underwhelming compared to all other fairmonts
I hate to say this because we always stay at fairmont, we pay the premium for "gold" which works out to $780 per room per day, this time around it wasn't worth it at all.
1. Hotel seems empty, not a lot of traffic which might lend to why the experience was poor.
2. We been to many hotels, I get it... there is a prestige working for a fine hotel, but there was a certain chip with some of the staff. This is foreshadowing what's to come.
3. Room is great, just what we expected. Nice and big, spacious and the welcoming. Washrooms great.
4. The gold comes with breakfast and canapés throughout the day, there is nothing much to it. It was pretty basic, even as basic as the holiday inn. Our experience at all other fairmonts have been amazing, great food, great orders, great service from preparing a drink etc. Here they put out the breakfast and 1 person mans the whole gold area which says enough, there wasn't a wow at breakfast and there wasn't a wow throughout. We could have went out for breakfast and saved $400 x 2 rooms on the premium we paid for getting some nuts and candies in the afternoon and some cheese and salami in the evening.
5. We ordered room service - why is there a $7,00 charge to bring up food to your room and then an expectation to pay a tip on top of that. Hate surprise charges, I am a good tipper but a service charge to bring it up the elevator?~!
6. The staff on the gold side were great as they usually are, there was a lady who always had a nice smiley face on and inviting. The gentleman in the afternoon also great, offered to get us some creative drinks and really tried to get us to try everything.
7. Lumeire resto - for such an elaborately decorated spot they have a very short menu. Food was okay.
8. Spa - great, but one thing. When we booked they told us if we go with gold we will get 15% off spa services that was not acknowledged at checkout. I am not one to make a scene but was very disappointed, and then in some swift words they said gold is just room upgrade nothing special. LOL. Our fault for spending the additional amount, that being said we were torn between the four seasons and the fairmont, we have always been "fairmont" people but this time around i think we will rethink that going forward. I think we keep comparing it other experiences when reality is these are franchises, that being said we should have come in person checked out the gold area before handing over money and feeling a bit ripped.
I will say there is potential, building, rooms, decor all amazing but I am was paying for service above the cost of the room and for that I did not find value.
We did see the owner of the hotel pass by at one point, he was engaging with a new staff member(she was great) I over heard him say all the right things about the hotel mission but I don't think think the rest of the staff really embody that.
for reference we have stayed at the fairmont in -
chicago / toronto/ banff/ downtown calgary