My wife and I chose Hotel Casa Albertina for our honeymoon, and for most of our stay, it was…read morelovely. It's a charming boutique hotel with stunning, unbelievable views from the balcony of our room (though note, balcony privacy is limited). We were fully prepared to give a 5-star review.
However, a disturbing incident on our final night completely changed our perspective and revealed a shocking lack of duty of care from the management.
While returning to the hotel via the steep, dark alleyway approach (approx. 50 steps), we found two young women in clear distress. One was nearly unconscious--limp, unable to speak, with dilated eyes--while her friend, who seemed only slightly intoxicated, was struggling to help her. The friend stated they had just been drinking at the Hotel Casa Albertina rooftop bar.
As my wife is a nurse, we immediately stopped to assist. Concerned for their safety on the dark steps, we made the logical decision to help the incapacitated woman back up to the hotel lobby, the very establishment that had served them, so she could sober up safely and we could arrange a secure ride home.
The receptionist's reaction was appalling. He was immediately hostile, refused help, and demanded we remove her from the premises. We were not accusing anyone of anything; we were simply trying to ensure a patron's safety. The hotel's defensive and aggressive stance was telling and deeply unsettling.
I ultimately had to carry this young woman down all 50 steps myself to get her and her friend into a taxi (we confirmed they got home safely).
The most unbelievable part was the manager confronting and yelling at us during checkout the next morning, reiterating that we were "wrong" to bring her to the lobby. The complete lack of concern for a customer's well-being is unacceptable.
I cannot stress this enough: I would caution anyone, especially women traveling alone or in small groups, to be extremely aware of their surroundings and seriously reconsider patronizing this hotel's rooftop bar. The management's priority is clearly avoiding liability over ensuring patron safety. Their vicious reaction to our good-faith attempt to help was appalling and ruined our honeymoon's final impression.
In good conscience, I cannot recommend this hotel or its bar to anyone. The view is not worth the risk.