Terrible Experience - Items Stolen, No Full Compensation, and Poor Customer Service
I am absolutely appalled by my experience at Hotel Catalonia Berlin in August 2024, and I feel compelled to share my story to warn others.
During my stay, I had personal belongings stolen from my room, including two laptops, my children's Nintendo Switches, and several other valuable items, amounting to a total of 4,900 Euro. The reason for the theft? A hotel cleaning staff member allowed a thief to enter my room while it was being cleaned, and they stole my possessions right under the hotel's watch.
The hotel staff initially assured me that they would compensate me for the stolen items and even called the police to file a report. After I returned to my home country, I was told I had to await the outcome of the hotel's insurance claim. However, this was a complete failure on their part, as the theft happened due to the hotel's negligence.
Six months passed, and after constant communication with Mr. Sven Hartung, the Hotel Director, and their insurance company, I was told that the insurance was only willing to pay 1,500 Euro. After further back and forth, they raised the offer to 2,000 Euro, but that was still far below what I was entitled to. I requested that the hotel make up the difference, as it was their staff's fault that the theft occurred. In response, Mr. Hartung offered just an additional 1,000 Euro, bringing the total to 3,000 Euro - still leaving me with a loss of 1,900 Euro.
I even offered to settle the matter by having the hotel match the insurance amount (2,000 Euro) so that I would receive 2,000 from both the hotel and insurance. This would still leave me losing 900 Euro, but I just wanted the matter to be resolved. Unfortunately, the hotel refused to meet this offer.
To make matters worse, the staff's actions directly contributed to the theft: they opened my door, spoke with the thief, allowed the thief access to my room, and simply let them take my items. For the hotel to only offer me 3,000 Euro after the theft of 4,900 Euro in property is completely unacceptable, especially when I provided all receipts for the stolen items.
I acted in good faith, was patient, and trusted the hotel to do the right thing, but this entire experience has been a nightmare. The staff and management are untrustworthy, and the hotel failed to take responsibility for their actions.
Do yourself a favor and avoid this hotel at all costs. They will promise you everything in the moment but leave you high and dry afterward. This was a terrible, frustrating, and unfair experience. read more