‼️RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT TORONTO AIRPORT‼️
We checked into this hotel expecting a great stay, and at first everything seemed wonderful. Unfortunately, our experience took a complete turn due to how an unexpected situation was handled.
We left the hotel early in the morning to enjoy our day and returned around 10:00 p.m., only to discover that our room had been locked by housekeeping with all of our belongings still inside. This meant we had no access to our luggage, medications, toiletries, chargers, or even a change of clothes. We were traveling as a family of four, including our 6-year-old child, and after spending the entire day out, we were left with only the clothes we were wearing.
We understand that mistakes can happen. Rooms can accidentally be locked, and unforeseen situations arise. What made this experience so upsetting was not the mistake itself—it was the complete lack of urgency, empathy, and professionalism from the front desk.
The front desk employee, Lloyd, was extremely unhelpful and dismissive. Instead of trying to find a solution or showing any concern for our situation, he repeatedly told us there was nothing he could do. When we continued asking if there was anyone else he could contact or another way to access our room, he even threatened that we could be removed from the hotel simply for asking him to help us resolve the issue. As paying guests, we were shocked to be treated this way.
We spent the entire night without access to our belongings. We had no phone chargers, no toiletries, no clean clothes, and no way to prepare for the next day. Traveling with a young child made the situation even more stressful and exhausting.
To make matters worse, when we requested additional bottled water for our family of four, we were given only four bottles and were refused any extras despite explaining our circumstances.
The hotel security staff deserves recognition because they genuinely tried to help us. They were kind, understanding, and sympathetic. Unfortunately, they explained that they were unable to access the necessary tools or unlock the room because the front desk would not authorize it. They wanted to help but were prevented from doing so.
Update: The following morning, we spoke with the hotel manager, Mae. During our conversation, we learned something even more disappointing. Lloyd had told us the previous night that he had called both the maintenance manager and the hotel manager and had left voicemail messages. However, the manager informed us that no such calls or voicemails had ever been made. Finding out that we had been misled after spending the entire night without our belongings made an already terrible experience even worse.
This situation could have been handled very differently. A simple mistake should never turn into an unforgettable negative experience because of poor customer service and a lack of accountability. We were never expecting perfection—we were simply hoping for honesty, compassion, and someone willing to make every reasonable effort to help.
This was, without question, the worst hotel experience we have ever had. I sincerely hope no other family, especially those traveling with young children, has to go through what we experienced.
