One of My Worst Marriott Stays — Absolutely Would Not Return
+One of My Worst Marriott Stays — Absolutely Would Not Return
My wife and I stayed at the AC Hotel Kingston for two weeks in May while I was on a business trip. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst experiences I have ever had at a Marriott-branded property.
Our disappointment began the moment we arrived. Despite having numerous suitcases for a two-week stay, no one offered to assist us with our luggage as we struggled to bring everything inside.
I was a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member at the time. At check-in, I mentioned my status and requested a suite upgrade. The representative told me that no suites were currently available but that he would let me know if one became available during our stay. Instead, we were assigned a corner room overlooking a noisy, heavily trafficked street.
Our reservation was clearly for two guests and included breakfast. Nevertheless, the check-in representative insisted that the hotel’s system showed breakfast for only one person. The hotel refused to include breakfast for my wife, regardless of what the reservation stated or my Titanium Elite status.
Several days later, I checked the Marriott app and saw that a suite was available. When I returned to reception and requested the promised upgrade, I was told: “We are a Marriott franchise, and we do not do complimentary upgrades.” That directly contradicted what I had been told at check-in. If complimentary upgrades were never offered, why was I initially told that I would be contacted when a suite became available?
The hotel’s food and beverage prices were also outrageous—and quoted in U.S. dollars. I ordered my favourite cocktail, which was listed on the menu as containing Cointreau and cost US$28. That was more than I pay for the same cocktail at the St. Regis Toronto. Worse still, the drink was made with a cheaper substitute rather than the advertised Cointreau, yet I was charged the full price.
Breakfast was similarly overpriced, with an unimpressive selection. Be prepared to wait at least 15–20 minutes for an egg order—and that is assuming they get it right the first time.
A few days into our stay, I raised these concerns with a manager named Christina. Rather than trying to improve our experience, she simply repeated the hotel’s standard responses: breakfast for the second guest was not included, complimentary suite upgrades were not offered, and so forth. After that interaction, we felt that she repeatedly glared at us whenever we crossed paths, making an already uncomfortable stay even less welcoming.
I later became friendly with another staff member, who told me that the property was managed by Sandals and cautioned me not to expect the service standards of a properly managed Marriott hotel. I will not identify that employee because I do not want them to face retaliation from management.
The room itself was poorly designed for an extended stay. The closet was almost useless, with barely any hanging space or shelving. The clothes rod was positioned so high that many people of average height would struggle to reach it. My wife and I are tall, so we managed, but my petite colleague could not use the hanging space in her room. The hotel’s proposed solution was to provide her with a step ladder. Imagine requiring a step ladder simply to hang your clothes. Who designed these rooms?
At checkout, once again, no one offered to help us with our luggage. By then, however, our expectations had reached rock bottom, and we could not wait to leave.
Between the lack of assistance, refusal to honour what our reservation showed, contradictory explanations regarding elite upgrades, inflated prices, ingredient substitution, poor breakfast, impractical room design and dismissive management response, this stay fell far below what I expect from Marriott.
Would we return? Absolutely not.
Calm, chill, inviting and exciting
+It’s always a great and welcoming experience at Ac Marriott. I frequently come here, always my first choice, to have a good drink and an amazing time. Also, I have to give it to Shane… I literally forward to him being at the bar because he’s very attentive no matter the volume of customers he’s attending to and he has a kind and friendly demeanor.
