"Rules Designed to Inconvenience Guests"
Overall, the outside and lobby are impressive, in this old Philips building. But upon check in, things started going downhill. The front desk staff were acting like "school kids" with two young ladies rubbing the shoulders of a male co-worker (in view of everyone in the lobby,) while failing to offer us any assistance with our luggage. Well, I can't say I got no help, as they did point at luggage cart and let me know that I was free to help myself. It was one of those "teach a man to fish" moments, I guess.
The room itself was great. It's high ceiling with corresponding massive windows (that opened), do a great job selling the room. But, unfortunately, the minibar area was filthy. The coffee maker was disassembled and covered in dust (see photo.) The water kettle was old, filthy, and covered in slime and gunk (did they get them used?) Even if I had cleaned both of them, the power outlets to both the coffee maker and kettle were inaccessible. But, as I was still "high" from viewing the room, so I chose to be patient and just reported the lack of cleanliness to Walter, the manager on duty.
The next day, we were to move rooms, due to a reservation change. When we arrived in the new room, I went to inspect the coffee maker, but found instant coffee instead. I asked Peter (the day manager) to please send one up, he informed me that this new room type didn't come with a coffee maker, but he bent the rules to send one up.
The following morning I went to make myself a coffee. To my disgust, I discovered that someone had previously put milk in the water reservoir. I am not sure how long it had been in there but I could tell from the first and only sip, that it wasn't fresh. So I reported it to Peter. I asked kindly, to just give me a voucher to use for coffee at the restaurant. He refused and said he would send up a clean coffee maker, even though I told him I was never using one of those coffee makers again. This made me sad.
Finally, after completing a massage in the spa, as I was returning to the room (in a hotel robe,) I spotted a food delivery person whom my husband had ordered to deliver us dinner. The person was standing in the lobby with two front desk employees and the first manager Walter. I inquired if the order was for our room. Walter responded yes. To which i asked the delivery man to come with me to the room, where my husband had the cash to pay for the food. Walter stopped me and said "no your husband must come down to pay." Hmm... thanks Walter. Why not just escort me with the food to my room? The lack of understanding about hospitality was shocking. So, Walter decided to punish my husband for ordering delivery food and forced him to come down and pay. Walter explained to him how this is an unchangeable policy. We later found out from the taxi driver, if the delivery man would dress up like a street-walker, he would be let up to the rooms no problem. That he has seen it on several occasions.
Hopefully Intelhotels will lose the property and a proper Hotel business will take it over, (since the rooms are great and the location can't be beat). We would love to come back once the change is complete. read more