We were at first very impressed with the facility. The pool was great, the fitness room was a bit small but served its purpose, we very much enjoyed the Easter bunch, and overall we thought the facility was in fantastic shape.
Despite all that we may never go back. The reason is their pet policy. Dogs were virtually everywhere. I almost felt as if I had booked a room at my local kennel. We like dogs we just don't like what they leave behind. We had two close encounters.
The first was upon entering the hallway from the pool area. I was talking to my wife when my son gave me a shove. He then pointed to the ground. He had saved me from stepping in a pile of doggie do that was smack dab in the middle of the hallway.
The second incident occurred on the morning we were leaving. I had just made a pot of in room coffee, to their credit it was the first in room coffee that I ever found to be drinkable, and were going out on the balcony to sit down and have one last look at the bay when we heard the lady in the room above us yell out "don't sit down". We looked at the chair and the yellow liquid on our balcony floor and we didn't need to hear her explanation that her pet had relived himself over her railing and on to our patio. Needless to say we enjoyed the coffee inside and not outside.
When we checked out we explained it to the desk clerk and she let us know that, "Well you know pets are a part of the family and we are the first four star hotel chain to be pet friendly." That explanation, and a lack of empathy, shock or concern on her part, took what had been A+ service down to a C- at best. I found the same lack of concern in a response to a note I sent them about the situation.
I applaud them for their attempts at dealing with the travel needs of people with pets. But, they should not forget the needs of their pet-less guests. They should not be subject to the hygienic challenges brought forth by guests with pets. The thought of sleeping in the same bed a dog slept in the night before, and did god knows what, makes me queasy. If I was there for three days and had two encounters, I can imagine most of the rooms, and much of the facility is subject to a continuous series of incidents per day.
They have taken what should have been one of the best facilities around and have had it go to the dogs.