AC Hotel Gainesville Downtown — Attraction in Gainesville

I'm a UF Alumni and a Gold Status Marriott member so it pains me to say, my experience was meh. Not worth the hype. Unless you need to be across from campus, I'd book somewhere else. You'll be more comfortable, save more money and get more amenities.

I drive between South Florida and Atlanta every year and I typically stay overnight in Gainesville. I always stay at a Marriott Property.

During this trip I stayed during the Christmas break, so Gainesville was virtually dead and hotels were cheap. So why not stay at the hottest property in town?

Good:

1. Location. It's walking distance to Target, Publix and the campus.
2. New. So things are clean and modern looking.
3. Gym and pool look nice.
4. The ice maker on each floor is also a water dispenser.

Bad (I knew some of this going into the reservation, but I'd point them out anyways)

1. $20 valet. It's not really about the money, but the inconvenience. I woulda been alright w/ a $10 self parking charge. I decided to get dinner that night from Publix because I didn't want to get my car again. Satchel's pizza woulda been nice. When I checked out I waited ~10 minutes for the valet. When I gave him my tag he just said my car is right there (pointed me in a direction). I thought it was standard procedure for people who were parked on the 1st floor. But as I was getting into my car, I saw him come get the car next to mine.

On the one hand I was glad I didn't have to tip him, on the other woulda been nice to get my $20 worth of valet. I put myself through college and treat UF students nicely in terms of tip - if they earn it.

2. There's a roof top pool. Fancy. But it's not heated. There are other Marriott properties in Gainesville w/ a heated pool. I came in December, and water was too cold to swim. You're going to spend all that money for a roof top pool, and not heat it? Come on. Even my Holiday Inn Express in the Florida Keys was heated. On the roof top there's a fire pit. It wasn't on. If it's not on at night in December when is it on? So we couldn't use the pool because it wasn't heated, and we couldn't stay up there because the fire pit wasn't on. Very welcoming...
3. No free breakfast. Utilized the Publix the night before to get breakfast.
4. No microwave. So the breakfast from Publix was just yogurt. Woulda been nice to buy a breakfast bowl and heat it up.
5. Free coffee only from 6:30AM - 10AM. Many properties is free 24/7. Coffee is cheap.
6. The in room coffee is a cheap coffee maker w/ those disposable filters..Like the ones you'd see at Days Inn. I'm used to seeing Keurigs. Again, cheaping out on the customers.
7. When they built this hotel, the 2 elevators are not the size. One if them is VERY small. You can fit the luggage cart and barely 4 people (my family was squeezed in TIGHT). The other elevator is normal size. Unfortunately when we checked in and out, we got the small elevator with all our luggage!
8. Luggage cart provided was tiny. Could barely fit the luggage for my 4 family members.
9. The garbage cans dont' have garbage bags...not sure if hotel is being cheap, or environmentally friendly. Ended up using grocery bags so we don't dirty up the trashcan.
10. As a gold member I'm eligible for 2PM checkout, and upgrade (if available). When I checked in w/ the app, it said eligible for upgrade. But at check in, the staff said I'm not and I'm short some points (huh?). Whatever, I just needed to stay a night, anyways. Also my app for my current reservation said 12PM checkout...which is weird. It's as if their system didn't recognize my status.
11. Cleaning staff knocked on my door at 10AM to see if I've checked out yet...
12. The checkin staff did give me a campus view instead of an upgrade. The view is of trees. You can just see the top of century tower. I do appreciate her trying, though.
13. There's not much room for your car when you pull in/pull out. It creates a dangerous situation.

All in all, great place due to location, but it does not provide value or good experience any other way. Will stay elsewhere...

This is not my kind of hotel. I felt as if I was sleeping in a display room at Ikea. The duvet is covered with a sheet which has the consistency of a fine displosable hand towel. The shower has no seat or shelf making it challenging to shaving your legs. Room service is a nonexistant. Which is honestly my mistake for not reading that tidbit when booking my stay. There is a tiny room in the lobby which serves breakfast, I missed it this morning, but plan to try tomorrow.

Maybe I was put off by my check-in experience. The very sweet girl at registration asked if would like a high floor. Yes, please, I replied. She smiled, and went on to explain she's giving be a lovely room overlooking the college campus and fields. I arrived to my fourth floor room (there are ten total) and went to the window to see the view. Turns out my room actually overlooks the neighboring apartments and dog park. It is always fun to watch puppies play, but not as fun to hear the barking at 1 am. Please note, I could hear street level barking on the 4th floor. In fact, I could hear everything going on the hall and room above me. Being that the hotel is new I'm not sure I had anyone in the rooms next to me. The walls are very thin and allow sound to travel. What the walls do block out, is your cellphone signal. Forget about using your cellular data on your computer and do not plan to make a phone call while in your room. It won't work and if your phone happens to connect your call won't last long.

Privacy is not a concern in this hotel. Should you decide to use the business center it is located in the lobby. They offer (best guess) a 27" iMac and Samsung printer. Yes, nice equipment, but your back is to tge lobby allowing everyone around you to view your screen, watch you type a password etc.

I spent my day working at a coffee shop, disrupting the fellow patrons with my phone calls. I planned to spend my day working in my room. This hotel is not business travel friendly, unless you plan to spend your time off the property bad do not plan to communicate with tge outside world.

For anyine wondering, yes, I expressed my frustration to the front desk. Apparently, today is their grand opening celebration. My concerns were heard and the response given was this, "I can move you to a higher floor, but there's really not much we can do about the cell service." Apparently, this modern day hotel has never heard of a cell phone booster.

On a positive note, the valet staff is OUTSTANDING! The greet you with a smile, provide you with a cold bottle of water and always called me by my name. Well done valet,...

I stayed at this hotel last night (8/13) and I need help. Through my mother’s app, we messaged and coordinated a late checkout (4PM). A confirmation was sent in writing, we called to make sure, and our keys were extended. When arriving back at the room at around 3:40PM to retrieve our things and leave, we were horrified to the room being made up and empty(as in all of our stuff was gone). Our first thought was to immediately call the desk as this was obviously a horrible mistake by the hotel. The woman on the phone tried to tell me we did not have late checkout. After telling her we had a confirmation message from the front desk, she rudely hung up the phone with no definitive answer or plan of action. So, I took it upon myself to track down some housekeepers in the hallway and see what they knew about my taken belongings. They said when they do a checkout clean, they trash personal items left in the room. I frantically explained that we were NOT checked out. All the housekeepers had nothing to say and when I told them front desk wasn’t helping they replied “Yeah, they’re not going to help you” (What????). Next step was to go to the desk myself and try to get help. After listening to everything that happened, a woman by the name Taylor Skinner started to get irritated. For context, my mother and I were rightfully upset and confused- but we were NOT yelling, cursing, or screaming at her. I was literally crying silently like I couldn’t have yelled at this woman if I tried. I worked front desk for a long time. I understand disasters like these happen. And yet with all this added empathy I had for her- I was APPALLED by the way Taylor was treating my mom and I. After telling her I had an extremely valuable gold necklace in the room that was taken, all she did was write down a description and tell me there’s nothing else she can do. We asked her to call a manager or literally lift a finger to help me, and she was flailing her hands around at us and eventually shouted “What do you want me to do” wafting her arms through the air (seriously, check the cameras). Please, I need help. I don’t really care about the ridiculous way we were treated it was just insult to injury. I care about my necklace. It’s gold with the initial F on it. It was taken (along with everything else we owned) from me. At this point I deserve your help. I really just want my necklace back. You guys royally messed up. I don’t even know how to proceed since no one will call me back....