How does it feel to be a year older? I don't feel any different - Other than being in denial that my hair is still slowly falling out and getting thinner. Next year is the big 3-0.
We postponed my birthday this year as I was in San Jose, and Amanda was pulling two 14 hour days on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. So I took the day off on Friday and we celebrated by going to Disneyland in the morning. For dinner we indulged ourselves in a wonderful dinner at the Agora Churrascaria steakhouse. There is a buffet salad bar and side dishes, then the waiters come around and serve all kinds of chicken, pork, and steak. All you can eat steak is my kind of thing. If you're ever in the South Coast Plaza area, I highly recommend this restaurant. Then we finished up the evening with a little shopping. I got some new work clothes, as well as I have my eye on some noise cancelling headphones for all the travelling I'm doing.
These next two months will prove to be busy and challenging. I graduate with my masters degree on May 5, but from now until then I also have 3 work related trips scheduled (3 days in Baltimore, 3 days in San Jose, and another 3 days in San Jose) all in April while I'm trying to finish up 4 major projects and a major paper to finish my classes.
But, on May 4 it will be all over, and Amanda and I will be on a plane to Washington DC so I can walk in my Graduation on the 5th. We're also going to take a week afterwards for vacation to visit the nation's capital. In September we're going to spend a week in Hawaii as well! (I gotta use those frequent flier miles and 325 hours of accumulated vacation time somehow right)
Saturday, March 10, 2007
A Letter to Hilton
I just returned from a one night stat at the Hilton San Jose (Mar 6-7). This had to be one of the worst hilton experiences I have had. I am current a Starwood Gold member and try to stay at Starwood properties whenever possible because they know how to treat me as a business traveler. This time, the Hilton San Jose was the only hotel in the area with available space at a reasonable rate, so I booked a night there. The reservation was for a non-smoking room selected at checkin.
When I checked the night before on the Hhonors website, it said non-smoking confirmed, room selected at checking. Thinking everything was ok, I proceeded to the hotel. When went to check in, the desk clerk said there were no non-smoking rooms available - so much for non-smoking confirmed. This was not ok with me as I am very sensitive to the smell. I was given lounge access for the trouble, but there was nothing else they could do. I decided to try it.
I get to my room, and it is filthy. It is not what I would expect out of a hilton room, and is far below what Starwood provides. The room appears as if it has not been renovated in 20+ years. The bathroom is clearly dated, but the worst part is black stained grout in the shower, stains on the bathroom floor, and a toilet that occassionally ran. During the night, I noticed that the walls were paper thin. I could hear what was happening in the rooms next to me. In the morning I was woken up by their showers as I could hear all of that through the walls. The noise extended outside as well as my room overlooked a light rail station. I was kept awake at night by the constant clanging of bells every time a train entered the station.
All of that, while clearly annoying, can be overlooked for one night. However, in the morning when I got up to take a shower, I found that there was no hot water in the shower. I took a very quick cold shower in the morning which is completely unacceptable. Hot water is one of those absolute necessities whereever you go.
I don't know what you can do to compensate for my troubles, but something needs to happen if I am ever going to consider hilton again. I will be returning to the San Jose area twice in April, and have already reserved a Sheraton property for those stays even though it is farther away and more expensive than the hilton. At this point, unless something changes, I would consider staying at a Starwood property 30 miles away rather than a convenient hilton property.
When I checked the night before on the Hhonors website, it said non-smoking confirmed, room selected at checking. Thinking everything was ok, I proceeded to the hotel. When went to check in, the desk clerk said there were no non-smoking rooms available - so much for non-smoking confirmed. This was not ok with me as I am very sensitive to the smell. I was given lounge access for the trouble, but there was nothing else they could do. I decided to try it.
I get to my room, and it is filthy. It is not what I would expect out of a hilton room, and is far below what Starwood provides. The room appears as if it has not been renovated in 20+ years. The bathroom is clearly dated, but the worst part is black stained grout in the shower, stains on the bathroom floor, and a toilet that occassionally ran. During the night, I noticed that the walls were paper thin. I could hear what was happening in the rooms next to me. In the morning I was woken up by their showers as I could hear all of that through the walls. The noise extended outside as well as my room overlooked a light rail station. I was kept awake at night by the constant clanging of bells every time a train entered the station.
All of that, while clearly annoying, can be overlooked for one night. However, in the morning when I got up to take a shower, I found that there was no hot water in the shower. I took a very quick cold shower in the morning which is completely unacceptable. Hot water is one of those absolute necessities whereever you go.
I don't know what you can do to compensate for my troubles, but something needs to happen if I am ever going to consider hilton again. I will be returning to the San Jose area twice in April, and have already reserved a Sheraton property for those stays even though it is farther away and more expensive than the hilton. At this point, unless something changes, I would consider staying at a Starwood property 30 miles away rather than a convenient hilton property.
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