The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Autograph Collection — Hotel in Saint Petersburg

For a hotel with a high price point including a resort fee, the service at check in and check out was unsatisfactory . The front desk staff service overall was inconsistent ranging from friendly and very helpful to rude, aloof, and disinterested.||My first impression: we travelled overnight with a redeye flight. Prior to the flight, I received an email from the hotel asking about my time of arrival. I emailed back that I’m traveling overnight and should be arriving at the hotel around 11AM. Check in time at the hotel is 4pm. I received a reply that the my early check in was noted and that they would try to accommodate. ||First, when we arrived at the hotel, there was no one to help with the luggage. Not a big deal but very odd for a hotel charging about $600/night. When we went to the front desk, there was one guest waiting there. There was no front desk staff at all. We waited in line for about 10 minutes before anyone showed up.. There was probably no one at the front desk for 15-20 minutes. By that time, there was a long line-up at the front desk. Eventually, three staff member showed up but only 1 dealing with hotel guests. The other one was using the front desk computer and the 3rd person was doing something in the background. When it was our turn, the front desk person, M, did not say hello or greet us in anyway. She was apologetic to the guest before us because of the long delay but did not give any apology to us.|| I told her we were checking in and she ask for my name , id, and credit card. Usually the front desk staff confirms the reservation details. She only asked about our check out date. || When I mentioned the early check in and about the email I received regarding early check in, M said she did not see any notes and kept repeating, “Guaranteed check in is at 4pm”. When I again repeated that I received an email from guest services about the note in reservation, she just smiled and looked at me.||I told her that my wife and I are exhausted and would appreciate if she could help, but she kept repeating, “Guaranteed check in is at 4pm”. I asked if she could give an ETA on a room but she repeated, “Guaranteed check-in is at 4pm.” She did not seem interested in helping us get a room early. She did not appear to even check to see if our room was ready. She did say we would be called when are room was ready and she did call the porter. She seemed to want to get rid of us and move on to other guests.||We sat in the lobby for about 30 minutes. I had not received a call about our room. We went back to the front desk when M was no longer there. Her front desk colleague was, by contrast, very friendly and accommodating. She gave service that I was expecting from a hotel like the Vinoy. She said that our room was actually ready. This is why I became upset enough to email hotel management to give them this feedback. Our room was actually ready or atleast almost ready but M did not seem to care or she seemed to refuse to consider any early check-ins at all despite the email I received from about a note in our reservation and our request for an early check-in.||Hotel management by contrast was very accommodating. They apologized for the way we treated and tried to make it up to us by giving us a bottle of wine and having desserts and a cheese platter sent to our room.||By the way, the Marriott Bonvoy app allows for requests for early check-in to the Vinoy. You have to enter your time of arrival and give atleast 1 hour notice to allow for time to prepare the room. It is unfortunate that not all of the front desk staff at the Vinoy provide this service.||The room itself was nice. We were happy with the cleanliness and amenities. Housekeeping was fairly good. They did not clean our room on 1 day (we were our of our room from 8am to 5pm and there was no “do not disturb sign out”), but the housekeeping manager was apologetic and immediately had our room serviced. ||The breakfast restaurant was on the other side of the resort. Service was very slow. We easily waited about 10 minutes each morning before a waiter showed up at our table- and we were not the only ones. The restaurant was also not busy at the time. The food was good and the service, once the waiter showed up, was fine. ||The bar was very good. The drinks were well made.||Checking out was difficult. We had an early morning flight and had to leave the hotel by 05:10.    There was not an option to see my bill or check out through the TV.  I called the operator to check out by phone but no one responded.  When I went down to the front desk, there was a sign that said on break until 5:45.    My uber driver was already at the hotel.  ||I spoke to the valet person named E.  He was helpful and contacted the front desk person with his walkie talkie.  I could hear the front desk person (male voice) say that he already clocked out and would not check me out. Through E, I asked to check out and that I can’t wait until 5:45.  He said he could not do anything because he clocked out. He refused to give his name when I asked.||The night before I spoke with J at the front desk who was helpful with my hotel bill and some unexplained pending charges on my credit card (over $600).  I told him that I had an early morning flight and would have to leave around 5:00AM. I told him that my TV did not show my hotel folio and did not have options for check out etc.  He said that I would have to check out from the front desk and that there is always someone at the front desk who could check me out.||Long story short, the service at this hotel is very inconsistent and service at the restaurant is slow. For the price, I would not recommend unless they...

I had the absolute pleasure of recommending The Vinoy to my clients for their wedding, and having stayed there in both January and February, I can’t express enough how incredible the experience was.

Christian was nothing short of amazing! Despite losing my key countless times, and facing an issue with a lost package that the clients urgently needed, Christian went above and beyond—he personally checked multiple times in the back, even in the middle of the night. No request was too big or small for him; whether it was printouts or any other need, he handled it all with grace and professionalism. He also checked me in with such warmth and care, giving me one of the most fantastic rooms I’ve ever had, and even helped extend my stay. I was extremely homesick and every time I walked by the front desk he would genuinely smile and ask about my day which made me feel so much better! Having staff that genuinely cares and doesn't ask just for the sake of good customer service shows and exemplified that.

Justin was phenomenal. I didn’t initially realize he was the manager, as he was so hands-on, which is rare to see in a leadership role. He jumped in immediately to assist with any issues and handled everything so seamlessly. While Christian searched for the lost package, Justin stayed with me, keeping me company with kindness I truly appreciated. His approach to customer service was exemplary, and you could see how well he managed his team with care. I never once saw him lose his cool even with difficult situations instead he was very kind.

Overall, the entire front desk team was outstanding. While I may not remember everyone’s names (men for the night shift who were amazing too) I felt that the entire staff was consistently friendly and professional. However, Justin and Christian in particular were the best.  It was evident that the Vinoy fosters a positive, happy working environment, as the team’s joy was contagious. As someone who travels frequently for work, I can say that this level of care is rare.

Adriana, our event manager, was absolutely outstanding. There were last-minute changes to the reception, but Adriana handled everything with such patience and professionalism. Her attention to detail was top-notch, and I will certainly be recommending her to future clients. As an event planner, I know how crucial it is to have a venue that stays on top of every detail, and The Vinoy really stood out in this regard. Adriana was my main point of contact, and her support made our event planning process smooth and successful. Her demeanor is very calm and sweet which brings immense peace to the planning process. I think any planner/client would really appreciate that. She gave us all the ideal spots for our events and even agreed to my unique ideas of limoncello or desserts and had her staff create anything I sent her. She was very receptive to unique ideas. The days she was not onsite I really appreciated that she gave me a contact so I didn't feel lost at all during the events in case I needed something.

Haley was another key team member who worked tirelessly to ensure that every event setup was flawless.

Katie, my booking and sales representative, was an absolute joy to work with. She made the entire process from booking to execution seamless, and she worked extensively with me to ensure the client’s budget aligned with the luxurious experience The Vinoy is known for. The level of professionalism and five-star quality provided was felt throughout every interaction, and you could sense the luxurious atmosphere the moment you stepped into the hotel and through working with her. I've heard that she shares amazing relationships with other vendors too which explains why I enjoyed working with her so much!

Maria (I believe that was her name) at the pool was incredibly kind and always greeted me with a smile.  She said she felt so happy each day I came and she would make a whole bed for me when she didn't have to.

Housekeeping (Don't remember his name but it was a young man) he was extremely sweet.

Excited to...

Pleasant hotel, but long list of hidden fees. The building is an architectural icon in St. Pete. The location is fantastic, and it's very pleasant to look out over the marina. Also, you can easily walk from the hotel to Straub Park and the Museum of Fine Arts. I have very much enjoyed staying at the Vinoy in the past, but it seems like the management has fallen into the trend of including a stinging list of hidden fees into the checkout process. As a frequent traveler, I recently stayed at the Vinoy for an awards stay. After I checked out, I discovered nearly $200 US in extra fees. First there is the "resort fee." This $40 fee + $5.20 in "estimated taxes and fees" is at least relatively clear when you make the reservation. There is an interesting article about the "resort fee" in The NY Times, so at least the guest who reads can get a little warning. Then there is the $39 valet parking fee. Until recently, you could just park your car in the lot yourself, but now you are forced to use the valet services. At least they have a sign about this at the entrance to the lot, so you discover this new fee as you pull into the hotel. Then there is the $20 "TR Room" fee. When I called, no-one at the desk knew what that interesting hidden fee was, but they did a little research and said "it's an upgrade fee." They couldn't explain what was upgraded or why no-one said anything about this "upgrade" but somehow this fee just appeared on my bill. The next interesting fee was $44 for "Veranda." A phone call led to the information that the "Veranda" is their bar. When you check in, you are told that the "resort fee" includes two drinks. We don't usually drink in hotel bars, but it seemed reasonable to try to benefit from the two drinks included in the "resort fee." What they don't explain either at the desk or the bar is that you are supposed to go to the check-in desk and ask for some coupons and then take these coupons to the bar. Unless you figure this out, your "two drinks included with the resort fee" can't just be signed off to your room. It seems reasonable to use a coupon system, but at least this should be explained to the guests. The next fee was $30 for breakfast. When you check in as a Titanium member at most Marriotts, when they say that breakfast is included, they mean that breakfast is included. I have had some absolutely delightful breakfasts at several Marriotts. At the Vinoy, however, when they say breakfast is included, they mean that when you sit down for breakfast the next morning, the menu explains that the tiny continental breakfast is included and all other breakfasts are an up-charge. Of course I don't mind paying for breakfast, but the policy of saying that "breakfast is included" and then charging seems like a "bait and switch." Since I travel much for work, I have stayed in many hotels. Most do an excellent job of setting expectations and providing great service. While the Vinoy did provide good service, the long list of "gotcha" fees adding up to almost $200 adds an unpleasant bitter taste to the experience.

Edit: After a few phone calls, a very nice person in accounting removed the mystery upgrade fee and the "Veranda" fee for drinks if you don't know how the voucher system works. I feel better about the stay in general, but will leave up the part about the fees so that other guests will know to have caution when they are booking and checking in. On the whole, this is a nice place, just read The NY Times article about Resort Fees and be careful to ask about the proper protocol if you use any of...