Tech consultant for Olympia, Lacey, And Tumwater

Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel review

Marriott Chef delivering bun

So another weekend of Gnomedex and another weekend at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel. This may have been the last year of Gnomedex but another tech conference had it’s first year at the exact same conference center. For some reason they thought PII was a good name despite everyone already pronouncing it like Pee. So even though I won’t be going up for Gnomedex next year, I do hope to go up for Seattle Geek week and Pee…er, I mean Pii. So I figured why not review this years stay at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel?

The staff as always was great. I’ve never seen a group of people work so hard to make little ol’ me feel as comfortable as possible. It was nice to see Nicole (I’m starting to learn names, how sad is that?) at the front desk again. She has a pleasant laugh and a relaxing smile. Even though I know she is paid to have that laugh and smile she does it so well I am led to believe there is some sincerity to it. I’m as cynical as it gets, but she seems to actually give a crap and have fun with her job.

The chef made me laugh this year though. Last year Ciabatta buns were all the rage, so I understood why they had one of those nasty things on the burger I ordered. This year however it was a freakin’ pancake! No joke. I was told it was some sort of flat bread, but if it looked like a pancake, smelled like a pancake, and sure as heck tasted like a pancake, I think it is safe to say that was a damn pancake! It reminded me of those images of a rabbit with a pancake on it’s head. “I have no idea what you are saying so here’s a bunny with a pancake on it’s head.” So I felt like the chef was telling me, “I have no idea what you are saying, so here’s a burger with a pancake on it’s head.” To be clear, the burger tasted great otherwise. It would have been better with a real (traditional) bun, but the pancake made me laugh more than anything. It was more goofy and silly than anything that would have ruined the meal. The omelet I had on Sunday morning was way better than the one I had on the Sunday morning last year. Not sure why. Maybe it was cooked more thoroughly? Maybe I ordered different ingredients? Maybe they changed cooks, methods, recipes, equipment, or something else. All I know is that It was pretty packed with awesome.

The maid service was great of course. I think the maids got used to me leaving at 8 am for the conference. So when I slept in until about ten and was still getting stuff ready for check out at 11:00 a very polite and apologetic lady came in to change the bed sheets. If I was forced to find one complaint it would be that they kept moving the program schedule and remote to the tv. Who needs it there? I need it on the nightstand! But if that is the biggest complaint I can think of, that is some awesome work! Let me also say the guys out in front are always jumping on any excuse they can to serve you. It kind of threw a guy like me for a loop to be honest. I’m just not used to that sort of thing. I heard that the hotel was packed all weekend, but yet it just didn’t seem like it. Everything was nice and quiet. Sure there was people, but it still maintained a very relaxing vibe to me. I have heard about hotels that are about half the price just a block or two up the street, but the staff at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel treat me so well that I am afraid to try anywhere else next year. Now everyone, let me hear you scream, “Pee, Pee, Pee, Pee, Pee!” Oh, right. It’s Pii. Sorry, I keep forgetting.

Why Gnomedex attendees should stay at the Marriott instead of Edgewater

So this was my second time going to Gnomedex. Last year I stayed at Edgewater and this year I stayed at Marriott. Most people going to Gnomedex stay at one or the other because they are the two hotels within a 2 minute walk from the Bell Conference Center. Well I now want to strongly recommend that if you are going to Gnomedex (which all my readers should do) that you should just stay at Marriott.

What does Edgewater have going for it? They are a historical hotel where the Beatles took a very famous photo. They are also on the same street as the conference center. Well, those two things also go against the hotel. It was a great hotel back in the 60′s I’m sure. Times have changed and people expect a little bigger room. Those rooms are freakin’ tiny! The rooms at the Marriott are way bigger and more comfortable. The Edgewater being on the same side of the street go against it as well. Sure it’s the same side, but it’s way further (or it at least seemed to me). The street is very easy to cross and it is way quicker to go from Marriott to the conference center. The staff of Marriott have a much better attitude and seem to have a mental condition that makes them way to happy to serve their guests. I have never been treated so well as I was when I stayed at Marriott.

Edgewater seemed desperate. They seem more interested in packing their tiny rooms with things to rack up charges than making their guests comfortable. Both provide a fridge, but the one at Marriott was nice and empty. So I could bring the comforts of home more easy and not be worried about getting charged for something I brought. It’s not about me being cheap, but their are things that I enjoy that a hotel can’t be expected to provide. Having an empty fridge welcome me was a really nice thing I thought. It also made Marriott seem less desperate. Because of that I stayed an extra night and even had my first “room Service” experience. The food was great and even my dinner the night before was good. The night before I wanted to make sure I went to the open bar party with a full stomach. SO I had a burger and fries at the Marriott restaurant. I thought the bun was a little strange. What is so wrong with the traditional bun? Am I too white trash for wanting a traditional bun? The fries however were pure awesome! Too many times restaurants force me to eat these tiny shoestring things. I want nice think fries with the skins still on them dammit! Marriott did it right!

The shower head at Edgewater left me paranoid that I wasn’t getting all the soap out of my hair. I’m not sure if there wasn’t enough holes in the shower head, the holes were not big enough, or whatever else but it sucked. At Marriott the water pressure was better and it made me feel like I was actually getting a good shower. An extra thanks to the valet for helping me with my first big city taxi cab experience. I thought Eddie was going out of his way to help me, but I soon figured out that that is just the Marriott way…at least in the Seattle location. Screw Edgewater if you are going to Gnomedex people. Just stay at Marriott. I know I will. See ya at Gnomedex 10!

Get your Gnomedex 10 tix now at http://gnomedex10.eventbrite.com/