Title: Helpful Sales Manager, but Overall Experience Fell Short
I booked a room block at the Crowne Plaza for my Essence Festival of Culture 2026 group, and I want to start by recognizing the sales manager. She was very helpful, professional, and polite throughout the booking process and worked with me to secure accommodations for my group. I truly appreciated her assistance.
Unfortunately, there were several issues with our overall stay. Some of my guests felt that the rooms were dated and had a closed-in or stale smell. The rooms were clean, but the hotel itself could definitely benefit from some updates and renovations.
Another major concern was the power outage on Saturday. I understand that unexpected situations can happen, but I was disappointed that no type of compensation or gesture was offered to the affected guests. Even a credit, future room upgrade, or another acknowledgment of the inconvenience would have shown that the hotel valued its guests and their experience.
I also had an issue with a charge placed on my account. I addressed it with the sales manager and was initially told that it would be refunded. Days later, I was told that I actually owed the charge and was directed back to my invoice. From my understanding, the issue resulted from an error made by the accounting team, yet I was still required to pay for it. I did not agree with how the situation was handled, especially after initially being told the charge would be refunded.
As a group organizer, I have many hotel options when planning accommodations for a large Essence Festival group. Crowne Plaza was one of four hotels I selected for my 2026 travelers, so I was hoping this would become a hotel I could continue working with in the future.
Unfortunately, based on the overall experience, I have decided not to book Crowne Plaza for my 2027 group. I hope management takes this feedback seriously because the customer service I received from the sales manager was a positive part of the experience, but improvements to the property, guest recovery, and accounting communication would make a significant difference for future guests and group organizers.