Grand Adirondack Hotel, Lake Placid, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel — Attraction in Town of North Elba

I booked a room at the Grand Adirondack Hotel in Lake Placid NY, for February 10-11. I have stayed at this property twice before. ||We arrived at Check-In at 3pm, there was no one else checking in. ||||The front desk employee could not locate my reservation. He said that was common since they had 2 separate reservation systems and that "Good old Marriott can't make this any more difficult:"||||He then proceeded to pull out manuals and asked me to sit down as "this is going to take a while". I remained and told him that I had the reservation confirmation on my phone. He asked how I made the reservation. I told him via the web page. He said " Oh that's a problem sometimes because of all the snow in the atmosphere up here. It interferes with the computers “. ||||I then told him that I could easily just check in from the app. He said "No. We don't do that here. We're so close to the border we have to be cautious because of all of the human trafficking. " ||||40 minutes later, accompanied by a running commentary on how awful Marriott is, he informs me that he is going to just book me a new reservation. He then says "You have to call Marriott yourself and cancel your reservation so you don't get charged. Marriott only gave me 3 of the 4 passwords I need”. ||||When I got to my room I did just that, and spoke with Oliver. He was very kind and apologetic and told me that he would open a case for me with my concerns. He assured me that I would hear from the Manager of the property. That evening I went out of my way to NOT go anywhere near the front desk when we went out for dinner. ||||The next morning my husband checked us out. A different employee at the front desk recognized the room number and told my husband she was looking into our case and that we would hear from the manager. ||||After a week with no email or phone call, I again called Bonvoy on Feb. 17. This time I spoke with Maya who was kind and apologetic. She informed me that the case had been closed by the property and that there would be a 10,000 point deposit made to my account. (I chuckled at that, this hotel's points values range from 43k to 50k+) ||She then placed me on hold and called the property and spoke to a supervisor. Maya relayed my dismay and told me that she instructed the supervisor that someone should have contacted me. However Maya informed me that there was nothing more that Bonvoy could do since the case was closed. She suggested I call the hotel myself and speak with the supervisor. That it would for sure help. ||||I immediately did so. I got her on the phone and once again relayed all of the above. She assured me that I would hear from the manager. ||||On Tuesday evening Feb 18, there was still no contact. I went to Bonvoys' compliment & concerns page and once again, expressed my disappointment. The next morning at I received an email back from Bonvoy ( Rohan Pant) apologizing profusely and stating that the case had been reopened so that the '"leadership at the property can review this". ||||4 days later, On Saturday February 22, i missed a call from the front office manager at the hotel. She asked me to call her back and to leave a message in her voice mail. ||||I did so that day, again on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. It is now Friday February 28 and I have not heard back. ||||I am a Titanium elite member. I did NOT mention that at check-in (nor was it acknowledged) . I do believe that every person I've interacted with thus far knows this. ||||To say that I am upset is an understatement. In this situation I couldn't care less that I wasn't thanked for my loyalty. The representation of a brand I have been dedicated to for over 20 years was atrocious. I was hoping for a do- over from the management team at this hotel. I barely got...

Our recent experience at the hotel can only be described as awkward. During our two-night stay in late August, we encountered several issues that left us less than satisfied. Upon our arrival, the hotel's location was clear, yet there was no obvious signage directing new guests to the valet stand at the back. This led me to somewhat awkwardly explore the vacant street level “lower lobby” until I noticed a helpful valet on the second-floor, who provided excellent directions.

I think the hotel was originally constructed for Lake Placid's first Olympics and subsequently renovated, gives off a 1930s charm. However, this charm results in dimly lit, deep forest green hallways. The doorways and elevator are narrower than expected, impacting accessibility. The hotel and rooms have been recently renovated and the interior design is fantastic. The hotel’s decor, dog friendliness, and prime downtown Lake Placid location are the only thing this place has going for it.

We discovered dirty underwear and clothing from the previous guest left behind in one of the drawers. This incident left us feeling uncomfortable with the house keeping’s attention to detail and dissatisfied that the hotel was clean.

I recommend avoiding dining at the hotel's restaurant, Marcy. The wait staff proved awkward and the premium prices did not align with the quality of the experience offered in Lake Placid. The menu's attempt at gastro-uniqueness fell short, resulting in a disappointing two-hour dining experience. Our order of half a dozen oysters arrived as only three on a bed of salt and peppercorns, an unpleasant surprise that detracted from the enjoyment of the meal. Despite the waitress's description of the scallops as something she was “proud to sell”, our meals were presented in an unappetizing manner, accompanied by lackluster sides. Fun fact: the prices on the website are less than the printed menu in the restaurant.

Observing the wait staff's lack of confidence and finesse, it was clear that the service did not match the menu prices. They were either absent when needed or overly attentive and awkward when not required. After what felt like an eternity, we concluded our meal without dessert, left disappointed by both the food and the service. Knowing there were better dining options in the village for the same price compounded our dissatisfaction.

In an attempt to address our concerns, I approached the concierge, seeking resolution. However, his response was far from satisfactory, displaying a complete lack of empathy. He dismissed my feedback, stating that food and beverage matters were not his job, and even shrugged off the incident with the previous guest's clothes. This lack of customer service, especially from a Marriott Bonvoy Member hotel, was unprecedented. The concierge's apathetic attitude left us dismayed, as he merely assured me that the "necessary people" would be informed.

Upon checkout, the front desk person proceeded to grill us an over the transactions on the account. More than just the usual checking to see bill was correct. Felt like we were being cross examined on a witness stand. Not a friendly place to be honest.

Definitely will not...

I'd like to give the hotel more stars because I like what I think they're trying to do but they're just not quite there.

PROS: Right in the middle of Main Street, allowing easy access to shopping and restaurants. Blues bar in lower level had some great live music playing when we arrived and the scene seemed lively. Good attempt at a rustic, hipster feel with paint colors and decor. Beds are super comfy. Not sure what mattresses they have but if I was rating just on that, I'd have given 5 stars. Clean (mostly - see below about the hotel folder)

CONS: The envelope to tip housekeeping was dirty and gross. I washed my hands after accidentally picking it up. Super gross. The menu inside the hotel folder in our room was crusted with mustard and a few other things that I wish I could was from my memory as thoroughly as I washedfeom my hands. Just a note to management - check that stuff! While the mattress was amazing, the pillows were awful. One of mine was even super lumpy like it had been around and abused for a few years. Eww. Difficult to find parking as the lot is tiny and tight to maneuver through. Why hasn't there been a partnership forged for use of the municipal parking lot nextdoor? Building is old and though they've attempted updates, they all seem to be cosmetic updates which leaves room floors uneven and squeaky and the walls are thin (which is especially annoying if you have a young couple next door or a barking/whining dog - did I mention it's dog-friendly?). Didn't effect our stay but why oh why hasn't anyone fixed the peeling mural right beside the check-in? It looks awful (and gives the place a bit of a creepy The Shining vibe) The rooms on the back of the hotel have balconies and the door to ours was not only unlocked when we arrived, it also had a gap between the door and the frame even when it was closed up tight. That didn't seem safe or part of any good hotel's aesthetic. The front desk confirmed we had a late check-out reserved and that it wasn't an issue anyway because our room wasn't booked for the following evening anyway. So, when my sister-in-law had bike issues first thing in the morning as she went out for her 5 hr course ride, I called downstairs and booked the $25 stay late package that allows guests to keep their rooms until 4pm. I got approval for this and went back to my day. Around 11am, I got a call that we could not have the room until 4 afterall because housekeeping wouldn't be on duty to clean our room that late - we would need to leave by 2pm. I later spoke with the front desk to clarify how they could offer the package if they don't actually have staff on duty to clean. They apologized and didn't charge us for the extra-late check out but it was frustrating that they offer a package that isn't actually available. So, buyer-beware on that deal!

Overall, I'd rate our stay as just "ok" and I may even book here again as their rates seem reasonable. I'd definitely stay here if the backpacker-hostel vibe kicked up a notch or two to the actual lumberjack-hipster (lumberster? Hipsterjack?) vibe I think they're...