The Americana at Brand : User Reviews

Visiting Americana
By pnoyroq from pnoyroq, May 10, 2008

Overall rating:

The experience coming and going to this mall is not good.

First, as you traverse Brand to the mall, rude drivers seem to stop in the middle of the lane on the slightest opportunity of grabbing a parking space from another car getting out. Well, there is still some room for them to pull up or back up to the side to not obstruct traffic. Same thing in the evening as I was leaving the area.

Be wary about the parking structure of Americana. When you use the stairs that opens to the alley, make sure you know your way to the main entrance since these doors can not be accessed going back to the structure. No sign/directions whatsoever is posted to warn you when you use or try those doors.

It seems the only way to the parking structure level is thru the elevator which seems to service all the tenant floors. So you have to be patient. But if you're lucky to find the stairs, this is your best bet. Again, no signs posted to lead you there.

After going thru the ordeal, you thought using the parking ticket machine would zip you out to the exit. But beware. These machines seem to communicate in different languages if you happen to push the wrong button. I could understand if these buttons are labeled as such but still pleasing other languages may complicate it so I guess they'd rather leave the icon for your imagination. For me, Americana is so generous to non-speaking English tourists who come to the States .

Still when I was able to read the machine, I stlll had problems with my credit card payment. It's just not telling me why my payment is not going through. I found out when I gave up and paid at the exit instead Their machine is simply rejecting/misreading the card I was using. And also, you think that there is a special lane for prepaid parking tickets. You'll never know when your near the end of it.

I hope this review will help you enjoy your first visit to the mall.