Westin Copley Place

We live in Mass and come into the city each year for the Boston Marathon as our son is an Elite Runner. We usually stay at the Copley Marriott but we decided to try the Westin this time. The rooms were clean and comfortable , we were at the end of the hallway the room was quiet. Our biggest issue was the lack of any real customer care at front desk . No one smiles, we were given no information about the hotel or amenities. At check in there was no line so it was not that they were so busy to welcome or inform you about the Hotel that we were paying over $800 for a night. They just did not seem to care! When we checked in we asked for a 1:00 check out time as our son would be finished by 12:30 and we wanted him to change in the room and relax a few minutes before we drove home, we were firmly told NO LATE CHECK OUTS. But I can check again later, Which I did at least 4 times. I called to speak to manager at 7 am he politely told me no and I explained my reasoning for a 1:00 request he said I am sorry but no. At 8:30 a cleaning lady knocked at our door and asked if we were ready to check out ? I politely said No we would be leaving the room at 11:00 am check out time. She then said you need to check out before 11:00 and I again politely said Thank You but check out is 11:00 and we will be out by then. We are Marriott members and always stay at a Marriott property. I am so disappointed in the lack of customer care at the Westin. Each year we stay next door at the Marriott and have found that the Marriott front desk and management are always so helpful and welcoming, we have always had a 1:00 check out that day regardless. The bottom line is without loyal customers you have no business! Effort=Success. Please retrain your staff for better and more helpful and FRIENDLY service as Marriott Copley does. Read less

The lodging was fine. Without the issue mentioned below, this could have been a positive review. I am very, very annoyed about the fact that mall access is locked after midnight. I was attending a Convention at the Hynes and staying at the Westin. The access from the Hynes to the Westin is through the Prudential Mall, through an overpass over Huntington Avenue, through the Copley Place Mall, through another overpass over Stuart Street and finally in the Westin. This has been a known access for years. What was not known was that access is locked after midnight. There was no indication that the doors would be locked or any method to reach security. Programs at the Hynes finished up at 2AM, after the doors were locked. Friday night I tried to return to my hotel room and crossed into the mall. I was parked in the LAZ parking garage in this mall and stopped to get something from the car. I ended up locked out and couldn't return. A call on the emergency box went unanswered. Finally someone entered the garage and I was able to leave. Then when I tried to go across the Stuart Street overpass, the doors were locked. By this time several attendees were gathered and did not know how to get back to the hotel. Doors to exit the mall were also locked - a clear fire hazard. We finally found a way out to the street. There is still a good amount of traffic after midnight in Boston and we had to navigate through all of this. Also, no one had any jackets or protective clothing to deal with the chilly, rainy weather. I had a conversation with the head manager on Saturday morning. He said that Copley Place controls the access for security reasons. But sending guests out into traffic in the cold night air is not very safe either. The manager said he would contact their security to ask to keep the doors open until 2. Fine. Saturday night I had the same run around. And note that guests at the Marriot, at the other end of the mall, were also locked out. Look, I know that Westin doesn't control what Copley Place does. But you are all big businesses that rely on customers. Sit down and WORK IT OUT. I really don't need to be paying over $300 a night to be treated like garbage. Frankly, I should be paid instead. I hope this will be worked out. In the meantime, I will recommend that the Westin and Marriot lodgings NOT be included in the booking package for this Convention. Read less

Rooms were sufficiently well kept given how old the property was Destination change of 30 to stay in Boston requiring you to spend at dining facilities is honestly quite deceiving, was not seen in reservations website and was not even informed when we checked in. I believe reservations could at least make this much clearer We paid for higher floor room facing city. Still heard some muffled noise in the morning that sounded like garbage pickup The curtains are not blackout though and a lot of light cones through from the edges on the side Read less

When we checked in, the only words that were uttered by the attendant were “ID, credit card, you’re in room 3024”. He did not tell us about any amenities or even point us in the direction of the elevator. I asked him what restaurants were in the hotel and he told me to go ask the concierge. From what I gathered, there were only two. I don’t know why he couldn’t tell me that. I assumed there would be a book in the room with wifi instructions, a map of the property, a list of amenities and restaurants, etc. There was not. When I tried to log in to wifi, there was a message that said the cost was $15.95/day. I have no idea what the destination fee is for since the hotel wants to charge for wifi. Since there is no “front desk” button on the phone, I ended up going downstairs and asking the concierge about the wifi. He told me to just log in because it is free for members and I was a member. Why isn’t it free for everyone??? What I did find in my room was a dirty qtip on the floor by a trash can, a dirty glass in the bathroom, old drab bath robes and a rusty can opener in the refrigerator. Clearly, housekeeping is not very thorough and I did not see any modern appointments except for maybe the bathroom door. And don’t expect any extras like slippers, vanity kits or shower caps. The only thing you find in your room is soap. Don’t expect anything special by being a member. I have been a member for many years and I was stuck next to the housekeeping closet. Perhaps these should be reserved for people booking through third parties and not long time members. I would stay far away from Ingredients unless you don’t mind that the cashier rubs his bald head with his hand and then handles your food. There are nicer hotels than this in Boston that charge less. When I answered the survey that the hotel sent me, the only response I received was the canned response of We’re sorry we didn’t meet your expectations. We hope you give us another try. Why would I subject myself to another terrible stay? Read less