La Tour was purgatory at the 67th World Science Fiction Convention
Written: Aug 21 '09 (Updated Oct 29 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Location, fully equipped kitchen
Cons: No ghosts, drunk and obnoxious teen-age American guests, property is in poor condition, overpriced
The Bottom Line: My stay at this hotel was the most unpleasant one anywhere to date, despite being able to find some small details that were appreciated.
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| adriennefoster's Full Review: Hotel La Tour Centre Ville |
Last January, Anticipation, the 67th World Science Fiction Convention (aka Worldcon 67), which was held in Montréal, Quebec, Canada, in 2009, posted the information for the hotels where it blocked rooms for its members who were coming from out of town. I booked a room at the party hotel, Delta Centre-ville, right away, but since I wasn't sure I'd have a roommate during the convention, I also booked room at a lower rate at Hôtel La Tour Centre-ville as well. There were cheaper rooms available, but after negative experiences at Travelodge and Days Inn, I refuse to go back to either of those chains again if it can be avoided. It may have been just as well. My stay at La Tour Centre-ville was the worst hotel experience I've had to date, despite being able to find some small details that were appreciated. I was further disappointed with the Anticipation convention committee (aka concom) for the poor job it did in negotiating room rates and including this hotel in its block. It simply was not worth the price paid.
Booking and arrival
Booking a room for Anticipation started with a request through a housing bureau the convention was using. It was easy enough. Members just picked a hotel, supplied the details we required for a room, and gave them a credit card number through the Anticipation website. Around April I posted a request for a roommate to share expenses with the warning I might be taking off a couple of nights early on Live Journal, the on-line place where so many in the science fiction community hang out. As it happened, I learned of the haunted and indulgent Maison Pierre du Calvet and wanted to spend my last couple of nights in Montréal there, so I did need to keep my other expenses down as much as possible. My request remained unanswered until July and then I needed to make adjustments on my reservations. My roommate, Krista, and I wanted separate beds. We agreed to go with the cheaper hotel and I transferred my Delta reservation to another Anticipation member so the convention could keep its room credit. When I looked back at the La Tour website, I found the studio I reserved only came with one queen-size bed. I needed a small suite with two singles. When I tried to contact the housing bureau to make the changes, I apparently threw them in a tizzy when I asked in French if she spoke English, I was quickly transferred and then disconnected. I tried again, only to be told that their voicemail message inbox was full.
However, at that point it was just as well. As I looked at La Tour's pricing schedule for its rooms, I was disappointed to learn what lousy job the concom had done negotiating room rates for Anticipation. When booking with a hotel for a convention, members usually receive a price break. Instead, I found the nightly rate was more expensive for the duration of Anticipation. Not only that, but if I booked independently, I could use my AAA card for a 15% discount. The convention would lose room credit for my room nights, but feeling shafted by the concom, I was going to take care of myself. After discussing it with Krista, I cancelled the reservation I made through the housing bureau and rebooked independently.
For $16,* I took Aerobus shuttle from the Trudeau International to a central bus station in downtown Montreal, then grabbed a smaller shuttle that took everyone to the front doors of their hotels. The lobby was small and simple, decorated primarily in winter white. It had minimal furniture, just a counter for registration. I would later learn that it may have been a Good Thing this place lacked a lounge and bar.
My reservation was found easy enough and my request for separate accounts was denied. I don't know why this confounds so many front desk clerks. I was thrown for a loop when the clerk insisted my Visa cleared for $1100. I was afraid that would hose my finances for the trip. If the Marriott and Hilton can arrange separate accounts, I don't know why other hotels can't.
After being assured I wouldn't be charged anything until I checked out, I took my cardkey and pulled my duffelbag to the elevator and headed for my room. Even though it was easy enough to find my room, there were no porters around to help out.
Room 1202
If ever there was a case for the merchandise looking better in the catalog than it does in real life, the rooms at La Tour are certainly a prime example. The sleek, modern décor of the room pictured on the website was nothing like the room I entered. Even though a little effort had been made with color, the furniture was old and worn. To my left was a dinky kitchen area. Its size was no issue, since I came to Montréal for the convention, not to do heavy cooking. On the other hand, the cooker and fridge looked like they were at least 30 years old, right down to the marigold shade that was so popular in decorating during the 70s. At least the microwave sitting on the counter looked like a more recent vintage.
The front room had a small kitchen table with two chairs. There was a couch with a pull-out bed. Up against the wall behind the kitchen table was a writing desk with a chair and lamp. In the right back corner by the window was an old TV perched on a stand. Across from it in the other corner was an upholstered chair.
The bedroom had two single beds that shared a small table and a double wall lamp between them. A small chest of drawers with a mirror above it was up against the wall opposite to the beds. The beds were smaller than twin size and the maids were apparently never taught how to do hospital corners. Throughout the suite, I was disappointed to see the furnishings were in poor condition. One of the lamps between the beds lost the little knob that was screwed onto its switch, so it could not be turned on. The walls had holes in them from fixtures that had been removed or hits by doorknobs where broken door bumpers were never replaced. Some of those holes were fairly big, yet management made no effort to spackle or paint the walls. I confess the furnishings I have at home may be worn, but when I'm paying for professional hospitality, I have an expectation of my rooms being in good condition and clean. So far I was only finding the latter at La Tour.
When Krista arrived, we determined the room was not worth what we were paying for it and went downstairs to ask for another. We were told the only other room they had available was on the fourth floor and we went to take a look at it first. There was a larger chest of drawers in the bedroom, but it looked no better than room 1202. In addition, it smelled like a smoker's room and the street noises were much louder. We opted to stick with what we had. If nothing else, at least we had a good view.
The bathroom
The bathroom was small, but I've had smaller in hotel rooms. It was workable. It was decorated completely in white, giving it the feel of a hospital. A large mirror with a shelf/cabinet of equal width below it was stuck to the back wall over the toilet and pedestal sink. A small hairdryer was bolted to the wall on the right, while the tub and shower were on the left. I was pleasantly surprised to find a robe hook on the door. At least I had a place to hang my cosmetic bag. I was annoyed to see how the hotel scrimped on the linens. All that was provided were two each of the bath and hand towels. I half expect to scrounge for a washcloth when I'm in the UK, but never before had that problem in Canada. I had to rush out first thing the following morning to find something for my shower. With no obvious desire on the management's part to spend money taking care of the property, the little sundries we were provided became more special, but were basic. In a basket on the shelf, there was a small bottle each of shampoo and conditioner, plus a few little bars of soap.
The bathroom never presented us with any problems. I thought the water pressure was fine. The towels, however, were worn and frayed. Some even had holes in them. When the maid skipped cleaning our room one day, Krista went down to the lobby to ask for more towels. It became irritating when the two sets she was given included two brand new washcloths.
Living in room 1202
After staying at La Tour for five nights, Krista and I had a good sense of what life was like at this hotel. La Tour offers free wi-fi to its guests who bring along their laptops, but for those who travel without them, internet access is available on single terminal in the lobby for a fee. Krista had promised to let the folks at home she arrived all right, so she went down to email them. I never memorized the fees, but she said the system was hideously slow and never used it again.
The evening we arrived we found the thermostat on the wall did not work, but found temperature control system built into the wall underneath the window. It worked, to some extent. It had a vent that was supposed to push air into the bedroom as well, but air flow was barely noticeable. When we set the fan for an on-going flow, it worked like it was in auto mode, which had its own setting.
Preparing for bed turned into an issue. Both Krista and I like to sleep in a dark room, yet the curtains were too short to completely cover the windows. We were hit with early morning sunshine long before we were ready to wake up. When I turned down the bed, I was further irritated to find the bedsheets were torn. Krista is also a very light sleeper who is sensitive to any noise. Although no one has complained to me about snoring before, she said I did and moved into the front room to sleep on the pull-out bed. Even after that, she said she kept being awakened by the air conditioner because it kept turning itself on and off during the night. I ended up sleeping in the front room for the remaining four nights, so having two rooms worked to our advantage. Even for a pull-out bed the darn thing was uncomfortable. The springs had lost a lot of their tension and I could feel the bar underneath them.
The kitchen turned out to be the suite's biggest perk. Krista has some dietary concerns, so being able to go to the nearby grocery store, IGA, to carefully pick out the food she could eat, saved her the grief of fussing over food at restaurants. One of the really helpful details was that the kitchen came fully equipped. So many motels provide the stove ranges and fridges, but guests are at a loss without cutlery or pans to cook in. We had all of the utensils, dishes, glasses, pots, pans, and dishwashing soap that were required to actually be useful to us. A toaster was stored under the counter to boot. The two-cup coffeemaker provided had a drip reservoir with a broken hinge and the maid never replenished our supplies once we used them, though.
However, the most vexing part of our stay was a large party of obnoxious American co-eds who checked in a day or two after us. After reading all of the travel reviews of Montréal on Epinions, I was aware many young Americans at least 18 but under 21 liked to go there to take advantage of the legal drinking age, but I never thought it would have such miserable consequences on so many others. They were constantly yelling at each other across the corridors and slamming doors. The F word was shouted back and forth like it was their favorite. At one point while I was riding alone in one elevator, I heard at least a half dozen boys letting out a really loud cheer in the other. Krista said she was really offended by their sexual comments one day while she waited for elevator to arrive. I had a hard time falling asleep Friday night and when I was finally on the brink, I was rudely pulled out of it when a bunch of those young rowdies started whooping at the top of their lungs like they were at the Super Bowl. It was two in the morning. I gave it a little time, but it never passed. Doors kept slamming and glass shattered. I called the front desk, who said they'd send security up. They didn't seem to take me seriously until I told them I heard stuff breaking. Despite their promises to take care of the situation, it carried on until nearly four a.m. I called twice more throughout that time. Krista had the extra insulation of the bedroom door, but their noise still seeped through regardless. At she was spared the worst of it. The following morning, she walked out our room to find a puddle of vomit outside. There was so much litter strewn all over the corridor-particularly noticeable was the beer cans-it was difficult for me to think of the place as clean anymore. Then to top it off, the maid never tidied our room, despite the fact we had the "Please clean our room" sign up most of the day. (She must have stopped during that hour I napped with the DND sign out.) I called the front desk to ask why we never received service, and was told they'd bring us some from fresh towels. The towels never came. When I met another Anticipation member also staying on the 12th floor by the elevator, I asked her if she had heard the ruckus of the previous night, she had not only heard it, but became very frightened when things started to break. A woman staying on the seventh floor said they had the same problems there.
After having to call the police to throw those young jerks out, they were allowed to return the following morning and apparently went right to sleep with the DND sign on the door. Since I had to take some time off from the convention to go over a couple of manuscripts I agreed to evaluate for a section of the writers workshop, I spent a few hours working at the desk preparing my comments. The desk turned out to be quite useful for me, but the chair that was paired with it was missing a couple of its feet and the resulting rocking always grates on me. I ended up swapping it with one from the dining table. At one point I took a break to call room 1204, where some of the offending guests were staying, and hung up on them as one of them groggily answered the phone. However, as I worked there, I couldn't believe they began to make the same noises again as the group started to wake up.
Dining
La Tour has two dining establishments on the premises, Yu Hang, a Chinese restaurant, and Bistro La Tour, which serves breakfast and lunch. With all of the dining options in the immediate vicinity, I never ate at either of them. Bistro La Tour also acted as a bit of a convenience store, which I believe Krista took advantage of more than I did.
Locale
The bulk of Anticipation's programming took place at Palais des Congrès, which we could see from our window. La Tour was a few blocks walk from it, but then most of the convention hotels were. Some programming was placed at the Delta, where the evening parties were held. The authors preferred the bar at the Intercontinental. Worldcons usually do require a lot of walking, but it seems I did quite a bit more than usual at this one. For Krista and me, it was about as convenient as any of the others would have been. I believe the closest Metro station was at Palais des Congrès, but I never used it so I can't be sure.
La Tour is centrally located to quite a bit. It's a couple of blocks away from St. Catherine Street, which has some notoriety for its night life and various sex shop venues. It is also a busy retail boulevard. What I liked was being a couple of blocks away from Le Complexe Desjardins, a busy mall and business center. It had the IGA, a pharmacy, and huge food court. La Tour is also not too far from Old Montréal, the district I was most interested in sightseeing. If nothing else, its location was convenient.
Checkout
With a check-out time at noon, Krista and I had to time our last morning there precisely. My workshop section started at 11 a.m. and there was some programming she wanted to catch at 9. We went down shortly after 8 to settle our bill. I had reserved the room for seven nights and was taken back when they said they were going to charge us for a sixth night because we didn't give them 24 hours notice. When we complained about what a miserable experience we had there, they relented.
We were charged $94 for Wednesday night and $134 for each of the remaining four. The local taxes came to a little over $75. They gave us the AAA discount. At the time, my bank, Wells Fargo, converted the Canadian dollar to about 95¢ American.
With all of the things we had to do that morning, they were kind enough to store our luggage until we had the time to move to our new lodgings. (That Travelodge I stayed in wouldn't do this favor.) When I returned after my section, I made sure to give the woman a good tip.
The bottom line
Hôtel La Tour Center-ville has 148 units available to let and some are handicap accessible. Check-in time is 3 p.m.; checkout is noon. An indoor swimming pool, sauna, and training room are available (with a "panoramic view," but I never saw it for myself). Fully equipped conference rooms, fax, and copy services are available for an additional charge, as are security boxes, dry cleaning, and the self-service laundromat.
The only thing keeping this from being a 1-star review is that I save that rating for products that I can't find a single thing I liked about them, but I did appreciate that fully-equipped kitchenette and the staff did show some courtesy to us. Even though they had no control over an odious mob of drunken teenagers, they permitted them to stay after disrespecting both the other guests and hotel. It's easy to believe this has happened there before, especially when I saw those windows could be opened and the roofs of the shorter buildings next to us were littered with beer bottles and cans. Stay at La Tour only as a last resort. If it's imperative for a guest to have a kitchenette, there's an Embassy Suites next to Palais des Congrès. They may not provide the cutlery, but the odds of a good night's sleep are much better. Neither Krista nor I are so vain to avoid the lower rates of a place like this, but at $134 per night, we expected better.
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*All prices given are in Canadian dollars unless stated otherwise.
Recommended:
No
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