Hotel Review: Glenn Hotel, Autograph Collection
Glenn Hotel, Autograph Collection, was originally an office building built in 1923. It was repurposed into a hotel after a renovation in 2006. When a historic building is converted into a hotel, I always question if the developers have succeeded in translating the heritage of the original building, specifically in regard to incorporating modern amenities and new brand ideas. While the hotel delivered certain aspects of the change, I faced an unexpected problem at the hotel, turning my lodging experience at the Glenn Hotel into a nightmare. Here is my review of Glenn Hotel, Autograph Collection:
Glenn Hotel, Autograph Collection is located at 110 Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card does come with a hefty $650 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
$25 monthly dining credit—$300 total in a year
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
An 85,000-point Free Night Award
Access to Priority Pass lounges
25 Elite Night Credits for chasing Marriott Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have, in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
If you are looking for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with a low annual fee, consider the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of three Free Night Awards after spending $1,000 in three months, each covering up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I personally value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, making the 105,000 points offer worth $840. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns 6X points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases every year on dining, grocery stores, and gas stations, and 2X points on all other purchases.
Be aware that 15 elite night credits from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card can’t be combined with 15 elite night credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card’s annual fee is $95, and it offers useful perks to offset the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Marriott Bonvoy status
Please note that you can’t combine Elite Night Credits from two Marriott Bonvoy personal credit cards, but you can stack Elite Night Credits from one personal and one Marriott Bonvoy business card. Thus, if you own both AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, you would only earn 25 elite night credits.
If you’d like to apply for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you!
The last Marriott Bonvoy credit card you could use would be the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you get paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s annual fee is $125, and it offers valuable benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits, which can be combined with 15 Elite Night Credits from other personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
As you can see, the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual Free Night Award perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Location
The Glenn Hotel is a great hotel for tourists. It is surrounded by major local attractions such as Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola. When the sun is shining, I suggest having a picnic at the Centennial Olympic Park. If you are a college football fan, the Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame is right around the corner.
Lobby & Check-In Review
The Glenn Hotel had only one check-in desk, and it had a portrait of a lion, which was a consistent theme of the hotel.
I was taken aback by the unfriendly and hostile treatment I received during check-in.
The front desk representative, Laura, checked me in and informed me that I was upgraded to a king room with a city view. I gently inquired about a possible upgrade to a suite, as the hotel was showing availability for two types of suites, but she dismissively rejected my inquiry. She recognized my Titanium Elite status and gave me drink vouchers and complimentary breakfast coupons, but it was evident that my request annoyed her. When she asked me for a credit card for payment, I informed her that I would be using a Marriott gift card for my stay. She demanded that I email the full 16-digit gift card number to her personal email address so that she could charge me my room rate. I paid for my Marriott hotel stays using gift cards many times previously, but never once was asked to send the entire gift card information to a Marriott employee’s personal email address. I explained to her that since my gift card had funds beyond the room rate, I was afraid to hand her the gift card information, which anyone could use in the future. She persisted in her demand and told me that she could not give me the room without it. I thus had to suggest an alternative option for payment, offering my credit card information and going through a refund process later. She accepted my suggestion, but it was frustrating that, as a guest, I had to resolve such a logistical issue for the hotel. The interaction with the front desk was such an uncomfortable experience, and it left me with a sour taste in my mouth from the outset of my stay. Unlike the unwelcoming service level from the staff, the lobby boasted contemporary light fixtures and vibrant colors.
Although the lobby had a modern feel, I found it difficult to identify its design language.
However, it lacked a cohesive design theme, and the furniture felt out of sync with one another. The seating area mingled with the hotel bar, providing an enjoyable atmosphere with brass accentuated barstools and countertops.
The lounge area and the hotel bar had an overall design that lacked coherence and harmony.
However, the staff's service did not meet the lobby's level of atmosphere. Putting behind my unsatisfactory interaction with the front desk, I went up to the 10th floor, where my room was located.
I found myself wondering why the hotel chose a lion as its symbol. Despite my curiosity, I couldn't find any explanation.
Bedroom Review
As I entered my hotel room, I was taken aback by its compact size. The room barely accommodated a king-sized bed and small nightstands on either side.
While the charm of the bedroom was undeniable, its limited square footage fell short of standard expectations for space.
Instead of traditional bedside lamps, lamps hung on the ceiling to conserve space. Above the bed hung a decorative mirror with a lion theme, and colorful curtains added a layer of vibrancy to the room.
The nightstand featured a built-in outlet and USB ports, yet they are inoperable.
A work desk had to be scaled down to fit in the corner, and the minuscule nature of the work desk, unfortunately, didn’t offer much space.
The hotel didn't forget to sprinkle in some lion-inspired décor in the bedroom.
A stylish bench pleasantly occupied the rest of the space, but it was not very practical.
The bench had a chic appearance, yet it lacked the adequate space for comfortable lounging.
Thankfully, a smart TV mounted on the wall was one of the few redeeming features of the room. Despite staying in an Autograph Collection branded hotel, I was disappointed to find only a basic CV1 coffee machine with Starbucks coffee available.
To meet Autograph Collection's standards, hotel rooms should include an upscale coffee machine.
Additionally, though I stayed in a city-view room, the view from my window was dreadful as it faced an empty parking lot. Thankfully, with my camera lens, I was able to capture a nice view of the city and enjoy it through my phone.
The upgraded city view room wasn't as dynamic and exciting as I hoped for.
Adding to the frustration, the internet connection was unstable and slow, making basic tasks like email searches difficult. The bedroom was reminiscent of the tiny hotels I've experienced in New York City. Even though the bedroom was stylishly designed with its dark green walls and vibrant curtains, I felt claustrophobic with my luggage sharing limited space with a bed that dominated most of the room's area. The smart TV offered more entertainment options, but generally, the amenities and views were lackluster and fell short of the standards I generally associate with the Marriott brand. As an Autograph Collection property, I was disappointed that the hotel left no lasting impression.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom was also very compact. The bathroom featured a single-sink vanity and a walk-in shower. I enjoyed having a playful wallpaper, but while it lifted the general ambiance of the room, the amenities lacked to keep me captivated.
The compact bathroom was made cheerful with colorful wallpapers that cleverly distracted me from the limited space.
The toiletries were from Lather; they had a refreshing lemongrass scent, and the exfoliating soap bar effectively reinvigorated my skin.
The toiletries featuring a lemongrass scent provided a refreshing experience.
The walk-in shower had a standard showerhead, and the water pressure wasn’t great.
The hotel's decision to adorn the shower wall with a flower decal was perplexing.
Similar to the bedroom, the only eye-catching element in the bathroom was the wallpaper, and nothing else truly set the experience as special as an Autograph Collection hotel should.
Gym Review
Located on the second floor of the hotel, the gym was open 24/7. Unfortunately, I found it to be disappointing due to its limited offerings of just a few cardio machines and standard dumbbells.
The gym felt out of place and lacked ambiance compared to the rest of the hotel.
The gym seemed neglected and poorly maintained, with the bench hidden between an elliptical and a cycling machine. Moreover, some of the equipment appeared rusty, especially the dumbbells.
The rusty dumbbell handles were in dire need of cleaning or replacement.
The only saving grace was that the gym had a mini-fridge with cool water, which shouldn’t be the biggest highlight of any gym.
The hotel was dedicated to its premises, including the gym, with lion-inspired artwork.
While I adored the illustrative portrait of a lion on the wall, the rest of the design elements were confusing. I wasn’t sure if the hotel was going for a cabin feel with wood accent walls, but they certainly didn’t belong in the hotel. I wouldn't recommend the Glenn Hotel if you value a well-equipped gym during your travels.
Positives & Negatives
Positives
The only positive aspect of the Glenn Hotel was the room's aesthetics. The use of colorful wallpapers made both bedroom and bathroom more trendy and distracted guests from mediocre amenities in the room.
Negatives
My check-in experience was uncomfortable, but the checkout experience was even more frustrating. The same front desk agent refused to take my gift card unless I send her the full 16-digit gift card number to her personal email address and proved that it belonged to me. She added that I could’ve stolen it or picked it up from the street, and I found her accusatory tone quite inappropriate. Even after showing her the email receipt for the gift card, she still insisted that I send her my gift card information to her personal email.
The hotel room was exceptionally small. Although micro hotels are acceptable in places like New York City, this was in Atlanta. Additionally, there is no need to upgrade to a city-view room as it overlooks an empty parking lot.
The fitness center was as cramped as my hotel room, and it was poorly equipped. It was apparent that the gym had not been kept tidy, indicating a lack of regular maintenance.
Summary
Glenn Hotel, Autograph Collection, left a negative impression on me as one of the worst hotels I have ever stayed at. While I could manage a compact room and subpar amenities, it was the negative demeanor of the front desk representative that left me feeling unwelcome and uncomfortable from the gecko, and at that point, I should’ve noticed a huge red flag before committing to stay at the Glenn Hotel. Specifically, when it came time to pay for my stay with a gift card, the representative demanded that I share my gift card information over her personal email, despite having physical proof of the card's validity. The frustrating interaction with the receptionist ultimately damaged my viewpoint of the Glenn Hotel as an upscale Autograph Collection property. Never once have I felt so frustrated and humiliated by the hotel host with such an accusatory tone; I cannot recommend the Glenn Hotel to those searching for a quality travel experience.
