The Beeman Hotel — Hotel in Dallas

I stayed at the Beeman Hotel for 2 nights in April 2022. I'm writing this review 1.5 years later in October 2023 because I normally don't write a lot of Google reviews. But my experience at the Beeman was so horrendous and terrible that I feel obligated to write about it even though it was some time ago.

I arrived at Dallas airport at around 11 PM and got to the hotel near midnight. It took a long while to check-in. What likely happened is that they were nearly out of rooms, so I got assigned literally the worst room in the whole hotel.

If you look down the hallway past the front desk, there is a small commissary shop selling snacks, then the elevators, and right at the end there is a room (with the door facing the long hallway) and that is the one I got stuck with. The problem is the thin walls and thin door. In that room, you can hear everyone talking while waiting for the elevators. And you can hear much of the conversation in the lobby. I could barely sleep (and I had an early start waking up at 5 AM). On three separate occasions, I had to leave my room and go to the lobby, asking people to keep their voices down. You would hope that the hotel employees would take the initiative and do this but they were completely indifferent to the noise problems.

I looked online at various review sites and one of the one star reviews, mentioned the exact same problem with the exact same room number. (Unfortunately since this was a year and a half ago, I don't remember the exact room). They also mentioned the sound problems with staying in that room and how you could hear conversations from the elevator, the commissary store, and the lobby. And that is why I think this literally was the worst room in the hotel that they presumably only give out when every other room is taken.

The next day, I tried talking to the front desk about changing my room but they were callous about the room problems I was having. I tried talking to 3-4 different people, including a manager, and they all claimed there was nothing they could do and that they could not move me to another room.

Eventually, a kind hearted employee approached me discreetly. When I explained the problem she said that you would try to find another room for me and to my surprise, she actually did! The other room was fine. But when I asked her why all the other employees said they were unable to move me (including a manager), she said they technically were able to but chose not to because (in her own words) "they lacked human empathy." And that is a description that I think is 100% accurate, especially if you read other bad reviews about the poor service here.

The rest of my stay was fine. And I am appreciative of the single employee that was willing to help me. But considering how terrible that room was, and how numerous employees (including a manager) were indifferent to my suffering and refused to help out even though they could, I think the level of service at the Beeman is absolutely terrible.

As you can surmise from other reviews, the main draw of the Beeman and why it is probably still in business is its location. It is right next to Southern Methodist University (SMU) so that's where most of its business comes from. But the safety issues (lots of complaints about cars being broken into) and poor service (from numerous other reviews) are things that you should consider before staying here. And if you are unfortunate enough to get that room at the end of the hallway right near the elevators, I strongly suggest asking for another room or canceling your reservation because you are going to have trouble...

I stayed at the hotel for a few nights while in town for a leadership program that I was attending in Dallas. The Beeman was not the host hotel, but was offered as an alternative once that hotel was full. The Beeman was also full as there was a cheer or dance tournament happening, but the staff seemed to handle it well.

The room itself was nice, though it was missing an ironing board. I rarely iron, but the one time I needed one, there was none. The mattress was comfortable, though the comforter was quite thin. It was cold outside, so I had to turn the heat up quite high to get warm. That aside, the room was very clean and modern. I didn't make use of any of the other facilities offered, so I can't speak on that. When I checked out, the woman at the front desk didn't offer a receipt and I assumed that was because one would be mailed. I checked out in early March and to this day have yet to receive a final bill.

My biggest issue (and hence the three star review) was with the valet service. When I arrived late Thursday night, I was informed that valet was the only parking option, though their site says they have free parking. So, I dropped my car off and picked it up when I checked out on Saturday. I didn't drive my vehicle the entire time I was there since the hotel for the leadership program was in walking distance. Shortly after I pulled off, I noticed a crack in the lower part of the windshield of my SUV (that was not there when I dropped it off) and called The Beeman, who directed me to their company that handles their valet service.

I drove back to the hotel, reported the damage to the employee on duty, who took my information, provided the contact information for his manager as well as the website to file a claim. I filed the claim within 24 hours, but it took nearly two months to get a final resolution, which is they would take no action because I did not report the damage when I picked up the vehicle. The company rep did not state they didn't feel that they weren't responsible for the damage, but that they fault rested with me, apparently for not seeing the damage soon enough. So, I essentially paid for the "privilege" of someone parking my car in an open lot next to the access road, incurring damage, that I had to pay to repair, in addition to the daily valet fee. To say I'm frustrated is an understatement.

So, a word to the wise, if you're valeting, when you pick up your car, do not just get in and drive off, as drivers typically do. Instead, check your vehicle thoroughly before leaving.

To be clear, I am fully aware that the Beeman contracts valet to an outside company. So, my experiences are reflective on that company and not the Beeman. However, it is still a company they choose to partner with and that guests don't have the choice to select when staying at the hotel.

As a result of my experience with the valet company, that was my first and will be my last time staying...

I was excited to stay at this hotel because it appeared to be a high-quality property in a great part of Dallas. However, my experience was far from what I expected.

First, there was an unpleasant odor coming from the bathroom—it smelled like old pipes, which made me wonder if there were plumbing issues. This was disappointing, considering the hotel’s upscale appearance.

Second, when I checked in, I was asked for a credit card to cover incidentals. Since I was traveling for business, I assumed the hotel would charge my stay to the Corporate Traveler account on file and that my personal debit card would only be used for incidentals, as is common practice. A couple of days later, I checked my bank account and discovered that not only had they charged my debit card for incidentals, but also for the entire cost of my stay. This caused significant stress, as I had not budgeted for such a large charge on my personal account.

When I brought this up to the front desk, they claimed they had no information about my Corporate Traveler account, which was never addressed during check-in. They told me to contact my Corporate Traveler representative to resolve the issue. While I managed to coordinate a solution, the hotel staff required significant guidance to execute an authorization form correctly. Instead of offering any apologies or efforts to make up for the stress caused, they provided a lengthy explanation about their accounting process—something I neither needed nor cared about.

Adding to my frustration, I learned on the morning of my checkout that the hotel had just been acquired by Marriot. When I asked if I could add my stay to my loyalty program account, I was told it wasn’t possible and that no exceptions could be made, even given the circumstances.

Finally, after I had already checked out, I received a call informing me that due to the system transition, they no longer had my credit card information on file and that I needed to fill out a manual authorization form to process my refund. This was the last straw in what had already been an incredibly stressful stay.

In summary, my experience at this hotel was disappointing. Between the odor in the bathroom, the improper handling of charges, and the lack of effort to provide hospitality or resolve issues, this stay fell far short of expectations. Even under the circumstances of an acquisition, I would have expected better service and at least an attempt to make things right, such as adding points to my loyalty account. I would not recommend this hotel to...