement did not need to allow room for the connecting door.

The guestroom photos here are all from guestroom 244, although there was not really much difference between the two guestrooms. Both guestrooms contained a sofa, coffee table, desk and chair, king size bed, nightstands, lamps, flatscreen TV on an armoire, single-serve coffee maker with supplies, and a small fridge. A full length mirror was on the wall across from the bathroom area, and there was a closet with an iron and ironing board across from the vanity.

The bathroom contained a tub/shower combination with a shower curtain on a curved rod, and the vanity was located outside of the bathing area.

One difference between the two guestrooms was the HVAC unit. The unit in the first guestroom--#244--was quite loud. The unit did have an on/off control, and there is a screen on the balcony door, so it could be turned off. The HVAC unit in guestroom 223 ran smoothly with much less noise.

The beds and bedding in both guestrooms was comfortable.

Food & Beverage

Asian chicken salad

I tried two food items in the evening--Thai sweet chili wings and Asian chicken salad. Both food items were very good, and the salad was excellent! The service was also excellent both evenings.

In the morning, I had the Breakfast BLT, which was also pretty good. The service in the morning was quite a disappointment compared to the service I received in the evenings though. There were guests patiently waiting in the dining area for the Bistro to open in the morning. I was waiting too, because I had stopped there after the fitness center, thinking that it opened at 6:00 a.m., and the Bistro did not open until 6:30. At 6:30, the employee behind the counter was texting on her phone, and she had not taken the "Open hours" sign down. A minute or two after 6:30, I decided to walk to the counter to ask if she was open yet. She said, "We open a 6:30," and then took my order. After this, she took the open/closed sign down, and at least five more customers appeared behind me.

Fitness center

The fitness center contained four cardio machines with cardio theater, as well as hand weights, a flatscreen TV, water cooler, and sani-wipes. It was open 24 hours, and the temperature was comfortable.

Business center

A couple of computers and printers were located in the lobby. Everything was in good working order, and I liked that I was able to two-side print my documents.

Overall
I liked the location of this hotel, and it was comfortable. The main disappointment for me, was that the no-smoking policy was not enforced. From a couple of comments that I heard, I got the impression that the guest next to me was a long term guest who had been there a while, and that employees were ignoring the fact that he was smoking in his room.

For those of you who may be thinking that I just went to the front desk and turned in the smoker, the conversation went something like this:

Me (after I had gotten a beverage from the gift shop, and given the agent my room number to charge it to): So, do you enforce your non-smoking policy--charge the guest and deep clean the room afterward?
Agent: Yes.
Me: Good.
Agent: Are you smelling smoke?
Me: Yes, in my room. I don't really know if it is coming through the vents, or what.
Agent (looks at computer): Let me see if I can move you to another room. 

I agreed to the room change, even though it was no longer a courtyard view, and I am glad I did. By the time I got back to my hallway, I could smell smoke as soon as I turned the corner; it was smokey outside the room by this time too.

I do not know how room reassignments work behind the scenes, but when I was changing rooms, a guest walked in on me. He had been reassigned to my old room. I don't understand how this happened, because it seems like the room should have been logged for cleaning, instead of available. I had to go to the front desk to get my bill corrected at checkout because when I transferred to the second room, the AAA rate I had booked did not transfer. The charge was $20 more for the second night.

There are several restaurants near this hotel. I tried Thai Specialty II, which looked a lot better online than what it was. I was disappointed with my to-go order, and I did not notice until after I had returned to the hotel that I did not receive the soup, which is listed on the menu.

Sacramento, California / Fairfield Inn & Suites Sacramento Airport Natomas

August 2012, One-night, Weekday, King suite #318

Status perks

As a Platinum member, the agent at check-in asked if I wanted bonus points or an item from the gift shop. I did not initially receive an upgraded room, or even my preferred guestroom type. I was assigned a guestroom with two double beds, which I did not realize until after I arrived at the room. I then returned to the front desk to ask if a king room was available. My profile preferences are for a king room on a high floor; however, I had booked the least expensive room type at the last minute. I had checked out of the nearby Homewood Suites with the hopes of catching an early flight home. That did not work out, and I had a room reserved at this hotel, just in case.

view from entrance hall

Guestroom #318

This king suite is located next to the elevator, and the head of the bed was against the same wall. I was worried that the elevator noise might be bothersome; however, I did not hear any noise from the elevator or from the hallway at any time during my stay.

dry bar

There was a short hallway into the guestroom where the dry bar items were located: microwave, mini-fridge, and single serve coffee maker with dry condiments. The spacious bathroom was also located off this hall, next to the entrance door. The heavy bathroom door would not stay open. Fortunately, there was a footpad on the door, so I could prop it open. This may have also helped block out any hallway noise, since the door opened across the front of the entrance door.

The living room area included a couch, soft chair, desk and chair, end and coffee tables, lamps, a flatscreen TV, and plenty of storage cupboards. There was an ethernet cord and telephone on the desk. A second telephone was on a nightstand in the bedroom.

The bedroom area contained a second flatsceen TV in a stand with more storage,  a suitcase bench, nightstands with lamps and an alarm clock, a closet, and king size bed. There were plenty of outlets in the living room; however, there were not any visible outlets in the bedroom. There was one available outlet behind the nightstand, although it was not easy to reach.

The guestroom was clean, and the bedding and amenities were satisfactory.

Food & Beverage

I checked out of this hotel before breakfast was setup in the morning. In the dining area, I observed fresh apples in a bowl,  and the locked beverage and sandwich cooler had been unlocked, although there were not any breakfast sandwiches out yet at 4 AM. Since I live in the eastern time zone, 4 AM is not really that early for me.

I had returned my rental car when I tried to catch a flight home the day before, so my evening dining choices were limited. I saw three choices within walking distance: a truck stop type restaurant across the expressway on/off road, Burger King, and Black Bear Diner. Employees at the hotel had told me that the Black Bear Diner was fantastic. It was acceptable, although I would not classify it as fantastic or even good. I guess it depends what you like. I think if I had ordered a burger, I would have liked the food better. I should have followed my instincts and ordered a burger after seeing the many burger choices on the menu. Other than the plethora of burger choices, this restaurant was just like Cracker Barrel (not a restaurant I would normally choose to dine in), right down to the corn muffins, and the "pay at the register on your way out" setup. I do think that this restaurant was probably the best choice of the three located near this hotel.

Fitness center
The fitness center contained a couple of cardio machines, and a working TV on the wall. It overlooked the outside pool. The room smelled kind of musty, and it was extremely hot. I observed an air freshener on the drinking fountain in the fitness center. Another drinking fountain was located in the hallway outside the fitness center.

Business center
Two computers and a printer were located on a counter in the lobby across from the front desk. I observed tape and paper clips in the area, although other business supplies were not provided. I used a stapler and scissors at the front desk.

Shuttle

I had to wait until 3 AM the morning of my departure to find out if I would be able to get on the first flight out of SMF for no charge (the flight I had booked was not until afternoon). Before I went to bed the night before, I told the front desk agent that I might want to get on the first airport shuttle at 4 AM, and that I would not know until morning. I asked if this would be a problem, and I was told no. It almost did turn out to be a problem, and there were other guests that did encounter a problem trying to get on this shuttle.

After I confirmed that I could get on the early flight that morning, I called the front desk, and asked to get on the 4 AM shuttle. I went to the lobby 10 to 15 minutes early so I could print my boarding pass (and, because when I called, the employee had said that the shuttle leaves right on time!). Since the business center is located in the lobby, I overheard other guests trying to get on the same shuttle. One guest came to the lobby, and another one called. I heard the employee tell both guests that the shuttle was full, and that the next one did not leave until 4:30. The guest in the lobby hung around just in case. After we were all on the bus (8 of us and our luggage), they squeezed the guest waiting in the lobby on board too. During this time, the employees kept saying that the shuttle holds nine, and that it was full.

It was a good thing that the airport was not too far away, because the bus barely held nine. We were packed in that bus, and all of the guests were of average size; we did not have any oversized passengers on board.

Sacramento, California / Homewood Suites Sacramento Airport Natomas

August 2012, Weekday, 3-nights, King studio #329

Status perks

I received the bonus points I have chosen for my on-property benefit. 

kitchen view from couch

Guestroom

The guestroom was a standard Homewood Suites studio suite on the top floor. I had originally been assigned a studio suite on the second floor overlooking the courtyard. My profile preferences are for a high floor room away from the elevator. Since top floor rooms tend to be quieter, I inquired if a top floor room was available at check-in. The agent said he could reassign me to this room, but that it was on the expressway side of the building.

view from entrance

I happily accepted the top floor room. The courtyard view is nicer; however, when a hotel is full (as this one was), guests often congregate in the courtyard after the evening social, and traffic noise does not usually bother me.

view from couch--bathroom on right

The kitchen area of the guestroom contained a sink and dishwasher with supplies, full size fridge, microwave, stovetop, dishes in the cupboard, coffeepot with supplies, and a table with two chairs. Microwave popcorn was not provided, as it usually is. When I asked about this at the front desk later, I was told that the hotel was out of popcorn, and that I could choose an item from the gift shop.

view from bed

A full size sofa, desk and chair, and flatscreen TV on an armoire, were located between the kitchen area and the king size bed. Two nightstands, lamps, an alarm clock, and a telephone were located next to the bed. The two large windows had screens in them, and they could be opened.

The bathroom shower area contained the toilet, and a tub with shower. The bathroom vanity, and a large closet with glass doors, were both located outside this area.

outside bathroom area

The bed was comfortable, and it was quiet in the guestroom. The lighting was good, and there were plenty of outlets available. There was an ethernet cord and second telephone provided on the desk.

My guestroom was not cleaned after my first stayover night. It is possible this had something to do with the guestroom change I had made at check-in. I had to call the front desk after arriving in my guestroom because I could not access the Internet with this guestroom number, so it appeared as though they did not change their records correctly after the room reassignment. I inquired about housekeeping when I went to the front desk to get coffee for the second morning, and the agent said he would take care of it. My guestroom was cleaned the next day.

Food & Beverage
Complimentary freshments each evening included: fresh salad, soda, beer, and wine. I did not notice what kind of beer was available, although I did observe Coke brand cans with ice for the soda option.

The salad was fresh, and the topping ingredients were slightly varied each night. I thought the salad offering was good. Hot food items were also served each evening. Chicken was served the first night, meatball subs the next evening, and chili with fries the last night. The hot food containers looked scarce as the evening progressed. Items were well stocked when the evening social began; however, when I went to the lodge room a couple of times more than an hour after the evening social had started, I observed empty or nearly empty serving dishes. I did not stick around to see if or when these were refilled.

Breakfast in the morning consisted of: scrambled eggs, potatoes, breads, cereals, cut/canned fruit, fresh bananas, milk, juices, coffee, and tea.

Fitness center
The fitness center contained three cardio machines with cardio theater. One of the treadmills did not work the first day, and all of the machines had been turned off the second day that I tried to use them. The employee at the front desk that morning was able to get both treadmills working, although he could not get the stair stepper to work. He commented that this happens infrequently enough for him to forget how each machine operates. The posted sign on the fitness center said that it did not open until 6 AM; however, there was already one guest using the room when I arrived at 5:30 the first morning. Another guest also arrived before 6 AM that day. The fitness center is not close to any guestrooms.

Pool and outside area
This hotel has an outside pool, hot tub, basketball hoop, grills, and plenty of spacious sitting areas. I was only outside in the courtyard once to do some work on my laptop. The Internet connection was good in the courtyard, and the table seating was comfortable. Although I did not use any of the other amenities, everything looked clean and well maintained.

Misc.
This hotel is a newer hotel in an area that was still being built up at the time of my stay. It offered easy access to the expressway and main roads without a lot of traffic. There is a Holiday Inn Express and a Hampton Inn next door, and a couple restaurants within walking distance. Most of the restaurants were chain type restaurants (Sizzler, iHop, KFC, Panda Express…), although there was also one unique restaurant [Malabar] where I dined one day. I had the Mahi Mahi from the lunch menu, which was excellent.

The hotel has an airport shuttle, although I did not use it.

Fresno, California / FAT airport -- Holiday Inn

Platinum perks

At check-in, I received a coupon good for my choice of: a beverage in the lounge, 1,000 points, or breakfast. When I inquired about what kind of room I was receiving, I was told I had an executive room upgrade. I told the agent that I had reserved an executive room, and she said that I was actually receiving a poolside suite.  Since the interior pool area at this hotel is similar to a Holidome, I was concerned about the noise in a poolside room and said I'd rather have a suite or executive room away from the pool area. The agent assigned me a suite in the far corner on the second floor.

Guestroom 262

Suite #262 was very roomy; however, it was not very conducive for working. It contained a table with two extremely dirty/stained and uncomfortable chairs, a couch--which wasn't much more comfortable than the chairs, and an armoire with TV.

There was no desk, chair, or Internet connection plug in the room. Wireless Internet was available, although the connection speed was quite slow.

Visalia, California -- Marriott

Status perks

I did not initially receive an upgrade to the concierge floor; however, when I asked at check-in, the agent checked and was able to provide a room upgrade. My preference, which is on my profile, is for a king bed room. The agent said the only room available on the concierge floor was a room with two beds, and I accepted it. I received complimentary Internet access since I had Gold status at the time of this stay.

Room

The room was at the end of the hall, which I liked. It was comfortable and well soundproofed. I slept extremely well both nights. There was a ledge half the length of one wall about 3-1/2' high, and 2' deep. I don't know if all the rooms had this, or if this room had it because the room was at the end of the hall. I really liked the ledge. It held my suitcase at a good height and made it easily accessible. There was also a luggage rack in the closet. There was a similar ledge in front of the window. It would have been a great window seat except that it was too high. The chair at the desk was comfortable. The coffee and ice bucket were set up on a counter outside the bathroom. Bottled water was not provided in the room. It was available in the concierge lounge, although it was not stocked at the time of my check-in. It had been refilled when I visited the lounge that evening.
 

Food & Beverage

I had a chicken cobb salad one evening, which was excellent. The chicken was perfectly grilled and cut in strips. The salad ingredients were fresh, and the portion size was generous--it was more than double what I needed. I called in the order for pickup, and the salesperson had asked if I wanted bread with the salad. I replied that I did not want any unless it was whole grain. I was impressed with the whole grain rolls I received. They were warm, fresh, and clearly whole grain. I met a colleague in the lounge for drinks one night, and was disappointed with the champagne available. The only champagne split on the menu was J. Roget for $8! I thought this was outrageous since that is an inexpensive and low quality brand. In fact, I was surprised that the Marriott would have such a low quality beverage available with no other choice.

Concierge lounge
I was happy that bottled water was readily available in the lounge (other than when I first arrived). The food items offered the first night of my stay were disappointing. The hot food item was macaroni with small bits of ham. A few vegetables and plain crackers were also available. Dessert, which looked like chocolate mousse pie, was set out later in the evening. I did not try the dessert because it did not look appetizing. The choices the second evening looked better; however, I did not have anything to eat in the lounge the second evening. There were small steak pieces for the hot food item, and cheese was also served with crackers that evening. I was surprised that breakfast both mornings was not any better than what I had received at the HIX the morning before this stay. Scrambled eggs and bacon were available one morning, and deluxe scrambled eggs and sausage the second morning. The deluxe scrambled eggs had green pepper and cheese mixed in. The food items were warm and acceptable, although I did not think any of the hot items tasted fresh or like high quality. There were a few fruits available both mornings--cut and whole--and limited bread choices. Oatmeal, cold cereal, milk, juices, coffee, and tea were available as well.

Fitness center
The fitness center was a fairly large room with several cardio machines and weights. There was one working TV with a remote in the room and cardio theater on each machine. The temperature was cool. Water, chilled towels, headphones, and sani-wipes were provided. I was happy with the condition and availability of everything in the fitness center.

Overall & misc.
The doorman/valet was great! He greeted and held the door for all arriving and departing guests. The front desk agent at check-in was also personable and accommodating. I did not initially receive an upgrade to the concierge floor; however, she was more than happy to provide this after I asked. I received an extremely discounted room rate--less than $100!--with a promotion I had found online. I don't know if that had anything to do with the room upgrade. This hotel is located near the hospital, so I heard ambulance sirens several times, although it was never for a very long period of time, and did not wake me up in the evening. There are several restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.

Delano, California -- Holiday Inn Express

Status perks

I received a goody bag with a bottle of water and a couple snacks at check-in. I did not receive a room upgrade, and I did not ask if one was available. My main concern the day I checked in was to get some rest, and there were only two cars in the parking lot, so I did not think noise would be an issue. Since the agent had acknowledged my status, I thought maybe she had already given me an upgrade and just did not mention it.

Room

I received a regular king bed room, which is what I had reserved. The room was a good size with a small fridge and microwave. There was a couch, suitcase bench, and desk with chair in the sitting area, and a chair and footstool in the sleeping area. There was one older style TV on the dresser, which was also visible from the couch. When I looked at the hotel diagram on the door, I was surprised to see that there were several rooms even larger than the one I had been given. The couch and bed were comfortable. The one thing I did not like about the bed was the pillows. I have never liked the cheap Holiday Inn Express pillows, and this hotel was no exception. The desk chair had not been cleaned, and it was very hard. It was uncomfortable to work on my laptop. The Internet connection speed was lousy. I did not hear any noise from the hallway, which was surprising because room 207 is right next to the elevator. This room is also above the front desk area, which turned out to be a downfall. There was no view because the lobby entrance roofing blocked the window. I was also awaken twice during the night by a loud TV and/or music. At first, I thought it was coming from another guestroom, and was confused about where it could be coming from. I later realized the noise was coming from the breakfast room TV, and the music I heard was playing through the speakers at the front desk/entrance. When the front desk agent asked about my stay at check-out (I had to go to the front desk because I did not receive a bill under the door, like I usually do), I mentioned the lobby music noise, and he offered a sincere apology. He said that he would make sure the music got turned down in the evening.

Food & Beverage

Hot breakfast items included scrambled eggs and sausage patties. Cinnamon rolls, cold cereal, white breads, milk, and juices were also available. I did not think the breakfast choices were as good as I have received at other HIX's. 

Fitness center

The fitness center room was very large. It contained a working TV and only a couple cardio machines. There were not any weights. The door was open when I visited in the morning, and I left the door open. It appeared that the door was propped open so that it would not get stuffy in the room.

Overall

Other than the loud music from the lobby, I did not experience any other disruptions. The bed was comfortable, and I did not hear any noise from the hall.  Fortunately, I did not have a lot of work to do during this stay so the Internet speed and working desk comfort did not hinder my plans too much. This hotel is located next to Highway 99, and if you need to stay in this area--as I did--I did not see a better hotel option. There were many hotel choices in Bakersfield about 1/2 hour south of Delano; however, since I was only staying one night, I opted to stay in Delano. I would stay at this hotel again, if my travel plans brought me to the area again.

Los Angeles, California / LAX airport hotel -- Crowne Plaza

April 2010, 1-night

Platinum perks

I sent an email to the hotel before my arrival because I had an odd situation. I was arriving in the afternoon and leaving for an overnight flight before midnight. I received a reply and an upgrade to the Club floor before I arrived. I also received a free beverage coupon good at the dining room, lounge, or Starbucks coffee shop when I checked in.

Guestroom

This is an older building, and the room was an average size. It contained a desk and chair, chair and footstool. The bedding, bed sheets, and pillows, had all been updated and were supremely comfortable. I was comfortable for four hours before my flight, and the noise from airplanes and the hall was minimal. There was a non-working/empty mini-bar in my room. I'm not sure if they were removing or adding this. Internet service was $10.95 for 24-hours, and a lesser cost for a half day or two-hour period was available. I was not staying for very long and discovered I could connect for no charge to another service at the pool area and in the Club lounge, so I just used that service. The one thing I did not like about the room is that it had a connecting door to the room next door. I usually ask for a different room in this situation; however, since I had arrived early and was not staying all night, I did not say anything.

Food & Beverage

In the hotel lounge, I was able to use my "house wine" or "domestic beer" coupon for something of greater value and pay the difference. I appreciate when hotels let me do this. The service in the lounge was great. The Club lounge offered house wine and domestic beer for no charge. There was one hot food item and chips and veggies.

Business Center

There is a sign on the business center door about payment for 1/2 day and full day use. I did not understand if the sign meant that payment was expected before entering the room, or if it was for special services. My key let me in, and another guest was browsing the Internet at one of the computers. I was able to print a document--until the printer ran out of paper that is, and there was no paper in the room. You would think if payment is required to use any of the services, your key would not let you in...? I have stayed in hotels where I needed a special key from the front desk to access the business center, or where payment has been required to print documents. I did not understand how the business center was supposed to function, and there were not any business services in the Club lounge.

Overall

This hotel met my needs since I needed a place to spend some time before my evening flight, and I was able to get a great Entertainment card rate of only $64. It is close to the Avis lot, so I was able to return my car and walk back to the hotel. There are sidewalks the entire way, and the walk is less than a mile, although the Renaissance and Embassy Suites are both a little closer than the Crowne Plaza.

Gardena, California (southern Los Angeles) -- Restaurant El Rocoto

I happened upon this restaurant by accident on my way to the airport. The food was so excellent, I wanted to share it. It is located south of the airport on 91, just east of I-405.

It's a small looking place in a shopping strip. It looked a little iffy, and I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. The sign on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant said "seafood," so I decided to check it out. I arrived before noon, and the area did not look busy. The restuarant was indeed small when I entered; however, the food smell in the air was good, so I decided to stay.

I ordered the Picante Maris (#31), which is a seafood dish in a creamy tomato sauce. It was excellent! It contained squid, octopus, shrimp, mussels, calamari, scallops, and a crawfish on top! The crawfish surprised me because I did not recall reading that on the menu. The quality of the food was excellent, as well as the flavor.

This restaurant quickly became crowded and guests were waiting for tables before the end of my visit. Apparently I was not the only one who enjoyed the flavors. I received lousy service--my server did not ask if I needed anything else when she served my entree, she never checked back with me, and she did not process my check. The host eventually brought me my check and processed the payment when she noticed I was finished. I hope that my service experience was not the norm.

I would visit this restaurant again because of the excellent food quality and flavor. Here is the link to their website: El Rocoto

Anaheim/Fullerton, California -- Holiday Inn & Suites

Status Perks
I was upgraded to a one-bedroom suite, I received a breakfast coupon for both mornings, and I received a scratch off card with various prizes--bonus points, free beverage, free snacks in the gift shop, free appetizer, etc. I won a free beverage.

Room
I received a wonderful corner room on the top floor! There was a couch, chair, coffee table, desk and chair, end table and flat screen TV in the living room. I loved the walk in shower with glass doors in the huge bathroom with wood floor. There was no tub in the bathroom, which is not something I use at hotels, so this did not bother me. The Jacuzzi tub in the bedroom was large enough for more than two people, and the exterior bedroom wall was windows the length of the wall. I loved that there was room in front of the closet to set up the ironing board, and that there was a plug inside the closet for the iron--this was great thinking! There was a single cup coffee brewer, microwave, fridge, and second flat screen TV in the bedroom. The bed was comfortable, and I did not hear any hall or room noise during my stay.

Food & Beverage
The food in the restaurant and lounge was good quality and flavorful. I liked that the hotel posted the lounge and dining room daily specials on the table at the elevator each morning, so I would know what was on special that evening before I decided what to have for lunch each day. There were not enough staff members working during breakfast hours my first morning. One employee was attending to all guests and could not keep up. I took one of the last clean tables when I arrived, and I observed guests after me looking for clean tables. A man seated near me left before his food arrived. I observed him as he looked around before this, retrieved a to-go cup for his coffee, and then departed. Shortly after this, the employee came out from the kitchen with his meal. I did not receive a menu or my water after the initial greet, and then when my meal arrived, it was not correct. The employee graciously offered to have it corrected, and I told her it was fine. Fortunately, it was close to what I had ordered and very good! I went to the restaurant a half hour earlier the second morning, and it was not as busy. I received exactly what I ordered, and the service was excellent.

Business CenterI had no trouble viewing and printing documents in the business center. I was happy with the machines provided, although I wish there had been a stapler in the business center.

Fitness Center
I was disappointed that the fitness center was only open from 6 am - 9 pm. On the first morning, my key did not work before 6am; however, it worked the second morning when I arrived a few minutes before 6:00. In fact, it looked like someone had already been in the fitness center because the TVs and a fan on one of the cardio machines were on. It is located in the outside pool area on the second floor, and the only way to get to it is by walking outside. Fortunately, it was not raining during my stay; however, it had rained heavily the day of my arrival. It was dark in the morning when I used the fitness center, and the first light was burned out, making the walk in the dark somewhat scary for me.

Staff/service/misc.
I was extremely happy with the attitude and helpfulness of all the employees at this hotel! I was especially impressed with the Housekeeping service. They even left my towels that I had left on the towel rack for me to re-use, and this almost never happens. Even though I often follow hotel instructions for participating in Green Programs, staff members usually still replace everything.

Overall
When I originally made my reservation at this hotel, I made it for three nights. Then I read several guest complaints about the paper thin walls. Since Hilton had made me an offer to regain my Gold status by staying with them nine nights before the end of June, I decided to stay at this hotel for only two nights, then move to a Hilton property closer to the airport. After I checked into this hotel, I was so happy with my room, I changed my reservation back to the three nights, and canceled the Hampton Inn.

San Diego, California -- Marriott

April 2010, Sunday night, 1-night, King concierge guestroom

Status perks and check-in

At check-in, I was recognized as a Gold member and thanked for being a loyal customer. I had reserved a basic room, and I was upgraded to a room on the 24^th Concierge floor with a balcony overlooking the bay. I received free valet parking, and Concierge lounge access.

Guestroom

The room was a decent size with a small fridge, safe, couch, chair, coffee table, and desk with chair. The bed and pillows were supremely comfortable—the sheets were so smooth, they must have been 1,000-thread count! The coffee in the one-cup coffee maker was excellent. Internet service cost $14.95 a day, so I just checked email in the Concierge lounge since I was only here one night. I was told that starting on the 27^th (I assume he meant April 27), Internet would be free for Gold and Platinum members.

Food & Beverage

I observed a couple of roomy lounge areas, a restaurant, and a coffee shop, although I did not visit any of them. The Concierge lounge was closed when I arrived late in the evening. Breakfast in the morning included scrambled eggs, meats, fruits, oatmeal, bakery items (I was glad to see whole grain bagels), yogurt, juices, milk, coffee, and other beverages. It’s a nice large room overlooking the bay. There were four or five computers with Internet connection, TVs, and a fax machine. There were 20+ tables, and the occupancy level sign said 115.

Pool

I did not visit the pool, although it looked inviting from inside. There are two lagoon style pools in a tropical setting with plenty of lounge chair seating.

Fitness Center

The hotel directory said that the fitness center was in the south tower on the 3^rd floor and did not open until 5:30 am. I was glad I called to make sure I knew where it was located before I left my room, because it has been moved to the bottom floor of the north tower, which is the tower I was staying in. It was open 24-hours, and the entire outside wall is windows overlooking the patio/pool area. There were dozens of cardio machines with Cardio Theater, weight machines, weights, and working TVs on the wall. Everything was well maintained and clean.

Overall

This was my first experience at a Marriott as a Gold member. I usually only have Silver status because I would need to stay almost exclusively at Marriotts to obtain Gold status. I can’t usually do that, because their rates are often too high on weekdays, and I also travel to many small cities, which do not have a Marriott property. I stayed at this property because I found an excellent AAA rate for a Sunday evening. I had Gold status during my stay because of a temporary promotional status upgrade. After this experience, I can see why Gold and Platinum members are so loyal. I was treated like I was someone special, and I was very happy with the room and Concierge upgrade. I would definitely recommend and stay at this property again. This is the fifth hotel I have stayed in, in the San Diego area, and I liked it the best. I was happy with my other stays too—the service and comfort at the Marriott was just a little better.