Just returned from 4 nights at the Doral. I chose it based on a recommendation from the golf school I was attending, assuming incorrectly that there might be a discount of some sort for school attendees. Indeed, it was quite convenient in terms of location to the school at Cimarron Golf Resort. I originally booked 3 nights but returned after checking out Saturday morning after all inbound and outbound flights were scrapped due to a wind storm. My rate for Wednesday & Thursday nights was 189/night, 209 on Friday, with maybe 10% occupancy those nights. When my flight was officially cancelled on Saturday, I returned at about 5P to check in for the night expecting to pay the 209 rate or worse since they'd clearly had way more guests (parking lot was filled) hence less inventory. I got the same class room, king bed, pool view on the 4th floor, for 129/night with no reservation. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to pay less but wondered if I'd overpayed on my original reservation. After internet window shopping for comparable hotels in the area, I think I probably did. It's big, sprawling in fact, with clean, roomy accomodations, but lacking in the details that I would hope for at that price point. Case in point, no flat screen HD TVs. Not that that's a deal killer, but flat screens are indicative of a property that is reinvesting in itself, hence it's guests. It falls flat on service as well. After taking an early morning hot tub, my key card was very reluctant to let me back into the hotel, then simply didn't work in my door. When I passed the desk later that afternoon to get a new key, I was told it was my fault for having put the key in my wallet. The new key, which I kept in a different pocket from my offending credit cards didn't work either. Oh well, it was a plausible theory. Before leaving Sunday morning, I tried to call room service for breakfast, but the phone in my room was dead. I called the front desk from the house phone near the elevator hoping I could order from there. I was told that there was nothing wrong with my phone if I just pushed line 1, and that she'd have room service call me for my order. After struggling to re-enter my room because of yet another eluctant key card, I waited to hear from room service. After 10 minutes I picked up the phone, pushed line 1, and again realized that it was in fact, still dead. The opportunity for the hotel to provide a reasonable level of customer service, while at the same time selling something, came and went. I'd hoped that room service, upon failing to reach me via phone, would have sent someone to take my order (and perhaps let maintenance know that my phone was broke), but that didn't happen. Little things that individually are not so troubling, but collectively add up, when considering value. I would say however, that I was well served in the Divot Room, their lounge, by Claudia and that the chef's Butternut squash soup was as good as it gets. So they've got that going for them, which is nice.
- Doral Desert Princess Cathedral City
