DO NOT STAY HERE -- PHOTOS ATTACHED…read more
Booking dates: June 17-19, 2025
Booked via Expedia in April 2025
Expedia Itinerary #: 73078320239854
We booked this hotel months in advance. Our reservation showed valid right up until we arrived -- after 16 hours of international travel. At check-in, we were told it had been cancelled. We received no notice or communication from the hotel or Expedia.
We were exhausted, in a foreign country, and now had no place to stay. Assistant Front Office Manager Pia Commin told us Expedia cancelled it. Based on this, we blamed Expedia. But after returning home, Expedia confirmed the hotel cancelled the booking -- not them. I have screenshots proving this, and they're attached.
That means Pia either intentionally or negligently misled us during an extremely vulnerable moment. Worse, she changed her story multiple times: first claiming the cancellation was due to a payment issue the day before, then saying it was cancelled one hour before our arrival. Another staff member said Pia was modifying our booking the night before. Their stories didn't add up. This was not a prepay, it was pay at hotel, there was no payment until we arrived. Either way, still no communication even if true, but it was not true.
After 2-3 hours of frantically trying to find another hotel, Pia finally offered one room that had been blocked off due to loud construction noise. It was our only option, so we paid 307 CHF for it. We then had to pay 396 CHF for a second night elsewhere. The construction noise was unbearable, and this experience ruined the start of our trip -- one we had planned for years.
We did not escalate on-site because Pia claimed to be the highest supervisor and we didn't want to waste more of our trip fighting. My wife was in tears. This was devastating.
After returning home, I contacted Pia's boss, Simon, who said the cancellation happened in April -- and blamed our Expedia upgrade. However, I upgraded on April 17, and Expedia provided a new itinerary confirming the upgraded River Suite. Everything appeared valid on our end. His evidence was a basic spreadsheet with no detail, just showing the original room was cancelled, which it was after the upgraded room. The upgraded room showed valid and confirmed since april to the day we tried to check in.
Another hotel employee, Klay Franziska, claimed the hotel didn't cancel -- yet provided no proof, while I provided clear documentation. Klay also encouraged me to leave negative reviews and said he would reply to them -- which says a lot.
Simon and Pia may respond to this claiming they "accommodated us," but putting us in a construction-ridden room after hours of stress doesn't excuse dishonesty or the initial mistake. We lost hours, suffered emotionally, and were left completely unsupported by the hotel staff until we were desperate. This wasn't a simple issue -- this was avoidable and inexcusable.
I requested a 300 CHF compensation for the distress and additional cost. They refused and blamed Expedia. I've also emailed the Director of Rooms, Lorena Oehninger -- she has said nothing.
Summary:
Our confirmed booking was wrongly cancelled by the hotel
The hotel lied about who cancelled it
Gave conflicting reasons
Provided a loud, undesirable room only after hours of desperation
Caused hours of emotional distress to us when we should have been enjoying our room / trip
Refused to accept accountability or compensate fairly
This was the worst hotel experience we've ever had, and the only bad one during our Switzerland trip. If you value honesty, customer care, and peace of mind, do not stay here.