Let me start by saying that I'm an "easy traveler"... not too picky...
My family (me, my wife, and two teen sons) were staying over a long weekend in Baltimore with the Orioles and the Inner Harbor as centerpieces. Overall, I stay was worth it and pleasant. However, we had mixed feelings about the hotel itself.
PRO: LOCATION - The location next to Camden Yards makes it perfect for a stay. If that is your goal, stay there. But also know that there are several other hotels there or being built.
PRO: CLEANLINESS - The hotel was very clean and well-maintained.
PRO: LAUNDRY - There was a free laundry next to the workout gym and pool. For a famiiy in the midst of an extended trip this might be a real plus.
CON: HOTEL ACCESS - When we first arrived, there was a game in progress. The street immediately in front of the hotel was blocked off with orange street cones. There was no obvious way to access the hotel. I circled the block three times before I finally ended up in an alley directly behind the hotel. Finally, I called the front desk with my cellphone. I told them what was going on. She instructed me to go back to the front where the cones were and she'd come out and meet me. I went there; she never did. Bottom line - with 81 home dates per year, I find it incomprehensible that this hotel hasn't done a better job of wayfinding for an arriving guest.
CON: POOL HOURS - This may sound petty but the posted pool hours are only 5p-10p nightly. There is no explanation for this. And if you desire to walk the Inner Harbor in the evening, a common desire, you basically can't access the pool. Again, for folks going to a 7:00pm baseball game that pretty much means you won't be swimming. The pool itself is relatively small, in the basement, and without windows to the inside. Bottom line - my kids felt gypped that they couldn't swim because our itinerary often had us away during the unusually limited hours.
CON: BREAKFAST SERVICE - The posted hours for a very nice complimentary breakfast served in the lobby was 6a-10a. I was traveling with two teen boys who like their sleep. When I arrived at 9:45am to get breakfast.... the cupboard was bare. Other guests told me that the woman in charge of this area had started breaking down the food service at 9:30am. No cereal, no fruit, no donuts.... just a few scraggly bagels.... Then, when we shared this information with the front desk the following day, we were told that we were mistaken and that breakfast had been avaible through 10am.... unbelievable.... we were there but couldn't trust our own eyes, I suppose. Bottom line - if you post breakfast hours, keep those hours fully available.
CON: ROOM SECURITY - Now this may seem really petty but it was important to me. I specifically placed a "Do Not Disturb" sign on my door one morning. I was willing to forgo room service because I was doing some work and had a lot of my stuff out. I wanted to run an errand without securing all of my stuff. (I know... I know... not wise). Nevertheless, I did it. Imagine my surprise when I returned to find the sign ignored and my room done up. Now, I appreciate the maid's desire to "do her job" but... I fail to understand why she would have ignored my wishes.
FINAL THOUGHT: Again, our vacation time was not "ruined" by any of the above and, ultimately, the location was terrific. I would advise others to shop around. There are other options; comparably priced.













