Carlton Downtown Hotel

We spent more than three and a half hours just waiting to check in, and the staff seemed overwhelmed. There was no proper communication or apology for the hours of waiting. A holiday that should have been relaxing turned frustrating as soon as we arrived. The hotel clearly wasn't prepared for the number of guests, and the lack of organization made the whole stay stressful. It wasn't worth the money, and I wouldn't recommend coming during peak season. Leaving was a mess too. Five other cars blocked ours in the parking area, so we had to wait around 30 minutes for valet staff to move them before we could get out. The elevator lines were huge, with only two of four lifts working in a building of more than 48 floors. How could they run with just two during the busy Eid holidays? The management was very poor, and the whole situation was completely unacceptable.

I came for a long stay because my salesperson Lorena was great, a genuinely good person. But the front desk staff at Residence Inn need to be more courteous, polite, and concerned. I agree with Me bee about their cold behavior. They don't even seem to look up and greet guests. Ayushman and Amit in particular act as if they don't know you or don't care. The elevators are an ongoing problem too. You can wait at least 30 minutes on your floor. Call the front desk to get one sent down and they don't care.

The lift situation is a real headache. The display wasn't working, so you just wait without knowing where the elevator is. There were five or six lifts, but only two were operating, and sometimes just one. The usual wait was 10-15 minutes. Apart from that, it was a great place to stay. The rooms were spacious and neat, the buffet breakfast was really good, and the staff were very polite. I paid a refundable advance of 300 AED, and they promised it would be returned within 3 working days.

I've usually had positive stays here and choose this hotel whenever I'm in Dubai. The rest of the team were helpful and good as always, but this time the front office staff and manager were rude and uncooperative. That's disappointing, and not the service I expect from Marriott.