Lacks a lot for a higher-end hotel
Written: Aug 04 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Convenient to highway ramps and main walking streets. Clean and attractive building.
Cons: Surly desk staff, absent baggage handlers, no genuine concierge, mediocre restaurant.
The Bottom Line: Avoid Adam's Mark Buffalo-Niagra if you're vacationing, they'll make you hate Buffalo. Location and amenities might be acceptable for business travelers.
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| scramcat's Full Review: Adam's Mark - Buffalo |
I stayed at the Adam's Mark Buffalo-Niagra hotel over the 4th of July weekend while attending my cousin's wedding. The hotel is nice enough, but less than I'd expect from a higher-end hotel. Granted, $148 a night isn't all that much, but it's 2 to 3 times the local rate for economical hotels like Best Western. I'd give Adam's Mark a B- rating, maybe even a C because of certain things that really annoyed me.
I'll list what I see as defficiencies, in no particular order.
When I arrived there were no baggage handlers to be seen. I had one big, heavy duffle bag on my shoulder and was annoyed I had to carry it from the outdoor parking lot to the lobby, and then up to my room. Hey, it would have been a $5 tip for someone for just 5 minutes work. It also annoyed me that the desk clerk didn't ring for a baggage handler, not suggest I put my bag at the desk for a handler to carry up for me as soon as one was available.
When I asked the desk clerks for directions in-town, or where I could find items I forgot to pack, no one had any idea what was in Buffalo. They all lived in the suburbs and only came in-town to work, then scram home. You'd think as hospitality workers they'd take a few minutes to learn at least the basics about the town they're supposed to be hospitable in. Sadly, almost everyone I met in the greater Buffalo area had a similar snotty attitude: "NICE people don't live in Buffalo. NICE people live in the suburbs!"
Which explains why Buffalo is fast becoming the tarnished buckle of the Rust Belt.
I decided if the desk staff were of no help, maybe a concierge would be. But I didn't see any. I asked the desk clerk and she barely glanced up to say, "They must be busy." I asked her where the concierge desk was and she pointed across the lobby to an unoccupied desk. I told her that I'd only ever seen baggage carriers there. The desk clerk, again barely lifting her eyes, answered that the baggage handlers double as concierges.
Which explains why there never anyone around to carry my bag nor give me directions.
It was the complete lack of an accomodating attitude that ticked me off. Would it have been so hard for desk staff to say something like, "I'm sorry, the concierge is occupied at the moment. Is there something I can help you with?" Would it have been so hard for management to train them accordingly?
There were other pesky things that annoyed me. The hotel restaurant never got my meal orders right. Well, the waitress repeated them back to me perfectly, but the kitchen constantly screwed up. And on my last night, I came home very late to find that housekeeping had done the bedroom and only half-done the bathroom. They took the used towels, soaps, glasses, mugs, etc. but never replenished them. Worst of all, they didn't replenish the coffee packs for the coffee maker. You can keep your high-speed internet and on-demand movies, as far as I'm concerned the in-room coffee service is the single greatest achievement in hotel history.
If I ever visit Buffalo again (highly unlikely), I'll stay at a an inexpensive motel just outside town.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
scramcat
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Location: Albuquerque, NM
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
I hate everything. But I always have very good reasons for it.
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