Montego Bay, Jamaica / Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort All Inclusive

Christmas week December 2012, 5-nights, King ocean view jr. suite #1437

partial beach & island view

Platinum status perks

I was able to reserve an ocean view guestroom when I redeemed standard points (35,000 per night) for this stay. I sent the hotel an email before our stay to ask about dining reservations and room location; however, no one replied to my email. Check-in service for platinum PCR members, was provided by the concierge at a desk across the lobby from the check-in counter. I did not observe PCR signage at the desk, so I went to the front desk when we arrived, and was then referred to the concierge desk. Fortunately, there were not any guests at the counter, so I did not wait in line before I was referred. The concierge referred to my platinum status several times, so I am not sure if the perks we received were solely platinum perks, or if some were basic PCR perks.

We received an upgrade to an ocean view Jr. Suite on the top floor, a massage for two, and the concierge had made dinner reservations for us for the first three nights of our stay. We received different color wristbands than most of the other guests, which did not seem to make any difference with the service we received. The wristband was nice because it was smoother, softer, and more comfortable than the band we had just worn at the Hilton resort. The wristbands most others were wearing looked the same as the ones we had worn at the Hilton.

Jamaica / Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa

December 2012, Weekend before Christmas, 3-nights, King ocean front guestroom #255

early evening view from balcony

view from our balcony

Gold perks and check-in

I redeemed 60,000 points per night for this stay (the standard amount). The room types available with standard reward points were "resort view" and "tropical view," so we reserved a tropical view guestroom.

I sent the hotel an email before our stay to ask about making dinner reservations, and to inquire about a room upgrade. The concierge contacted me by email about my dining requests. When I checked our reservation online a couple of days before our stay, I saw that we had already been upgraded to an ocean front guestroom!

If you are a Hilton Honors member, look for the concierge desk with the HHonors sign, located across from the check-in counter. There were no guests at the concierge desk when we arrived, so we were assisted at the desk for check-in immediately. Concierge Andrea confirmed our dining requests, and then she provided a reservation card for each night of our three-night stay. As a gold member, I received a coupon good for 10% off a cabana rental, and I received an internet access code for the complimentary internet perk for gold and diamond guests.

Guestroom #255

Before assigning a guestroom, Andrea read my profile preferences for a top floor king bed, and then she said there was not an ocean front guestroom on the top floor available for the length of our stay. She said that she could assign a guestroom on the 2nd floor right away (we arrived before check-in time), and that if we wanted to wait, the only higher floor room that would be available later was on the 3rd floor. This resort has 7 floors, and we did not think there would be much difference between floor 2 or 3, so we took the room on the 2nd floor. 

Runabouts Car Service -- Grand Rapids, MI

Early weekday morning transportation to GRR - December 2012

We needed a ride to the Gerald R. Ford International airport around 4:30 a.m. from a home in Kentwood, about eight miles from the airport. I checked cab rates from three different companies, and the pre-tip fare was $17.70 or $18.70 (MetroCab started the meter at $4.30, and the others started it at $3.30). I then found a company I had not heard of before--RUNABOUTS.

The reviews I found for RUNABOUTS were all excellent, and the cost was only $18! Not only that, the cars looked comfy and clean. I have been in many Grand Rapids cabs in the airport area (most of them chosen by the hotel or hired after arriving at GRR), and most of them have been dirty, smelly, and cold. Many of them also reek of stale smoke smell. 

RUNABOUTS seemed like an excellent choice, so I made a reservation for 4:35 a.m. online. The email confirmation arrived within 15 minutes, and I received a reconfirmation the day before our ride.

RUNABOUTS arrived 10 minutes early, and this was fine with us. We were ready, and I'd rather be early than late. The trip to the airport was comfortable and pleasant. We rode in a clean Impala. I am so glad we found this company, and I plan to use them again. I definitely recommend this company.

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Early weekday morning transportation to GRR - February 2013

We used this car service again February 2013, and had the same excellent experience. I am happy we found them, so I am spreading the word again!

Miami, Florida airport -- MIA / Hilton

November 2012, Sunday, 1- night, King guestroom #933

Status perks

I received complimentary Internet access, two bottles of water, and two continental breakfast coupons, which could also be used for the breakfast value--$14 each--off a la carte items. I initially received only one coupon, and when I asked the front desk agent later if the coupon was good for two, he gave me another one. I did not receive a room on one of the top floors; however, we arrived before check-in time around 1 PM. The agent immediately assigned us an available room without asking if we wanted to wait for a higher floor guestroom. The next day, I requested late checkout, and the agent happily allowed us to stay until 2:30 PM. If I had realized that this hotel has so many suites--over 25 of them--I would have requested a suite upgrade. Hilton does not typically give that type of upgrade to Gold members; however, I have occasionally received a suite upgrade.

Guestroom #933

I was somewhat worried about noise when I entered the guestroom, because this guestroom has two connecting doors. We must have had quiet neighbors, or the connecting doors are thicker than usual, because we did not hear any noise from our neighbors.

The spacious guestroom had a nice work area. A large window filled the length of the outside wall overlooking the lagoon, and a long table with two lamps was located against the wall under the window. There was one desk chair and one sitting chair in the guestroom. There was a telephone on the desk/table, and another one on one of the night stands next to the bed. A nice flat screen TV was on the armoire across from the bed. I was impressed with the comfort of the bed and the bedsheets. We had just come from the Z Ocean Hotel Crowne Plaza where the bedding was one of the best features, and the bed and pillows at this Hilton were even more comfy.

A coffee machine with supplies, bottled water, and a chilled minibar were located in a nice bar cabinet outside the bathroom. There was not a regular fridge other than the minibar. A good-sized safe was located in the closet by the door.

Other then the bathroom door almost hitting the toilet because of the smallish room size, the bathroom had some nice features. It had a tile walk in shower with glass doors and a pulsating shower head. The vanity and mirror were stylish looking and new.  Unfortunately, I did not get many pictures of our guestroom.

We watched a beautiful sunrise from our hotel room in the morning. We were not disturbed by guest or airplane noise, and we slept very well.

Pool and outside area

This hotel has several nice features for an airport hotel. There is a half mile walking/jogging track around the hotel with views of the lagoon. There is a garden walkway next to the pool and along the water with bench seating at the end.

Garden walkway

There are tennis courts onsite, which we did not use. I observed the area from a distance, and we saw guests on their way to the court with racquets in their hands.

The pool and whirlpool tub were both a good size. The temperature in the pool and in the hot tub was warm. The temperature seemed perfect to us.

End of the garden walkway

There was plenty of outside seating--lounge chairs, cushioned seats, and tables with chairs. One thing I did not see were shade umbrellas, although the pool area is partially shaded in the morning and in the evening. The pool towels were a disappointment. The towels were so small and thin that you needed two or three of them if you wanted to cover your chair or dry off after swimming.

The pool bar/restaurant was open both days of our stay. There was ample seating at the bar, and at tables around the bar--tall bar top style tables with chairs, and lower ones with chairs. The low tables had shade umbrellas.

Pool dusk 

It seemed like staff was cut to a minimum during our visit, and there were several things in the pool area that needed cleaning. All of the outside tables, including the dining ones around the bar, needed to be washed. There was quite a bit of debris in the bushes around the pool and along the walkways. I observed debris and bugs in the pool. There were ashtrays on every outside table, even though I never saw anyone smoking during our stay. And, every ashtray that I saw needed to be emptied and cleaned. I observed someone empty the trash bins by the pool once, and I observed someone cleaning the bugs out of the pool in the morning. Other than that, I did not see anyone cleaning the area.  

Food and Beverage

Next to Blue Lagoon Saloon
and the pool

We had burgers at Blue Lagoon Saloon, the poolside restaurant, the day we arrived. We received great service, even though only one employee served all the guests at the bar and tables. And, he had to go to the kitchen to get all the food orders. This was definitely one area where another employee was needed. Even if there had been an inside staff member, who could have filled in as a food runner when needed, it would have helped. There were times that we observed guests waiting for beverages at the bar, and we observed guests who gave up and left the area while the bartender was gone to get food. 

We thought the food prices on the poolside menu were high. It was $16 for one burger with fries, before tax and tip. The food flavor was good, and the portion size was generous. In hindsight, we should have ordered one burger to share, and then had something small to eat later.

We used our breakfast coupons to order off the menu at Coral Cafe the next morning. I ordered their version of eggs Benedict, which is served on savory bread pudding, and my husband ordered an omelette. The food flavor and serving sizes were excellent. This was the best breakfast our entire 5-day trip. I was somewhat apprehensive about ordering the eggs Benedict because I was afraid the bread pudding would be sweet. Our server assured me that it was savory and not sweet, and she was correct. It was cooked perfectly, and served hot. Three asparagus spears and a fresh tomato wedge accompanied the dish. My husband's omelette was served with asparagus spears, toast, and a tomato garnish. He agreed that the food was delicious. Everything was prepared with fresh, high quality ingredients, and the items were flavorful. 

Our service in the restaurant was not as good as we had received at the pool the day before. We had been seated for several minutes (probably over five minutes--I did not time this) before our server stopped to ask if we were ready to order. No one had stopped to offer coffee, juice, or water before this even though a few employees had walked by and glanced toward us. After we received our food, our server did not checkback with us until after we had almost finished eating. When we received our check, a $1 tip had been added in, even though it said "gratuity not included" at the bottom of the slip. I did not understand why gratuity of only $1 would have been added. This restaurant also added the tax in before the $28 in coupons had been deducted. Some restaurants deduct the coupon(s) first, and some add the tax first. I do not know which way is correct. After we added in the remaining tip, our check was just under $11. Definitely an amazing breakfast for under $11 ~ My compliments to the chef!   

Shuttle

We returned our rental car after checking in, and used the airport shuttle to return to the hotel (a Sunday). We then used the shuttle the next afternoon to return to the airport on Monday. On Sunday we were told that the shuttle runs every half hour, and on Monday we were told that it runs every 15 minutes. The shuttle was behind on the half hour runs when we returned the car Sunday. We waited about 20 minutes, and should have been picked up in less than 10 minutes because we arrived at the shuttle pickup spot at 1:30 PM. I had also called to confirm that the driver was on the way when we arrived there at 1:30. There was not much traffic on Sunday, so traffic would not have caused a problem that day.

On Monday, we decided to head to the airport earlier than planned, so we went out front for the 1:45 PM shuttle. We arrived around 1:40, and there was a flight crew already waiting. Another guest arrived after us. The shuttle did not arrive until after 2 PM. We had plenty of time; however, I could tell that the other guest was becoming agitated. We arrived at the airport more than 35 minutes after we went out to wait for the shuttle. We did not learn if there was a reason for the delay, or if this was typical for a Monday.

To say that the shuttle process was chaotic is an understatement. The hotel shuttles pick up and drop off in the same location at MIA. It is level 2/departure level. When I tried to tell the employee on the telephone my location after we returned the rental car, she told me to just wait at the center island and flag down the driver. Everyone else was waiting at the curbside, and the shuttle drivers were driving through between the curbside and the island, so after we waited in the center a few minutes, we walked back to the airport curb. I suppose we could have flagged down the driver from either spot, although when someone was getting off a shuttle, the bus went right up to the curb, which is three lanes in from the island. Another problem with this system is that sometimes passengers could not see their bus if it was traveling in the outside lane because of the traffic in between. Passengers next to us were waiting for the DoubleTree, and they would have missed their bus, if I had not spoken up when I saw it. It seemed to me that it would have made more sense, if the driver knew he had guests waiting, and at which terminal number. The "flag down" system did not work very well, IMO.

Misc. and overall
I was told that hotel parking is complimentary for less than 1/2 hour, and we did not have a charge when we left the hotel to return our rental car within this time frame. There is a public bus stop just down the road from the hotel, and there is a Publix less than a mile away across the street. Homewood Suites by Hilton (where we stayed for one night a couple years ago) is located on the same road as the Hilton.

I would choose this hotel, if I needed a hotel in the area for business because of the excellent sleep quality. The bed was supremely comfortable, and the guestroom was soundproof. I thought the $15 overnight parking charge was steep, so I would need to be able to find a room rate that made that charge worthwhile. The pool area and setting was nice for a one-night leisure stay; however, I thought the upkeep of the outside area was neglected.

South Beach Miami, Florida / Z Ocean Hotel--Crowne Plaza

Thanksgiving weekend 2012, 3-nights, King handicap suite #207

Sunrise @ beach club

Status perks

As a Platinum guest, I received free Internet service. I found this out when I called the front desk to ask about the $14 charge, since the agent had not said anything at check-in. I did not receive the monogramed pillowcases shown on Facebook for Platinum guests, and I did not receive a guestroom upgrade.

I inquired about a spa or rooftop suite upgrade at check-in, and I was told that there was not anything available. The agent said I could check the next day, so I did. I spoke with the manager the next morning, and was again told that there was nothing available. I did not call again the morning of our last night, even though the website showed that rooftop rooms were available. The manager had not told me to check again, and I figured if the hotel was going to give me an upgraded room, this would have already been taken care of. I dislike having to ask for a perk that is supposed to be automatically given when available.

floor two diagram

Guestroom

I had booked a South Beach king suite with points for this stay. I did not book a handicap room, and we did not need one. I assume that we ended up with the handicap suite because it had not been reserved, and our room was not ready. When we arrived before check-in time around 2 PM, the suite originally set aside for us, #305, was not ready yet. We returned to the front desk about 1/2 hour after check-in time and our room was still not available. The agent checked some things, and then assigned us suite 207 instead. I asked if this was the same room type, and she said yes. We did not know that it was a handicap or poolside guestroom until we arrived at the suite.

This suite is spacious and very soundproof. It is slightly different than the photos shown online. I don't know if that is because it is a handicap room, or if it is because of the room location on an inside corner, or a combination of both. The differences from the other suites were: the glassed patio windows are a smaller area, the outside patio area is smaller, and there were no chairs inside the suite except the bar chairs. 

The bar/kitchen area was fabulous. It contained the following: nice dishes/plates, unique glassware--including champagne and martini glasses, coffee and tea cups, silverware, wine and bottle opener, nespresso machine with coffee supplies, microwave, fridge, sink, cold and dry minibar, bar stools, and a large safe.

The bathroom was two large rooms. The outer area contained the toilet and a vanity with sink and mirror. There was a second vanity and sink in the next area with a large tiled shower. A makeup mirror and high quality hair dryer were provided. I was surprised that cotton swabs and tips were not provided with the standard shower and lotion amenities. The shower had three sets of jets, and a fold down handicap seat. The shower was fabulous, although I felt like I needed an engineering degree to figure out how to operate the water flow!


One thing I missed in this suite, was a full length mirror. There were wall mirrors in the bathroom and living area; however, all of the mirrors were only half length vanity or decorative mirrors.

The bed, pillows, and bed sheets were all high quality and very comfortable. We could not hear any noise from the pool area when the patio door was shut. The closet contained two hanging rods, one below the other, so there was not a place to hang dresses without them hitting the lower rod or floor. A folding luggage rack was provided in the closet and there was a suitcase bench at the foot of the bed against the wall.


We did not receive consistent turndown service. The first evening, housekeeping knocked on the guestroom door around 5 PM. When I answered, I was handed a welcome letter with two small pieces of candy that reminded me of leftover Halloween candy--an M & M's and an Almond Joy. The second evening we were not present. When we returned to our suite, we found a robe placed on the bed and a pair of slippers on the floor next to the bed. We did not receive a turndown amenity. We did not receive turrndown service at all the last night. It would have been nice if we had received the super turndown delicacies bragged about on the Z Ocean Facebook page at least one of the nights.

Suite 207 in corner

The patio area contained a lounge chair and a glass topped table with four chairs. Since there were only two of us, and the area was small without much room to walk through, we set one of the table chairs aside, and it had been moved out to the pool area the next day.

Fresh plants were tastefully placed between each suite for privacy. A nice feature around all of the patio suites is the privacy curtain. Each suite patio had curtains that could be closed all the way around, if guests desired.

Typical poolside patio.
Suite 305 (original suite) on floor above right

Pool & beach
The pool area was not very busy during our stay and it was peaceful. The water spouts into the pool provided a soothing waterfall type sound. If we had been staying in one of the balcony rooms a floor above the pool, we probably would have slept with our patio door partially open. We observed only adults at the pool until the day we departed. There were two children in the pool that day.

The pool chairs were comfortable, and staff members provided excellent pool service. Lounge chairs were covered with towel covers, rolled towels were set out, and towels were immediately replaced when guests departed. A pool attendant served frozen grapes one day, and bar staff were attentive. The only thing I thought needed more attention in the pool area was the floor. I observed staff members sweeping up debris; however, the floor needed to be washed with soap. The grime was not visible; however, the bottoms of our feet and shoes turned black from the floor. And, I only walked a few steps with bare feet--from a chair to the whirlpool tub.

Pool view from below

My husband said that the pool temperature was slightly cool, although it was not so cool that he did not swim in it. The glass windows in the bottom of the pool are not over the restaurant, as I had read. The view into the pool is overhead when walking from the front desk toward the bar and restaurant. The whirlpool tub temperature was warm, although we would have liked it a little hotter since it was quite cool in the evenings.

Guestroom directory
Beach Club

This hotel is not located on the beach, and no one told us about the Beach Club across the street. Fortunately, I had read about it in a guest review before our visit, and information is listed in the guestroom directory. Guests can have two chairs with pads, towels, and an umbrella for no cost. A bed is available as an upgrade; I did not inquire about the cost for a bed. A few items were available for purchase at the hut on the beach--soda, water, sunscreen, and vending machine type snacks.

Food & Beverage

shrimp taco

We visited the hotel restaurant--The Front Porch Cafe--during Happy Hour two days. We thought Happy Hour was an excellent value. The beverage and food prices and quality were excellent. For $5 each, we had: calamari, Mahi-Mahi tacos, shrimp tacos, and crispy jerk pork belly tacos. The calamari was a good portion size and flash fried, although not very flavorful. Each taco portion was two tacos; however, I did not take the pictures posted here until after we had started eating. All of the tacos were good, and the shrimp tacos were amazing! We had the shrimp tacos both days because we liked them so well.

pork taco

A 17% tip was automatically added to the check, which is typical for the Miami Beach area. After we said we wanted to charge the bill to our room, this tip was changed to 20%.

I ordered the California Omelette from room service for breakfast one morning. The room service cost was a couple dollars more than the restaurant menu cost--before the tip was added. We knew this, but thought it would be enjoyable to dine poolside on our patio. The order taker did not provide a delivery time. The food was delivered in a reasonable about of time--within 20 to 25 minutes.

I was disappointed with the omelette. The eggs were brown and overcooked. The menu description listed avocado as one of the ingredients, which I had expected to be fresh slices on the side. I should have asked because the avocado was inside the omelette, so it was mushy from being cooked. The omelette came with toast, and a side choice--fresh fruit, tomatoes, or potatoes. I chose tomatoes, which were three good-sized and flavorful slices. The side of sourdough toast was thin, cold, and rubbery. It seemed like the bread had been toasted several minutes before the food was delivered.

Misc. and overall
Fresh ice cold citrus water was available by the front desk every time we walked through the lobby. Valet, bell, and concierge staff members were attentive and smiling every time we walked by. We liked the location of this resort at the start of Ocean Drive.

This is a nice facility with many good points. I am sure I would have been impressed if I had received a Platinum upgrade, or if we had received the amenities posted on the hotel Facebook page. I also read reviews by Platinum guests who received an upgrade to a rooftop suite. I had high expectations, and because we did not receive any of the perks I had read about, this stay was disappointing. I posted two comments on the hotel Facebook page about my disappointment not receiving the turndown amenities or the VIP pillowcases. No one from the hotel replied to those posts, although someone seems to actively reply to guests before a stay (they replied to all my posts before our stay). I felt like they got me in the door, and then ignored me.

I did stay on points; however, when I stay at a competitor hotel brand on points--Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt--I still receive the same perks as when I am a paying guest. When I stayed at the Crowne Plaza at the Ft. Lauderdale airport (FLL) with points in March of this year, we were upgraded to the presidential suite! I am still bragging about that hotel, and I will choose it again for my next stay in that area. When the Z Ocean Hotel stay posted to my PCR account ($745.80 under hotel rate with 0 points earned since I redeemed points), it looked like this hotel received over $200 a night for my points stay. If I had paid over $200 a night for my room, I would have been seriously disappointed rather than just mildly disappointed.

When booking a poolside room at this resort, I would suggest staying away from this handicap room unless it is needed. The other poolside suites have a much larger patio area, and I could see chairs inside the guestroom when the curtains were open.

UPDATE: After I posted on TripAdvisor about my disappointment with this stay, Director of Sales & Marketing, Frank Fuentes expressed empathy and invited me to contact him, so I did. I received a prompt and professional reply to an email I sent, which has altered my opinion of this hotel. The communication I had with Mr. Fuentes “wowed” me the way I had expected before our stay. We intend to stay at this hotel again the next time we visit SoBe!

Wheeling, West Virginia / SpringHill Suites

November 2012, Weekday, 1-night, King guestroom #501

Platinum perks

I received a goody bag with a small bottle of water and two snacks--cheese crackers and peanuts.

Guestroom #501

This guestroom is located on the top floor at the end of the hall. I had called the morning of my arrival to request a room in a quiet location without a connecting room door. The agent who answerd the telephone assigned my room during the call.

The guestroom layout and furnishings are exactly the same as the SpringHill Suites at my home airport--GRR. Every SpringHill Suites I have stayed in has always had a separate sitting area with a sofa, chair, and desk with chair, as well as a sink, small fridge, and microwave. A flatscreen TV on the armoire between the two areas could be rotated so it was visible from the bed or living room.

New Philadelphia, Ohio / Holiday Inn Express

November 2012, Weekday, 2-nights, King guestroom #424

Status perks

I got to choose one beverage and one snack from the gift shop. I did not receive an upgraded room because the manager told me that the suites are all located in the center by the elevator, and I had requested a quiet room. Looking at the floor diagram on the back of the guestroom door, there are actually huge end suites at this hotel--at least there were two on my floor. The room I had been assigned was right next to a longer suite room, so it did not appear that all the suites are located by the elevator as I was told. I appreciated that the manager considered my request for a quiet room; however, I think one of the suite guestrooms would have been better soundproofed since the bed is then farther away from the door.

I included a photo of the floor diagram for guests who want to see the room layout before arrival.

Guestroom

This hotel has four floors, so guestroom #424 is located on the top floor. 

The guestroom is a good size and it contained a microwave and small fridge in addition to standard room amenities. There were plenty of outlets, and the lighting was good. The TV was a newer flatscreen model, and the room contained a suitcase bench.

The decor in the guestroom was pleasant and the seating was comfortable. The bathroom was a nice size with plenty of counter space. I thought the bed was too hard, and the pillows were low quality, which I have found typical in a Holiday Inn Express.

I thought the Internet connection speed was unacceptable. I had trouble submitting my online work, and had to reenter some things. This hotel was full; however, I had this trouble at 4 AM too, when I would not expect as many guests to be using the service.

Food & Beverage

Breakfast both mornings included: breads, milk, juices, yogurt, cereals, fresh bananas, sausage gravy with biscuits, and the HIX pancake maker and cinnamon rolls. One morning, the egg item was cheesy omelets, and the next morning it was scrambled eggs. The room was comfortable and clean.

Business center

There were two working computers and a printer in the business center. The equipment worked fine, although a mouse pad would definitely have helped! I have never had so much trouble trying to control the mouse as I did on these computers.

Fitness center

The fitness center contained three working cardio machines and a flatscreen TV. It did not open until 6 AM, and the lock was programed, so the room was not accessible before then.

Misc. and overall

This is either a new building or a completely gutted and rebuilt Holiday Inn. I found information about an older Holiday Inn at this address before my stay. The entire facility looked new. There are several restaurants nearby. A Bistro and Mexican restaurant are located next door. I would not recommend the Mexican restaurant. It was clean and nice looking; however, the food was not very good or authentic. Restaurants across the streets included: Texas Roadhouse, Long John Silvers, Hog Heaven, Burger King, and Denny's.

There is a Hampton Inn next to Texas Roadhouse across the street. If I needed to stay in this area again, I would probably choose this Holiday Inn Express again as long as I did not have a huge amount of work to enter online. The Hampton Inn looked like a basic Hampton Inn, and the building was older than this Holiday Inn Express.