THE VINOY RENAISSANCE ST PETERSBURG RESORT & GOLF CLUB

Just checked in yesterday. Been staying here yearly for a large swim meet for the last several years. Rooms are expensive but nice, location is great. Lack of early options for breakfast is a minus. The big thing that really drove me nuts though is you used to be able to self park your car, so I could get in and out quickly and leave stuff in the car to get what I needed for the swim meet. No more, now mandatory valet. So they charge you $45 for valet and a mandatory resort fee, so tack on an additional almost $100 to whatever you see for the listed price. Probably won’t stay here anymore due to the lack of self parking.

Just to add. We asked if there was a microwave for guest use to heat up some food for the kids. We were told they would bring one to the room. Never saw it. Next day we asked if there was at least one we could use. Nope. Not sure what is going on with this place.

Unfortunately, we’ve had a comically awful experience both staying at the Vinoy and trying to resolve events that ensued there with Marriott. Perhaps I should just start with bullet points of our experience and build from there:
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- My partner and I both got severe food poisoning from the hotel restaurant (Paul’s landing) on Friday 3/15, the first night of a weekend stay, 10+ hours overnight dealing with tell tale symptoms.
- Zero customer service response upon reporting the food poisoning. Said they were sorry and were investigating, never got back to us.
- $700+/night for a second-floor room with a window facing an exterior wall. They call these "mezzanine level king rooms" - do not allow them to put you in one of these.
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This truly was the worst hotel experience we've ever had. Multiple days of rude service from desk attendants, being violently ill, and then the staff passing the buck around, buying time until we had checked out of the hotel and there was little recourse left.
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We were particularly offended by the hotel manager, Bora, who, at our time of checkout, kept us waiting in the lobby for 20 minutes before coming down to tell us "we apologize, we're investigating, nobody else got sick, I've never dealt with this situation before" and sending us on our way. This is simply not how this sort of incident should be handled anywhere, let alone at a four star hotel! The fact that we were put in a wall-facing room for $700+ a night was really just the icing on the cake.
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With all this said, I would like to shout out Janee, who was one of the only professional acting desk attendants we interacted with.
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This incident has been escalated to Marriott international, who insist the investigation is still ongoing, and that an appropriate customer service response will follow. It has been weeks since I’ve last heard from them. I am beyond frustrated with how the Vinoy and Marriot handled (or didn't handle) this incident.

Hotel staff stole my stuff. After a restless night my Wife and I checked out early (9am) only to call them 2 hours before our expected check out (11am) to notify them that we accidentally left clothes hanging in the closet and wanted to turn around to pick up our items.

The front desk provided zero customer service and was unwilling to assist on the issue. Alexander(at the front desk) forwarded my call to voice-mail every time I called.

Ultimately, Security notified me that housekeeping would return anything (if they found the clothes we left in their small closet) they would call back. It wouldn't have been a burden for me to turn around and pick up clothing

The thinly insullated windows overlooking the marina. Provide plenty of road noise and let all of the heat in forcing you to keep the curtains closed.
Hearing our neighbors cough and the drunken crowds through the thin walls made our night restless despite the comfortable bedding.

Tl:dr: We ultimately left early because of the paultry accommodations and thin walls, accidentally left stuff in the closet hotel staff kept it.

I wouldn't recommend this stay

Great downtown location, beautiful property. The major downside is the service... Needless to say you can tell this is a Marriott property.

1. Bar staff didn't know where the oysters were from
2. Bar staff had no oyster forks, they gave me a small spoon
3. Was overlooked for a long time at Paul's Landing
4. Room service had me come down to pick up my food
5. Food wasn't ready within the estimate given by room service
6. I was asked when I wanted housekeeping. I said noon. They came at 9:30a and 1:30p...

I understand that this is a cheap property for the area compared to Don Cesar or the Edition, but the service was really quite degrading. Only worth it for the location and building, avoid the dining and bars at all costs.

A message to Marriott: please sell this property to a company that can do justice to the beautiful building. The way it's currently run is disgraceful.

Nothing more beautiful than this great historical hotel. Do not think that because is historical one that you one find top notch and gorgeous views. Located right by the pier and walk to many places.