Aloft by Marriott Charleston Airport & Convention Center

My employer booked this reservation under its contract with the property, and I expect a higher level of professionalism and customer care. I’m deeply dissatisfied with how this was handled and would appreciate immediate help resolving it. The lobby and initial welcome were pleasant when I checked in to the Aloft Hotel on 2/27/26, but the room was a letdown. The view was unacceptable, and one window was visibly cracked, as shown in the attached photos. I went downstairs to ask for a different room. The front desk employee said none were ready because housekeeping was still preparing them. I understood, since I’d seen staff cleaning on my floor, and she said I could come back once another room was ready. I took a short walk to give them time. When I returned, another staff member told me abruptly that they weren’t switching rooms and that any available rooms were for new arrivals. I explained I’d just checked in and had been told I could move when a room opened up, but got the same flat refusal. What bothers me is the inconsistency and lack of help: nobody followed up, clarified, or offered another solution, even with the cracked window and the earlier assurance.

We’ll be back in town in a few weeks for another SC Stingrays game. I’d prefer to stay here, but this visit has made me reconsider. The bartender was professional and kind, and showed real hospitality. I usually speak highly of Aloft. My company books at least 1 to 2 rooms a night around the country for our drivers, so this experience was especially disappointing. A few weeks earlier I’d called to ask about early check-in and was told to message the hotel the day of the stay. I did, and was told it could be arranged. But when I arrived, Molly was eating lunch in the main area and helped me. She couldn’t find my reservation, so I had to get on WiFi to retrieve the confirmation number. Then I was told the hotel was extremely busy and no room would be available until 3:00 PM. I was frustrated but stayed polite. I explained I’d planned to decorate the room for a rare weekend away with my significant other, without children. Molly said she’d call when a room was ready. I’d driven down from Myrtle Beach, so I waited in the lobby and saw housekeeping going in and out of rooms. At one point Molly spoke privately with a housekeeper, and I overheard that there was no obligation to give me a room before 3:00 PM. Molly then stepped away for about 15 to 20 minutes. More than an hour later, another staff member kindly said a room was ready and encouraged Molly not to be overwhelmed. Molly had trouble processing check-in because of computer problems and told me I’d need to return later to pay, since I hadn’t been charged. The room had its own issues. The shower only had hot water, the fridge didn’t cool properly, and the bathroom door was so hard to close we had to leave it open. The window shade wouldn’t lower or raise all the way, so sunlight woke us both mornings. The thermostat showed 68 degrees the whole time, though the room kept swinging between too hot and too cold. The room condition and the service from Molly left us very dissatisfied.

After driving four hours for a concert, we arrived at 6:30pm and learned our room had been given away because the hotel was overbooked. The desk said an email had gone out, but it was sent at 6pm. Nobody offered a sincere apology or tried to find us somewhere nearby. I travel once a month and haven’t run into this before. It makes it seem like a reservation isn’t secure, even if it’s prepaid, because the hotel may give the room away to whoever checks in first. Very poor customer service for a Marriott hotel.

The hotel is close to Tanger outlet, Walmart, and plenty of restaurants. Housekeeping was disappointing: I had to ask for fresh towels every day, and on the last day I had to wait. They had no washcloths. As part of Marriott, I expected better service.