The Brass Key Guesthouse — Hotel in Provincetown

I checked in on Oct. 31st and was shown to my room, which was upstairs in the same building as the front desk and the Shipwreck Lounge. I was not concerned about the lounge downstairs from the room, having visited the Shipwreck before and knowing it was a fairly chill location for drinks with background music.| At about 3:30 pm, I received a text from the hotel, which included mention of a special event that night at the Shipwreck Lounge, the "Get Wrecked" party, featuring a DJ from 9 pm to midnight. | After dinner, I returned to the hotel briefly to check out the situation, arriving shortly after 9 pm. The Lounge was packed with people and it took me a couple of minutes to wade through the crowd and get up to the room. Despite the crowd, the noise in the room was not bad, very tolerable. But then the DJ started playing music, which could be heard loud and clear in the room, and I thought, "uh oh".| I left to meet up with friends and returned after midnight, the stated ending time of the nightclub-style party. It was still going on, but only 30 or so people were in the lounge. I asked the DJ when he would be finished, and he said after a few more songs. I returned to the room and the music seemed louder, probably because the smaller crowd in the lounge wasn't absorbing the sound as well as the larger crowd from earlier. Objects in the room were vibrating to the bass line of the music. I went out to the patio and asked the bartender when the party would end. She told me 12:45 - 1 am and asked if something was wrong. I told her that I was staying upstairs and waiting for the party to end. She apologized for the noise. I told her not to worry about it and went out for a walk. When I returned at 1:15 am, the party was over and I was able to use the room and eventually go to bed.| I stopped by the front desk to complain about the situation the next day and was given a tepid "I'm sorry about that" and a dubious promise to mention it to the manager, who was not working that weekend. No form of redress or compensation was offered.| Was this the end of the world? It was not. I had a nice walk around town that late night, but was a little tired the next day.| The bigger issue is that I was sold a room at the full rate that was only usable for part of the stay due to an event the hotel itself planned and should have realized (or should have cared) would impact the guests staying immediately above. There was no notice on the website of the compromised nature of the rooms at the time of booking, nor was there any mention of the upcoming event or the consequences of it from the staff member who checked me in. | The question for the reader of this review who is considering staying at the Brass Key is: do you want to stay at an establishment that bills itself as a luxury destination and charges the commensurate eye-wateringly high room rates (plus a $200 / night "Resort Fee") but whose management seems to care so little for the quality of the customer experience? What would happen if you had a real problem and needed help? If you forgot something of value in the room when you checked out?| If you do decide to stay at the Brass Key, I would recommend one of the rooms at the opposite end of the property, such as room #103 near the hot tub which I've stayed in before. It's a very nice room and would be far enough away from the lounge that the noise and music from any nightclub-style parties taking place in the lounge would not bother you.| As for the management of the Brass Key, I understand the desire to raise revenue by hosting special events in the Lounge, and judging by the size of the crowd when I first returned, I'm guessing you made quite a lot that night. But you should realize the impact these events have on guests staying in your rooms (or, less charitably, you should start caring about the impact) if you want to avoid poor reviews in the future. If there had been a forewarning about the party, a sincere apology, and/or a partial refund, this review would...

This review is a mixed bag. I have stayed at Brass Key in Sept or Oct for at least the past 6 years in a row, perhaps longer. I have always loved it. This year I reserved my favorite cottage/suite in August for an October 1 check in. The property manager Tyler helped me with the reservation, and gave me options for the suite’s availability for an 8 night stay. He was pleased to tell me the bathroom had been upgraded and that there was new furniture on the private terrace. There was no question that I chose my dates to get this room! I confirmed my reservation, and suite, one week prior to arrival. Upon arrival I was informed that Tyler had ‘upgraded’ me to a different suite. I said thank you but no thank you, I want the suite I reserved and confirmed. I was told that unfortunately someone else was given that room and would be in it for the next 3 days. Kenneth, the property assistant manager had the unfortunate job of giving me this news and suffering my disappointment and anger. I asked to speak with Tyler and was informed he was out of town for several days; I asked Kenneth to call him, which he did, and left a message stating that I was very upset and wanted to speak with him asap. In the meantime, Kenneth was very ‘appreciative’ of my bad mood and made it clear just how sorry he was that Brass Key disappointed me. We decided I would stay in the ‘upgraded’ room for 3 nights and then move into my preferred room for the remainder of the visit. He saw me to the room personally and insisted that he bring a complimentary bottle of wine to make matters better. Very much appreciated! Not even 20 minutes later Kenneth called me to say the property’s penthouse was available for all of my stay and I was welcome to it (now this is an upgrade!). He showed me the penthouse, it truly is a fantastic space, but I declined and wished to wait for my reserved room. I also assured him I was over my anger and was very pleased and appreciative of all he did for me to make a really bad situation better. I was happy and ready to start vacation with a smile on my face. Tyler never called me from out of town. But more importantly when he returned to the property and saw me for two days in a row he never acknowledged the ‘situation’, much less apologized for it. I’m still shaking my head about it. ps….the original upgrade WAS a larger room with a sofa/sitting area and table w/chairs. BUT, it did not have a private terrace, and it was not a stand alone suite. It was on the ground floor of a 3 story building, closest to the main entrance door which every room in the building has to use,…so this upgraded suite can hear that door slamming shut with every other guest’s use. So will I stay at Brass Key again? I don’t know. The complimentary breakfast every morning is very very good. The complimentary happy hour each evening is a very nice thing to offer. I love the location. But I left wondering why the reservation situation even presented itself……and the one person who could explain chose...

The Brass Key is an exciting and beautiful location! Its location is excellent for all things Provincetown. There is an abundance of positives about this property but there are a few negatives as well. I will list all the positives and then address the items the Brass Key needs to work on for continued customer support.

POSITIVES:

1. The location is perfect for most tour activities, walking to restaurants and shopping, catching a pedicab and checking out all the live shows and club activities. You can walk to everything!

2. Very attentive and friendly staff. We had a wonderful experience with the front desk's Adam, and the other desk associates. Adam gave us a property tour and asked if there was anything else needed. The bartender Tommy was so kind and attentive. The maid service was excellent, and they always asked if we needed anything. We mostly had the room on "do not disturb", but they would empty the trash and keep the towels replenished.

3. The landscaping, pool area and overall aesthetic of the property exceeded expectations. The grounds are very beautiful and Instagram fabulous!

4. The complimentary breakfast was delicious. The breakfast area is always so clean and the presentation exceeded expectations. The attendant Manny was always so kind and courteous and always very helpful. The happy hour between 5p-6p was always nicely presented and prepared. Again, I can't say enough about how impressed we were with the staff.

NEGATIVES

1. Our room was a bit dank and musty smelling. It was a cute older victorian room but is overdo for a renovation. The bathroom appeared recenty updated and we loved the shower but it needs some extra touches, like more towel bars, robe hooks, shelving for toiletrie bags etc.

2. The room seem to have an excessive amount of humidity. (hence the musty smell) It needs better AC and ventilation. Nothing ever dried out in the room.

3. The key system needs to be updated to electronic passcards (maybe gold/brass ones). You need a key to go from building to building, to the pool or to the breakfast area. Its very difficult using a regular key when your hands are full with muffins and coffee.

4. We really wanted to re-book for next year but after talking to the manager, we weren't made to feel like we were a valued guest. I would definitely train staff to show they are valued and their repeat business is greatly appreciated.

In summary, even though there were a couple of things lacking or needing improvement at the Brass Key, if we would have gotten that appreciation from management it would tip the scale. I know good customer service when I see it. When customers receive stellar service they will overlook a few negatives when they feel valued. We have already planned our return to Provincetown and confirmed with another property. Hopefully, the owner will address and make necessary changes to keep the Brass Key high on...