The Laughing Wolf

A Big Baltimore Don't

If business takes you to Baltimore and you are a business traveller or otherwise need access to the net, do not stay at the Radisson Lord Baltimore Hotel downtown. The best part of the hotel is the lobby, and it is worth going in to look at the ceiling. Other than that...

I was travelling with someone and the room was in their name. We asked for a split folio at the start, and they did not want to do that. No biggie, I thought... Then came the problems. One of the most profound was with the Golden Tree for-fee allegedly high-speed wifi. Suffice it to say that I played Diogenes and wandered the halls with laptop and field strength meter trying to find signal for the pricey service. That was the best experience I had with the service while there, and given the effort it took to get a Golden Tree rep to depart script and realize that there was no bleeping signal, I will give serious consideration to picking any hotel that does not use them. Esp. given what I was told by a member of the staff in regards signal and service...

My travelling companion complained enough that the manager moved us up to the "Plaza Level" to ensure better service. Great, except still not a great signal and the fact that two of us needed to be able to log in, sometimes at the same time, seems to have escaped notice.

This also does not mention the fun of the move. Yes, they moved us, whilst I was working. No, not a problem sayeth the manager, he just needs to bring his key and they will issue a new one. I get back after a very long and tiring day of being on my feet, and get attitude. Of the "we don't know nothing about it and who the hell are you" variety. Of the calling of security, an escort, and the need to double verify who I was and that I was supposed to be in a room with my clothes, luggage, medicines, and more along with a great deal of implication of trouble in my future if I can't establish well beyond a reasonable doubt that I am supposed to be in the room. Call my roomate? Why, no, nothing that reasonable or logical. No, it was all about the 'tude and the night shift was full of it in more ways than one. To the point that I very nicely and without invective chewed the hapless security person for several minutes expressing my displeasure as a guest and a long-time rewards member.

The full of it was not limited to just the front desk and such types, but to the bartender (who really should pick a better role model than Tom Cruise) and even as far down as the guy who delivers the papers with the loudest BAM possible at 0500 and runs when the travelling companion comes down off the ceiling and tries to get his name...

I could go on and mention holes in walls and ceilings and other delights even on the Plaza Level, or other great bits of 'tude and ignorance of professional issues, but I think the point is made. Avoid this hotel like the plague.

LW

UPDATE 1: Just got off the phone from calling Gold Rewards, who transferred me elsewhere, and expressing my displeasure with the hotel. They want to send something to "make it right" but I have also told them firmly that there is no way to make it right. I don't care what they do, I can't recommend this facility and there is no way to make right the experience. The experience is what it was, nothing more and nothing less, and I have no desire to stay there again to see if it improves. They also want to read this column, and I hope they do. May they react better to the blogosphere than many, but I would not be surprised if they don't. We will just have to wait and see.