Residence Inn Marriott Palo Alto Los Altos

I was there on Thursday afternoon around 5-7pm January 29, and the front desk interaction was cold and disengaged. There was no greeting or smile, and it felt transactional. The staff member asked for my ID twice because she seemed distracted when she first looked at it. Honestly, I’d have preferred self check-in to that rude experience. As an elite member, I saw welcome bags set aside, but nobody offered me one or acknowledged me. Several coworkers had the same experience, so it wasn’t just me. From a business and management standpoint, leadership should make sure individual employees aren’t left to determine the guest experience. Hospitality starts at the front desk, and it was missing here.

The room I was assigned hadn’t been cleaned. There was pee around the toilet, hair in the bowl, and spiders running around. The landline/intercom didn’t work, and the unit was at the back of the building where cell service was negligible. The receptionists were both rude, full of attitude, and had no communication skills. Don’t book this for corporate travel.

We had a wonderful stay, thanks especially to manager Tim and employees Lata, Sini, and Cristine. They’re warm, kind, helpful, hardworking, and have such darling personalities. We love the Residents Inn by Marriott in Los Altos and Palo Alto. The rooms and amenities are great, and the location is very convenient. I highly recommend it. Thank you!

I canceled three days ahead and was still charged. I have the cancellation numbers, so luckily I can retrieve them. They said they’d call me back, but didn’t, and I had to call for a third time. Then they claimed I canceled late, which isn’t true. Once I told them I had the cancellation numbers, they promised a refund. I’ll see whether it comes through, otherwise I’ll dispute it. They shouldn’t charge me upfront.