Jun 2010 - Last weekend, we spent a night at the Ventura Marriott after an unpleasant adventure at the Pierpont Inn (see previous review). Our room was very pleasant and the pool area was quite inviting. Not a tropical setting, but rather a comfortable atmosphere with poolside service. And yes, they had an outdoor Jacuzzi. It should be noted that the Pierpont Inn did not have an outdoor spa and suggested we use the local racquet club with an indoor Jacuzzi loaded with heavy amounts of chlorine. Points for the Ventura Marriott.
The Marriott has some decent dining options although we chose to hang out in downtown Ventura for the music scene. We have stayed at Marriott hotels in Paris, France and all throughout the United States. The comfort level was just as we expected. Great bedding!
Ok, now here's where they fell short - upon arrival, we had no reservations, but they had plenty of rooms available. After receiving the room rate, we proceeded to contact the Marriott call center for a better price. The price was the same, however the sales agent suggested we ask for a free upgrade to a suite. When we asked the front desk agent for an upgrade, he said no. We than asked to speak with the manager on duty and were again denied by the front desk agent stating that he can make his own decision and does not require assistance from a manager. The fact that he opted not to find the manager on duty was not acceptable.
The matter was later resolved, but this is a complete example of how our institutions are lacking customer service. In a time when our economy has been in a recession and consumers are searching for a good deal, hotels should be looking for a variety of ways to bring in new business without sacrificing their customer service. Why is we seem to pay more and get less? I just don't understand it. In any event, the Ventura Marriott scored well with their product but lacked quality customer service.
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