Palisade has been top notch every time that I have visited and I have never let another place park it for me.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yew0qj32Vs

The Westin in Bellevue was a great place to park until the day I drove up in the Scud to park, not a car in sight and attendants standing around. I wanted to leave my car right in front, but the young kid said "he would have to take my car to the "special parking lot"--- ahem-- NFW!
It was code for, I want to drive your car...

Anyway, check out the video and see if you still want to leave your car at any ol' hotel valet. STUFF Happens

 

This is a hot topic for me. Yes, we are compiling a list for E@RTC's site. It's in the works. As for valets, some are extremely professional and others are not so you have to ask around. Some establishments pride themselves on very professional valets. Virtually all OC hotels and restaurants who have valets have parked cars far more expensive than anything we have so they truly have seen it and done it before. Fairmont hotels park exotics in front as they have room and always back exotics with the aid of a second valet.

As for horrible experiences- far and away the WORST is Carillon Point. (Not to be confused with the Woodmark who has terrific valets.) The guys at Carillon point drove my LP640 to the garage and back with the parking brake engaged, clutch smoking, and no idea that the bight read "BRAKE" light meant it was ON rather than slow down. I had to bring it in to see if there was damage- there was none. Still, when I wrote them a letter pointing out the lack of care and training, their solution was to ban exotics for liability reasons, this same bright management team now wonders why they don't have a thriving restaurant tenant where Blue Water once occupied.

 

+1 wrt Carillon Point been the worst, I asked the valet to let me park my car and his answer was "I have driven better cars than yours" which of course resulted on me driving away to better places. The Hotel valet is GREAT, if the front spot is available they let me park my car there. I actually delivered my wife's new car with their help. I parked the car in front of the hotel (big bow included), they moved all other cars away...

Another good spot is Hotel 1000 in Seattle. The valet will join me and open the door of the secure garage in the back of the building and let me park the car there. From the garage one takes down the elevator to the hotel lobby & restaurant.

Salish Lodge also lets you park your car (most valets, not all) and will move away other cars if all spots are taken.

Barolo ristorante in Seattle. The owner is also an exotic car's owner so they have preferred spot for exotics, or at least they had that 6 months ago...They favor all things italian

 

funny I've always (until last night) had good valet attitudes at Palisades. I was in the car rolled the window down and said do you want me just to back it into the spot and the guy was an ***. Like I just took his girlfriend from him. He pointed at Pauls car and said "but I just parked that" I said well that's an automatic. Ok kind of a smart *** remark but hey what an idiot. I still tracked him down and gave him a tip though it was tough.

We went to the Pearl later and the 2 kids working there cleared 2 spots and asked me to please park the car in one of them. Totally opposite.

 

Im a valet at the Redmond Town Center Marriott.

We let people park their own cars all the time. I think thats the route I would take if I ever had my car valeted somewhere else. The thought of someone else driving my car is not a happy one.

As far as horror stories go, I dont have too many. Just the occasional temporary loss of keys I guess. Couple months ago we did have someone drive off in the wrong car. I blame the guest though.

 

Yea, it varies at Palisades for me too. it's never a problem with the car, just the attitude of some valets.

 

I hear that driving off with the wrong rental happens often at hotels. I didn't know there was valet at the RTC Marriott. You don't have parking in front though do you?

 

Your right, its happened once since I started working their in February but I also heard it happened at the Westin not too long ago. We get a lot of rental Nissan Altima's that have that key where you can keep it in your pocket and start it (or walk off with the key and have it stay running). One say, we had 2 white Altimas on our driveway, and the guest just hopped in the wrong one and drove off. The funny thing was, the keys for the car was in our key box, so he was not a happy camper when he got to his destination (a restaurant in Seattle) and couldn't start his car again. We ended up driving the keys out to him. Were a lot more careful now.

As for the parking, we dont have actual parking spots out front. We do however have a pretty big driveway and park cars on the sides pretty often.

 

I avoid taking my cars to any valet where the car has to be taken any distance, especially if you can't see what the valet is doing. As an example, I never go to the Bravern anymore. They keep nothing in the circle and they could easily burn a clutch on the Lamborghini. It's just not worth the trouble. I think the Braven is one of the worst managed properties around because of their valet policies. The very people they need to attract won't let their cars disappear into that garage. Contrast that with Bel Square, north east valet stand where they park the cars where they are in plain sight, or let you park yourself.

When I was in Monterey, I pulled up to a valet and asked if they were familiar with a Lamborghini. The valet said, "yes" and so I asked him how to put it in reverse and he gave me the wrong answer. I then asked the second valet the same question and he had the right answer and I asked him to park the car. I just don't like it when valets try and bluff their way through. I'm far more likely to trust the valet who's honest about his experience.

 

^^^ Tommy, just drive to the bottom floor at the Bravern and you will have your pick of any vacant stall any time of day and your car will be safe. The project is doing so poorly, it's easy to find parking anytime.

 

+1 exactly what I do, but one does not need to drive too far. lots of empty spaces, specially on weekends when offices are empty... but really not many reasons to go there, food-wise or shop-wise

 

Mark, you may be already on it but if you're talking about the W Seattle, I wouldn't do it if they insist on putting it down in the garage. It is a very tight fit, with sharp turns and elevation changes in the road. I had an Audi RS4 when I parked there, and while my car was okay, they were dealing with a gal whose car was damaged in the garage from the valets.

 

they were good this weekend. only put it 50ft into the garage where it sat all night. they were all curtious and it was very busy this weekend for some reason. hotel was great but too much $$ for a night in seattle. it was NYC pricing and I was still in washington.

 

^ hempfest weekend rates :-)