Element Moab — Hotel in Moab

My partner and I recently had the misfortune of staying at the Element hotel in Moab, UT from July 8-10, 2023. As we are a queer, interracial couple and my partner works for Marriott, we have always felt safe and welcomed by Marriott brands. That is, until we found ourselves at the Element in Moab, UT under the management of Jeremy . It appears there is a lot of discrimination due to his mismanagement of an otherwise inclusive brand. Jeremy's white male privilege was prevalent in our attempt to try and resolve any issues with him and he was unwilling to check that privilege and implicit bias he blatantly had against the LBGTQ+ community, black people/foreigners (my wife is from Uganda), and a disregard for my rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The main issue is the smoking fee that was issued in a room that was NEVER smoked in by us during the whole of our visit. I am disabled and use medical marijuana legally for my disabilities, well within my legal rights. In Marriorts "INTERNATIONAL INC. HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY STATEMENT" issued in July 2017. "Marriott's policies require that its business be conducted with honesty and integrity, and in full compliance with all applicable laws." Upon speaking with Jeremy, he insisted they found the end of a joint in a trash and that's why they felt the room had been smoked in- nothing else- no odor, etc, as it was NEVER smoked in. I was unaware I was not allowed to dispose of marijuana used products in the room. Is this somewhere in Marriotts rules and regulations? I made sure to follow the smoking rules of being more than 25 feet from the building each time I was needing to medicate.

IN addition to this incident, the amount of looks we received from the white hotel staff as an interracial lesbian couple was uncomfortable (like stared down every time we walked past the front desk so we started using side doors). I understand we were in Utah, however, Moab is known as the home of two national parks and sees a variety of visitors from all over the world so this treatment was shocking. It was also clear that the white people were the ones behind the front desk and in managerial positions, while the people of color were left to clean, cook and do maintenance. The one white woman made sure to correct us on something every time we walked by (like about our service dog in training), even saying things under her breath that weren't audible. This is honestly the first time I've experienced discrimination to this level at a Marriott brand. As such, I believe it is important to use my privilege and voice to make situations like this not happen again and places like the Element safe for those from minoritized backgrounds. I believe that Marriott is one of the more inclusive hospitality brands out there and that bigoted Jeremy, the manager at Element Moab, is just an unfortunate choice in management. So please Marriott, do better. Make sure your brands are living up to the inclusive standards you have worked so hard to build. Special shout out to Prince the kitchen manager who made a special breakfast for me and accommodated my dietary restrictions (Prince was the only BIPOC...

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding my recent stay at the Element Moab by Marriott, located at 1431 N Hwy 191, Moab, UT 84532.

This trip took us more than 1,500 miles from home, across seven U.S. states, and was meant to be a relaxing experience shared with my cousin and her husband, who were traveling with us. We brought along our two young children (both under the age of three), and unfortunately, the experience fell drastically short of what one should expect from a Marriott-branded property.

Several issues made this stay uncomfortable, stressful, and frankly unacceptable: • Unhygienic and Poorly Managed Pool: We were informed that someone had defecated in the pool overnight and that the water needed to be changed. This raised serious concerns, as the pool is supposed to be closed and secured after 10:00 p.m. The fact that this occurred indicates either a lack of proper surveillance or a disregard for guest safety. More troubling was the staff’s response: rather than draining and properly sanitizing the pool, they attempted to refill what appeared to be a 200-gallon shortfall using a garden hose. This left the pool unusable for most of our stay in extreme heat, frustrating our family—especially with small children who were eager to swim. • Fire Alarm Disruption: A fire alarm went off during our stay without any clear communication or guidance from hotel staff. The alarm caused panic and distress, particularly difficult to manage with two toddlers. • Excessive Noise Without Intervention: Loud children were running through the hallways, and a dog on the second floor barked persistently throughout the day and night. Despite these ongoing disturbances, no one from hotel management addressed the issue or attempted to restore a peaceful environment. • Insect Infestation in Room: Upon turning on the air conditioning, we noticed insects emerging into the room, which we suspect had been living inside the ventilation system. This was both unsanitary and unsettling, especially with young children sleeping in the room. It suggests a serious lapse in room cleanliness and maintenance standards. • Poor Breakfast Quality: The daily breakfast was extremely underwhelming—poorly prepared and presented with minimal care. This is not the level of quality or service expected from a Marriott property.

Overall, we were extremely disappointed with the lack of professionalism, hospitality, and basic care shown during our stay. As parents traveling with small children, cleanliness, safety, and comfort are top priorities, and none of these were met during this visit.

Given the severity of these issues and the lack of resolution, we are strongly considering contacting our credit card provider to dispute the charges for this stay. We do not believe the experience we received reflects the cost paid or the standard expected from a Marriott hotel.

We request a prompt review of this matter and a formal response from Marriott detailing how these concerns will...

Weapons Grade Hospitality!||The “Moab Element”, down the road from the shuttered Uranium Mine (in which uranium mill tailings are still being cleaned up!), is a phenomenal place to base yourself for your Moab / Arches/ Canyonland/Dead Horse adventures. |The hotel is clean and modern. The rooms (we’ve stayed in several types over the past few years) are large, well appointed, and well maintained. The double-bedded suites have a pull out sofa and a small kitchenette, and have an “over-sized” feel, more akin to a traditional Embassy Suites layout than a Westin/Element (Marriott). The king bedded rooms come both in a kitchen and non-kitchen configuration, and while a touch smaller than their QQ cousins, they still feel quite large. It should be noted even the K room without a kitchen has a small refrigerator and microwave, so unless you are hell-bent on cooking either room is fine. |The hotel offers a daily breakfast. Each day they seem to offer an egg based option as well as some carbohydrate option such as pancakes or waffles. There is both a cereal “bar” as well as a Chimani yoghurt stand, as well as fresh whole fruit (oranges, bananas, & apples). |Ample (and good) coffee is available all day long. |There is a bar with some food options, but it does close relatively early (9PM). While this may not seem early, during the heat of the summer, you may want to eat and or partake in a drink when you get back from your daily adventures (hiking, mountain biking, river rafting, or rock climbing, just to name a few). Visiting Arches and other sites in late afternoon when the sun goes down is not only beautiful but safer and cooler. Thus, I’d like to see them stay open a bit later. |The hotel is located just outside the city limits, perhaps 3 miles or so from the city center, just a touch too far to walk, and 3 or so miles from the entrance to Arches. There is a restaurant, a hamburger joint, next door, but other than that, everything you’ll want to do is just a short car ride away.|The hotel offers a nice pool with arching fountains and a two level hot tub. The lobby / bar area has games, and ample space to spread out. |Notes to management. |1) Per your staff the hot tub heater had been out for weeks prior to our arrival. This should have been noted on the website as it may have swayed us to they Fairfield/Springhill property up the road.|2) This past visit we had two rooms, and both had alarms set from the previous guests and our first night each room was awaken at an early hour. Housekeeping needs to be trained to ensure alarms are set to off as they turnover rooms. |All in all The Element is a GREAT choice for your stay in Moab and we...