BEST OF TIMES, WORST OF TIMES

[spot1181]

Cardinal to Chicago. EB to Seattle, the remodeled sleepers were an improvement with new panelling, thicker mattresses, redesigned restrooms, roomier showers with glass doors, welcome kit with energy bar, trail mix, gum, hand cream and Elvis CD. Champagne in room before dinner. Wine and cheese tasting the next day. On time. Two days in Seattle.

CS to Emeryville. Wine and cheese tasting in Parlor Car. Movie in the Theater were I left my camera. On time. Two days in San Fransisco.

Emeryville to Chcago on CZ. Sitting for three hours after Glenwood Springs waiting for track work. It was dark through the Rockies. Great Zepherette in Sandi as she procured two menus for me. Five hours late.

Cardinal already gone even though twenty of us were connecting. Choice of three nights in Chicago or one night and The Dog. We needed to get home so we took the latter, The Congress Plaza, HORRIBLE HOTEL, and Greyhound, a reality check. On time but 11 hours later than Cardinal

Overall a fun trip except losing the camera and having the same menu on every train. We try to stay positive.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Thanks for the QUICK! report, even if the trip itself was long .

 

[Ed.]

As you put the "horrible hotel" in capitals, can you add a little about why it was so horrible?

Ed.

 

[PRR 60]

As you put the "horrible hotel" in capitals, can you add a little about why it was so horrible?Ed.

Check out the reviews at Tripadvisor.com, here. I think what the OP meant by HORRIBLE will be clear.

 

[MrFSS]

I think what the OP meant by HORRIBLE will be clear.

WOW - I don't think I've ever seen such bad comments about a business that was still in business. How can Amtrak use this place???

 

[trainboy325]

You should check out some of the hotels that Amtrak uses for its employees! :angry:

On a similar note, I must say that Amtrak employees use the Best Western Chicago Inn just off Michigan Avenue on the corner of St. Clair and Ontario. Fantastic hotel and breaks the rules for Amtrak hotels. Be sure to request something like that since Amtrak already has a corporate lodging contract!

 

[spot1181]

Something was wrong when the taxi driver zipped past the place, I don't think he believed we really wanted to stay there. The lobby was nice but while waiting in line with the rest of the refugees, the clerk kept asking if anyone was not from Amtrak. Then a woman came running down asking for another room, her ceiling was falling and only two chanels on her TV. Our room was non-smoking but burn holes in the carpet, mold around the tub, no hot water or wash cloths, plus the clock radio was still set on Daylight Saving Time. No telling when the last person occupied this room. Other than that it was very nice. Maybe we should have taken the 3am bus. Anybody find my camera yet?

 

[AlanB]

You should check out some of the hotels that Amtrak uses for its employees! :angry:
On a similar note, I must say that Amtrak employees use the Best Western Chicago Inn just off Michigan Avenue on the corner of St. Clair and Ontario. Fantastic hotel and breaks the rules for Amtrak hotels. Be sure to request something like that since Amtrak already has a corporate lodging contract!

I don't know if they are still using it, but last I knew the Acela crews had a nice hotel in Boston in the form of a Doubletree Club. As of six months ago they were still using this hotel and hopefully still are.

It ain't the Ritz, but it is decent, solid, and clean. I first learned that the crews stayed there when after a trip to Boston, I rode the MBTA's Red Line subway over to the hotel for my stay. I didn't even realize who was checking in next to me at the front desk, until one of the first class attendant's who not 30 minutes before had been serving me, asked didn't I just see you on the train.

I immediately recongized her, along with the others checking in. They had taken the hotel's shuttle bus, which I didn't even know about. Of course, I'd rather ride the train anyhow. :lol:

 

[AmtrakFan]

As you put the "horrible hotel" in capitals, can you add a little about why it was so horrible?Ed.

Check out the reviews at Tripadvisor.com, here. I think what the OP meant by HORRIBLE will be clear.

Ick!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad to see you had a good trip.

 

[AmtrakFan]

You should check out some of the hotels that Amtrak uses for its employees! :angry:
On a similar note, I must say that Amtrak employees use the Best Western Chicago Inn just off Michigan Avenue on the corner of St. Clair and Ontario. Fantastic hotel and breaks the rules for Amtrak hotels. Be sure to request something like that since Amtrak already has a corporate lodging contract!

Amtrak use to use the Quality Inn/Roadway Inn in Chicago for Crews and Minsconneciton Passengers.

 

[spot1181]

Last time on a misconnect in Chicago I was put up at the Allerton, a first class hotel.

 

[MichigantoTexasbyrail]

Wow! I am sure glad Amtrak didn't put us up there when we missed our connection. Actually, I'm glad they bused us out. I didn't want to stay anywhere in Chicago, but that would have been a really bad turn of events. My favorite reveiw starts out with the person finding vomit in their sink. Thats classic! I find hurmor in the wild variety of reveiws on the linked site. Probably 40% of the reveiws were 1 star out of 5. Well over half of the rest must be 2 out of 5. How can a few people give it a 4, or even 5 star reveiw? Did the hotel have one good floor or something?

It never ceases to amaze me how wildly different consumer reveiws of anything can be from one another, especially on the internet.