2
Zach LeBlanc -
4 months ago
Unfortunately, we did not have a good experience at the Frankfurt Airport Marriott. After testing positive for COVID at the EcoCare testing center in the airport (next door to the hotel) before heading home, I was forced to isolate for 6 days, per Germany's health guidelines for COVID. I came across a review on Trip Advisor from someone in a similar situation that gave the Marriott a great review for hospitality during the reviewer's isolation. Thankfully, the Frankfurt Airport Marriott allowed myself and my partner to stay at the hotel to isolate, and we ended up staying for 7 nights.
During check-in, we were told that the rate was high due (€419 per night) to an event happening in the area, but that it would be reduced after the first night, and that the manager should be able to work to get a lower rate when we checked out. I also mentioned that I could get a rate discount through my employer, which I did not have upon booking/checking in at the front desk as we were on leisure travel, and was told once I got the corporate code it could be applied to the stay.
Once I received my corporate code, I followed up with the Front Desk Manager (Cemre) who informed me that it could not be applied retroactively and we would have to check out and create a new stay on the Marriott site using the reduced rate; he also told us that he could, in fact, not reduce the rate for the previous nights at checkout. Once we checked out and checked back in for the reduced rate, we found out that the €419 rate had applied to every night so far and ended up paying €1346 for three nights (including VAT). The rate for the final four nights did drop; however, it was still quite high compared to other hotels in the area. We ended up moving to a Hyatt five minutes away for €100 per night.
Apart from the issue with the cost of the room, we were not impressed with the room itself. We had a King bed, which was very firm, a broken table (which did get fixed), and the water for the shower takes a long time to get warm. The food in the hotel restaurant was also very expensive, where even things like croissants were almost double the cost of a croissant at a kiosk right outside entrance to the hotel. There are plenty of other options for food well within walking distance from the hotel in the airport without needing to go through security.
Fortunately, the majority of the staff was very respectful and welcoming, even when we had an issue with our upstairs neighbor making a lot of noise (even though the building is concrete) in the very late and early morning hours. As an aside, we were not able to hear the planes unless it was very cloudy or raining, so the hotel itself is rather quiet, with the exception of our upstairs neighbor and the occasional door slamming in the hallway. I am giving the second star for the majority of the staff who was very pleasant and helpful, especially as we were running around frantically in the beginning trying to figure out where to stay to isolate. Unfortunately, my partner, who did not test positive and was given permission by both the Frankfurt local health authority and Marriott management to leave the room, came across a rude staff member who tried to tell her that she was not allowed to leave the room. The same staff member also told her that the VAT added to the bill(s) could be refunded at the airport, which ended up being incorrect.
Overall, I cannot really recommend this hotel unless you want to stay right at the airport and be able to walk to your flight, but tread carefully and check the rates at the hotel. The staff was mostly pleasant, but the experience was spoiled by the issue with cost given that we were being forced to isolate and felt a bit taken advantage of. We were told a few times that they would "see what they could do" about the rate, but nothing ever changed. The Director of Rooms (Peter) did follow up with me directly to apologize, but I believe it was too little too late.
