Here’s another datapoint for what is emerging as an alarming trend: hotels are playing a disingenuous cost-savings game when it comes to service and amenities under the guise of COVID-19. Our story today takes us to a Courtyard Marriott in Milwaukee.
Courtyard Marriott Has An Odd Definition Of Safety
A reader sent me a trip report with some photos that I cannot help but to share. Here were his observations about the property:
- Checked in and staff were not wearing masks and no screen was installed (as is standard now in most every property I have been to)
- Housekeeping staff did not wear masks
- I asked to get water and was informed that all “bistro” items are not available due to COVID-19 precautions
- I asked how requesting to purchase water was a safety issue and was met with a maskless shrug
- I asked if there was coffee in the morning and was informed that, no, I had a coffee maker in the room…and this was due to “local ordinances.” Huh? It’s Wisconsin and Starbucks is open, lol. And restaurants nearby are quite active…
- I got to the room and found there were no cups provided for coffee, or, well, anything else
- So I asked them and they said, “Yes, for your safety, cups are by request only.”
- This of course as they wore no mask and had no shield…and still handed me cups
- I’m not even going to go on about the few idiots who were shoeless in the lobby and laughing with the front desk person about how stupid the “Covid thing” is
- No breakfast served..COVID-19 blamed
The reader, who is a road warrior, summed up the experience in this way:
“Our staff are here to infect you, but we are providing nothing for you in the meantime for your protection.”
The manager sans mask:
No water for sale:
The shower:
CONCLUSION
Let’s see: no water available “because of COVID-19.” No coffee service “because of COVID-19.” No cups in the room “because of COVID-19.” No breakfast “because of COVID-19.” But we can’t be bothered to wear masks or clean your shower…
Did you expect anything less from Marriott?
We went on a national parks tour and experienced a similar. I’ve filed complaints with all corporate franchisors.
Hilton Garden Inn – Casper, WY — no masks by any employees
Curio Alex Johnson – Rapid City, SD — no masks by any employees except one valet attendant
We checked out early from the Curio due to hearing our neighbor coughing up a lung and checked in to the Holiday Inn Rushmore Plaza, which was much better. Every employee masked and Covid safety was a priority.
Hilton Garden Inn Rapid City did have some front desk employees wearing masks a couple weekends ago, and they had installed the barriers at the front desk.
It would have been interesting to hear their reply when you pointed out all the things that weren’t happening due to covid and then asked them… “then why aren’t you wearing a mask?”
People should know the top 6 things to Covid-19 prevention
1. Stay home if sick
2. Stay home if possible when not sick
2. wash hands, don’t touch face
3. wear mask
4. social distancing/physical distancing, more than 6 feet if possible
5. avoid crowds
Very easy, usually. It’s thought that spread goes down to possibly near zero when 90% or more of the public wears masks and does these steps.
No water is not one of them.
@ derek — Or simply:
1) Stay home
2) Stay home
3) Stay home
4) Stay home
5) Stay home
6) Stay home
@Gene: or move into a cave and stay there until a vaccine is found. Well, maybe you will never leave the cave. What @derek is what everyone should do plus if you are in the group of risk then stay home. You cannot shut down the planet because of a virus. You have to learn how to live with it and staying home is not the right way.
Surprisingly, Wisconsin does not require face covering or masks – it’s only a recommendation. Similarly, it does not require plexiglass barriers either, unlike other states for service counters.
Actually it’s not that surprising considering that the obstructionists who control the Wisconsin legislature continually strip the governor and executive branch of any authority to take any common-sense steps on Covid-19 or anything else,
Not doing Marriott anymore for the foreseeable future. Thanks for the post!
It will come down to natural selection. Those who don’t follow precautions will get sick (e.g. those hitting restaurants, beaches, and having backyard bbq hugfests) and those who are being careful will largely avoid getting sick. It’s hard to avoid all of the inconsiderate people who are maskless and walk too close to you, but let them get each other sick, I say.
There’s going to be an increased premium on hotels that offer bungalow or villa type rooms that are more spaced apart and have private entrances than typical hotels that share hallways and elevators.
Ok, Darwin.
I stayed at the Alida in Savannah a week ago. The staff was extremely careful and all had masks (restaurant too).
The stay was fantastic and my hats off to the team.
Marriott is a terrible company, this is not surprising
And CY is their worst brand by far. FS prices for LS offerings.
The limited-service brands and the lower level full-service brands by the franchisee or their third-party management company. When you find a real bad Marriott or Hilton, it’s worth finding out the management company and then looking them up online to find the list of other properties you should avoid. Aimbridge Hospitality is one of the worst.
Given Marriott’s preference to brand their own water, which actually comes from the cheapest nearby municipal source (thinking of you Anaheim Courtyard and your city of Modesto sourced water in a Marriott bottle), this is a LOT, LOT safer for you. God only knows where the City of Modesto gets its water. It ain’t the Crystal Geyser spring.
Sad to say, but this likely will become the new Marriott norm post-covid. Keep the rates up and cut the services.
This might be a property-specific issue?
I stayed at five Marriott properties in Utah, California, and Nevada over the last two weeks. Two Courtyards, two Marriotts, and one SpringHill.
Each one followed very similar and very rigorous safety protocols. Elevator rules, partitions, staff in masks, etc. More than what was required locally.
I was impressed and felt very safe, especially compared to the non-chain hotels I stayed in during the same trip.
I have not been a fan of Marriott since SPG ended, but my recent experiences left a very positive impression.
Awful, almost beyond belief! The hypocrisy from these mega multinationals is insane!
The one company that has been consistent throughout the brand and across the country is Starbucks. Since traveling the past few weeks for work I have been going there every morning across many states. At every single store all employees are wearing a mask. Many as well allow only mobile or drive through None of them have indoor seating. More importantly, it’s consistent. Of course, can’t say the same for the customers.
Clearly the way you implement and message to your managers and staff does work. If you really care. Starbucks proves it. Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt…not so much.
The difference is unlike Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt or IHG, Starbucks operates its own stories. The only Starbucks stores franchised and operated by third parties are the kiosks and mini-stores in grocery stores, Macy’s, highway rest areas, etc. This is why licensing your brand to third parties is a bad idea without rigorous quality control.
True. But maybe this is a wake up that providing a consistent product that saves lives is just as important as providing a consistent product that currently has the ability to assure the same bathroom amenities and elevator ads. It’s not that hard.
Come on everyone. It isn’t Marriott. It is the local owner or operator. Marriott is basically just a booking platform. The vast majority of its hotels across all brands are no longer managed by Marriott. Even the high-end brands like JW Marriott, W and Ritz-Carlton are increasingly operated by the franchisee and not Marriott. Marriott can only do so much. Look at how it basically couldn’t mandate an across-the-board breakfast benefit for eligible elites. Does anyone think that’s going to change given coronavirus? Marriott has already suspending enforcement of guaranteed benefits. So, no compensation if the hotel walks you or the hotel gives you two queen beds when you booked a king. As bad as Marriott is, IHG is far worse. Hyatt and Hilton are the only big hoteliers that manage a majority of their properties, but again only at the upscale brands. The limited-service brands and the lower level full-service brands at Hyatt and Hilton are typically operated by the franchisee or their third-party management company. When you find a real bad Marriott or Hilton, it’s worth finding out the management company and then looking them up online to find the list of other properties you should avoid. Aimbridge Hospitality is one of the worst.
Exactly!
Preach! Totally agree
First of all this is a Franchise hotel. You should have make your homework and see which company managed this property instead of saying “Marriott”.
Second of all, instead of generalized about 6000 hotels in the world that employees over 185,000 employees, usually good journalist would have reached out to the hotel for a comment.
I’m well aware it is a franchise hotel, but if it is operating with a Marriott sign out front, I will call it a Marriott.
Ok, Karen….
The title of this article is misleading. This is ONE single Courtyard by Marriott and does not reflect the experiences at most other Marriott properties.
While I do agree that proper safety procedures should be followed, you need to be more specific in you scare tactic titles. But of course, you do it for more clicks to line your own pockets from your sponsors.
Sorry, I disagree. I do it because Marriott lends their name and logo to this property.
Just back from a trip to Maine and Néw Hampshire staying at courtyard Marriot’s in Portland and Portsmouth. And so surprised that none of the staff wore masks and had no barrier. When a customer in front of me asked why they aren’t wearing masks since the new local guideline was to wear a mask inside the woman said she worked all though covid and never got sick. So I reminded her as we all need to that it’s not just about her. She could be asymptomatic but spreading it like wildfire to all the hotel customers she comes in contact with. I was so unpleasantly surprised that at both locations nobody working there wore masks. I wrote Marriot and they just sent a blanket letter about all the covid guidelines issued that they were doing to protect their clients. Not cleaning the rooms being one of them and supposedly sanitizing. When I said none of that means anything if the main protection of wearing a mask is not enforced. Especially since my assumption in these two states is that they might not even be vaccinated. It’s not rocket science to put a simple mask ma date in place to protect your clients.