Canal Street Marriot is not living up to its chain's reputation

I was in New Orleans, coordinating and producing a video on security cameras for one of my client. He arranged for my shooter and I to stay at the Marriott on Canal Street. After getting up at 4 a.m. to catch a plan and then working all day, the prospect of a shower and the use of a bathroom was something I needed.



My client had made a reservation for me, but the front desk couldn't find my name. When I asked if I could use my gmail account to check the reservation number, Alajendro, the front desk rep suggested that I could go the business center and pay for access time to check the reservation number. Perhaps, it was the salt stains or the fact that I smelled like I had been outside all day or the muddy shoes I was wearing, but that had to be the most moronic thing I have ever heard.



I have stayed at other hotels where you could go to a business center at no cost to check a reservation number. However, Alejandro thought it was best for me to pay for this cost.



When I asked to speak to his boss, Alysia said I was being rude for suggesting that her staff member was "brainless" in his customer service. Again, it was perhaps my dirty clothes worn on three construction sites or the cut of my clothes.



I did speak to her manager and we finally found that the reservation was in my client's name. The process took 20 minutes when a simple call to someone with Internet access could have helped me find my reservation number and information.



However, the check out from the hotel was just as bad. My client had paid for my reservation with his credit card and make a reservation. I was asked to give a credit card to secure the reservation. After another 15 minutes, I think we got the payment issue resolved.



After sharing this experience with my wife, I like her take on the treatment. To her, it seem that the staff at the Marriott were more concerned with following process, but more importantly, they didn't have a stake in my welfare.

I know from reading about Marriott that they typically are tuned into customer service, but perhaps Bill Marriott should reconsider ways to improve the way they treat guests who need temporary access to the Internet to check on a reservation number.