Aria's housekeeping is a joke (long read)

This is taken directly from an e-mail I am sending their customer service department, so it's long and the voice is as if spoken to the hotel. I'm sure you can figure it out, though. And the formatting got messed up between copy and paste.

I think anyone looking to stay there should be forewarned. Note, this was just their standard room since it was a holiday weekend.

Without further ado:

>>>I would like to share my experience(s)from the past weekend. Overall, everyone I encountered was very friendly and helpful, from the first greeting and throughout our stay. However, your housekeeping is such a stain on the property that I would downgrade it to a 4-star property, rather than a 5-star resort. Without embellishment, here is the story:

My girlfriend and I arrived Friday evening for a special anniversary weekend, set to leave Monday afternoon. We had never traveled to Las Vegas together, so I wanted to make sure we stayed at one of the nicer MGM properties. Aria seemed to be the natural choice from what I had seen and heard, and since neither of us had stayed with you before, we were both very excited. We are not high maintenance by any stretch, but we do appreciate quality, value, and customer service.

As I said, everyone greeted us warmly -- bell station, front desk, even passing employees in the hallway -- which was nice. Saturday afternoon, a member of housekeeping saw us coming out of our room and noted that if we wanted to get housekeeping, it would be best to phone housekeeping since we had had the privacy light on. I thanked her and informed her that we would not need any that day, but we would definitely call that night or the next day if we needed anything. We left the privacy light on for the remainder of the day and night.

Sunday, we decided that since I sweat a lot sleeping Saturday night (and yes, I understand it's very difficult to keep the rooms cool when it hits 110+ outside) and since we had both taken multiple showers since we arrived, we would like new sheets and towels.

I called housekeeping around 2:00-2:30 PM, stating that we had had our privacy light on, but we would now like to have our towels and linens changed and to get normal housekeeping service.

Maybe 15 minutes later, a gentleman arrived and said "here are the towels you ordered." I gave him a confused look and told him we wanted the full service, linens changed, etc. He said OK, sorry, I will tell housekeeping.

We threw our towels in a pile on the bathroom floor, turned the "service" light on, and left to go shopping. We saw him speaking with one of the housekeepers who was cleaning a room a few doors down from ours, explaining the mix-up.

Upon arriving back at the hotel at 7:30PM, we just wanted to take quick showers and relax for a bit before going to have a nice dinner. Inexplicably, our room had not been touched over 5 hours after the request. Being exhausted and sweaty, I tried to remain composed, and I called housekeeping to see what had happened. I was not given an explanation, but I was told someone would be by in 15 minutes.

8:00PM comes without any service. I go downstairs to speak with a supervisor, and Ryan was very perplexed, but apologetic. He suggested we call housekeeping, and when I informed him that we had already done that, he said he would call immediately since he would "have more pull" than us. Before we left the front desk, Ryan told us that he would "take care of the room for the night for the inconvenience." I thought that was generous but appropriate under the circumstances.

We decide that we need to at least get a snack, so we return at 8:30 PM to allow enough time for housekeeping to come and service our room. We return to find that, again, no housekeeping service has been made. At this point, I'm ready to scream, because I'm even more exhausted and now my girlfriend is upset that our last night is "ruined" by the housekeeping fiasco. I calmly make my way down to talk to Ryan, who appears appalled. He spoke with the executive head of housekeeping and ensured us that a manager and housekeeper were on their way to our room. He also offered us a $50 dining credit if we would like. $50 isn't bad, but as you know, it doesn't go a long way in the Aria. It was a nice gesture, however.

We decide we should just grab our "welcome cocktail" so we can relax a bit while they service our room.

Finally we return to our room a little after 9:00 PM. The room had been serviced, but to a very disappointing degree. Clearly, no vacuuming occurred; none of the surfaces in the bedroom were wiped down; our glassware was not replenished; the marble floors had obviously not been cleaned. I could smell some sort of cleaner in the bathroom, but a very lazy job was done in there too: the shower ledge where our shampoo, shower gel, and a razors, remained unchanged from when we left; there were hairs in the sink and on the ground that did not appear to belong to either of us; none of the toiletry items were replenished except for the bars of soap; and the toilet did not appear cleaned, either.

I called Ryan to let him know of the sub-standard service from housekeeping, assuring him that I was not looking for any freebies or handouts. I can only imagine what sort of a scene someone less rational than me might have made.

After our long day shopping, we were unable to relax and unwind as we had wanted to do before having a nice, romantic dinner to end our celebration. However, because of poor communication and poor execution by housekeeping, our plans were sadly derailed. We were both so exasperated that we just ordered room service and collapsed. The food was satisfactory and thanks to Ryan, we only wound up paying for the tip, but it wasn't quite the same as going out for a nice dinner.

I'd like to share one more misstep by housekeeping. We requested a late checkout and were told we could check out at 1pm so we could get a little more rest. However, our attempts at additional sleep were foiled by knocks from two different members of the housekeeping staff: one at 11:52 AM and another 16 minutes later at 12:08 PM. After all we went through the prior day, all we wanted to do was sleep in and feel unrushed, but housekeeping even managed to mess that up for us.

I would like to commend your staff overall, and Ryan especially. He did what a good manager should do, given what he was dealing with. Honestly, the problems with housekeeping may be enough to cause me to look elsewhere for my next stay. I'm easy to please, but housekeeping was a major blemish on our experience, and I know my girlfriend was especially disappointed. Please address their issues before you alienate or disappoint any more guests!

One final thing I found a bit odd was that we still had to pay resort fees on the comped night; I've never heard of a hotel charging a resort fee on a comped night. It felt very "nickle-and-dime" to me, but I did not want to raise a big fuss at check-out.>>>

I'll update this if/when I get a response.


EDIT: Update should be on page 5

Very well written. It was fascinating - in a sucky sort of way.

I do not doubt that you're get a reply. It will probably contain a lot of back-pedaling. I bet it will also contain a free room offer. Whether it's totally free, or you'd have to pay taxes or resort fees is another question...

Quote: seviay

One final thing I found a bit odd was that we still had to pay resort fees on the comped night; I've never heard of a hotel charging a resort fee on a comped night. It felt very "nickle-and-dime" to me, but I did not want to raise a big fuss at check-out.

For the record, this only partially surprises me.

I believe that if the room was comped because of your casino player status, you'd still have to pay the resort fee (or use comp credits to pay for that). Taxes too.

This was different. The hotel/resort fucked up, and the resort gave you the room for free as compensation. Therefore, you should NOT have been charged the resort fee.

Quote: seviay

Saturday afternoon, a member of housekeeping saw us coming out of our room and noted that if we wanted to get housekeeping, it would be best to phone housekeeping since we had had the privacy light on. I thanked her and informed her that we would not need any that day, but we would definitely call that night or the next day if we needed anything. We left the privacy light on for the remainder of the day and night.

As Adam Savage likes to say "Well, there's your problem!"

Seriously, housekeeping is supposed to be done on all occupied rooms every day. They won't replace your linens and towels daily, but they'll tidy up, run the vacuum, make the beds, replenish toiletries, etc (the last depending on the amenities in your room, like adding supplies for the coffee maker). If you tel them once to leave the room alone, they'll quickly make a habit of it.

So, next time, unless you're returning to the room shortly, let housekeeping in every day.

As for the resort fees, that sucks.

Seriously, how many showers a day did these people take? Don't they know most of Lake Mead is a parking lot now?

I'm sorry but honestly I can't really sympathize too much with these people. Maybe it's just because I'm not a highroller and have never expected such a high degree of service.

Ok so you informed them not to disturb you which they made a note of not to do. Then when you told them you had changed your mind it took them a while to understand and communicate the mix-up, which was their only fault really. It doesn't sound like the end of the world to me, but apparently it was to you two (I don't quite comprehend how a sub-par cleaning job derails plans to go out to eat). So then you requested another favor to check out late and the housekeeping people came by at 12 to do their job and check to see if you were still there. If you planned to be out of the hotel at 1 how much later than 12 were you really planning on sleeping?

According to you everything else about the stay was satisfactory, the people were friendly, and they offered multiple comps for the delayed service. Unless you're dropping tens of thousands on the tables I don't think there is much justification in getting this worked up about a small miscommunication.

The post itself was very well-written and readable. But if I were Aria I would kindly reply that you are simply not worth the hassle and that they're not going to do any further begging for your business.

There is no excuse once you notified the proper people resposible for that. I agree though once you tell them you do not want service you are screwed. I have stayed at the Aria and had a great stay the rooms were very cool and their base room is better than the deluxe rooms at most places. The only problem I had was checking in we arrived about 11:00am on a Sunday which I can understand a room not being available after a Saturday night but when we returned at 4:00 still no room and then I was told one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I asked well what is your check in time? I was told " we do not have one when ever the room is ready you can check in". I said you have a check out time but no check in time she confirmed yes. I told her that she should repeat that into a recorder and play it back so she can hear how dumb that sounds before she repeats it to anyone else. I then asked for a supervisor and received a room becasue I was not waiting in line a 3rd time. I liked the place. I thought their restaurants were lacking the buffet was good but not as good as the M or Bellagio. The people were friendly and it is nice especially with the tram to get around. I did not care for the casino it was nice but it just did not do anything for me. The VP is bad. The video keno is bad. The craps tables were nice and the dealers friendly. Personally I will stay at the Bellagio or Paris if I have a choice. Yes, the resort fee sucks and feels cheap like they are trying to suck every nickel they can out of you.

Quote: MrRalph

I said you have a check out time but no check in time she confirmed yes. I told her that she should repeat that into a recorder and play it back so she can hear how dumb that sounds before she repeats it to anyone else.

I don't get it.

I've booked hotels that say check-in time is, say, 11 AM, but if I arrive at 9 am I check in without problems and am not charged the previous night. On the other end of the spectrum, I've arrived at hotels very late at night, say around 1 or 2 am, and was checked in without any fuss. And again I just got charged for the night I stayed.

Trying to find some sympathy...................FAIL!!!

Quote: MrRalph

.... I asked well what is your check in time? I was told " we do not have one when ever the room is ready you can check in". I said you have a check out time but no check in time she confirmed yes.

The way it was phrased was dumb, but the policy is not.

Hotels do have a check-in time. Prior to that time, rooms are assigned if they are available, but they are "supposed" to be available at the schedued time. Is Aria saying that they don't have a scheduled time?

While it is true that housekeeping may not be able to keep up with demand and may not have enough rooms ready at the specified check-in time, surely, they have a target time that they strive to achieve.


In Sept, I go on my first cruise ever. One of the things I am curious about is how they manage to turn the entire ship over in a relatively short timespan. I saw a show about this featuring Oasis of the Seas - the world's largest cruise ship. Although that show focused more on general operations of "Embarkation Day" including restocking supplies, and passenger documentation problems, they did mention that their target window between the last passenger getting off, and the first passenger getting on, is only one hour!

Quote: DJTeddyBear

In Sept, I go on my first cruise ever. One of the things I am curious about is how they manage to turn the entire ship over in a relatively short timespan. I saw a show about this featuring Oasis of the Seas - the world's largest cruise ship. Although that show focused more on general operations of "Embarkation Day" including restocking supplies, and passenger documentation problems, they did mention that their target window between the last passenger getting off, and the first passenger getting on, is only one hour!

Even though they let you on that early you can't get to your room until quite a bit later. The times I went departure was at 5pm. You were not allowed in to your cabin until 4 or 4:30. Then they usually immediately have the safety thing which keeps you out for another hour.