Grand Adirondack Hotel, Lake Placid, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

We got a parking ticket after leaving the car on the street overnight. The signs said paid parking ran from 8am to 8pm, but didn’t mention an overnight restriction, and nobody at the hotel warned us. The elevator signs only said no hockey sticks. The ticket was about $35, not huge compared with a $300-plus nightly stay, but the way staff handled our request for help was a waste of time. The front desk sent us to valet, valet sent us to a supervisor, and the supervisor was rude. We returned to the desk and asked for the hotel manager, who wasn’t available; after breakfast they still weren’t there, so we got an email address to appeal. No reply. We also had trouble figuring out where to park when we arrived. We were told to use valet, which wasn’t convenient since we’d be coming and going. When I asked about self-parking, the desk seemed unsure, so we parked on the street. Check-in was just a key and directions to the elevator, with no explanation of the amenities. The location is convenient and the rooms are charming, but the service and $24-a-day valet-only parking don’t justify the price.

The location is great, but I left tired, frustrated, and disappointed. After the carbon monoxide alarms went off at 1am, we had to evacuate and wait for the building to air out until 2am. Back in my room, I found a note under the door saying the hot water was out, with no estimate for when it would return. An ice-cold shower the next morning after being woken in the night wasn’t worth $200 a night. Staff didn’t seem interested in offering compensation, and their short replies and mild attitude came without even a sorry. I checked out after one night of a four-night booking. The WiFi was nearly unusable, with awful packet loss. Each room has its own network, and whoever set it up doesn’t seem to know what they’re doing. Valet parking was uncovered and felt more like a hassle than a convenience: they park cars right behind the hotel, so you pay to stand there while yours is moved 25 yards. I’d stay here only if I needed the location.

We left after one night and stayed a couple of miles away at the Courtyard, where it was cheaper and much more comfortable. Here, the bed was old and squeaky, so sleep was poor. At breakfast our first table had a whole piece of bacon and other food on the floor; the next one had dirty coffee cups. Even the wine came in a dirty glass. The hotel is quaint and well located, but the room and cleanliness issues made us move.

I’ve never written a negative review before, but please check what your card is actually charged. I stayed one night and was billed for two. On my first call, the front desk said the invoice was wrong and I wouldn’t be charged for two nights, but my statement showed the full amount anyway. I called a second time and was promised a manager would check and call back. No one did. When I tried a third time, I was told the relevant staff had gone home, and nothing was resolved. It felt extremely unprofessional and almost scammy, so I’ve stopped trying to sort it out directly and filed a dispute with my credit card company.