The Alexander, Autograph Collection

We got back from the concert after midnight and still didn’t have keys to our rooms. I had to stand in line again, and the front desk employee was rude and seemed frustrated with us for being upset. I expected better from Marriott. Earlier that afternoon, we arrived at 4:10 with three rooms to check into before dinner and a concert. Check-in was meant to be by 4, but none of the rooms was ready. Our whole family had to get changed in a lobby bathroom, we were late to dinner, and our bags had to stay with the front desk. While we waited, employees complained that late checkouts and the amount of turnover meant they couldn’t get the rooms cleaned. Letting guests stay late when there were rooms to turn over, then not having even one ready for us, was unacceptable and a huge inconvenience. I know the hotels were busy because of everything happening in town. My sister had a similar problem at another hotel, but their staff were more courteous and comped half of her room charge. The Alexander offered us nothing, not even a free drink, despite three rooms being unavailable and putting our entire family out.

The staff were great, and the lobby was clean and pretty. We also liked the pool, hot tub, and beach area when we spent time there. Still, I wouldn’t come back or try another condo. The place felt rundown and dirty in spots, with odd smells in the hallway. Being old wasn’t the issue. It was how repairs seemed poorly done and the general worn appearance. Pool drinks were expensive too. We were seven adults staying a week, and basic supplies ran short: just one roll of toilet paper, no hand soap, two dishwasher packs, and one garbage bag. We had to ask for more toilet paper, dishwasher soap, and bags. There were no kitchen towels, oven mitts, or hot pads. In Room 1217, the couch looked unclean and the area rug was worn and dirty. Kitchen items were very limited: no toaster, spatula, serving spoons, linens, or large pots and pans, and the lids didn’t fit the pots. The master shower head was broken and sprayed hard from a few outlets. The living room blind pulley was broken on one window, so only one shade opened, and the bedroom door was hard to close. Shower water also swung between not getting hot and getting far too hot. It was fine for us since we didn’t spend much time in the room, but I’d choose a different hotel or resort next time.

The breakfast service in the hotel’s “restaurant” was despicable. We were ignored by the only person at the coffee bar when we walked in. When I asked whether we should seat ourselves, she said yes. Five minutes later she came over to ask if we knew what we wanted. We asked politely for a menu, and she scoffed and walked away. After waiting another ten minutes, we left. We used our $50 in free breakfast on two black coffees to go. Apparently the single table of patrons was too much pressure. The gym was closed for renovations and the ice machine was broken. The hotel markets itself as luxury, but the towels were worse than Hampton Inn’s, and it had the same filthy Keurig coffee machine, Pure Life waters, and cheap little round soap bars as La Quinta. The bill was another problem. It came to $240, including a valid $59 valet parking charge, a $58 “room redemption” fee, $95 for “room charge open,” and some smaller taxes. They reluctantly removed the erroneous charges after I called. They said the redemption fee was taxes for using points, but I’d never heard of that, and the Bonvoy app doesn’t say a 35,000-point stay costs an extra random $58. That’s not how other hotel rewards work. For the $95, they said it was for an “urban view.” I hadn’t requested one. I’d tried to use a nightly upgrade reward for a two-bedroom suite, but Marriott said the hotel didn’t have the inventory to support the request. They didn’t honor our “high floor” request either. We were just above the lobby, looking across at the run-down YMCA. I can’t see how that view was worth $95. I booked The Alexander Indianapolis for March 28-29 using 35,000 points. There are many better options in downtown Indy. This was a terrible stay.

The Alexander felt calm, stylish, and completely safe at night. I was hosting friends visiting from Chicago, and staying here made that easy and impressive. The service was warm and thoughtful from arrival through the whole stay, with people staying ahead of what we needed. We kept coming back to the bar to unwind and catch up. The drinks were expertly made, the atmosphere had great energy, and the staff made us feel welcome without hovering. Five stars, without hesitation.