Although this is a beautiful hotel architecturally, it is not a good choice based on its lack of…read morehospitality, conviviality and service. With so many other options available the experienced traveler should beware (Check out instead Sagardi located in the same neighborhood, for its delicious restaurant, professional and gracious staff and personal service). First of all, although billed as a hotel and restaurant, THERE IS NO MEAL SERVICE AFTER BREAKFAST NOR ROOM SERVICE BESIDES COLD SNACKS (cheese and ham.) In addition, THERE IS NO STAFF ON THE SITE FROM MIDNIGHT UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING.
The hotel seems to be staffed out of a local modeling agency and although sweet, the girls are hopelessly ineffective and inexperienced in the hospitality business. THERE IS NO CONCIERGE and the staff made rookie mistakes, one after another, that cost me time and money to the point where I made my own bookings.
The services offered by the hotel are OUTRAGEOUSLY overpriced as I discovered when booking my own tours independently. The mark up by the hotel is more than DOUBLE. Book all tours on your own.
Finally, one morning,we were woken up by loud construction noise and shouting at 7:00 am, I demanded to meet the owner after I was informed by the staff that "they were terribly sorry but the hotel needed to complete work on the hotel and were under a deadline." Clearly this was an unacceptable response. It is not my problem that they are opening a new wing. Having traveled all over the world, I have never come across a fine hotel that would handle a situation in this unprofessional manner.
The owner, an extremely unpleasant man who seems to come more from a finance background than a hospitality one, after trying to duck me, finally admitted that this was indeed unacceptable and offered "to take care of that night", which was part of a bill for over 3K. However, upon check out, he had only deducted half of that evening and was nowhere to be found to discuss. His staff had no authority. Therefore, I paid my bill and tipped all the models generously.
Imagine my surprise to discover that the hotel had charged my credit card for my friend's cancelled booking AFTER I HAD SPEND AN ENTIRE WEEK IN THE HOTEL IN A PENTHOUSE ROOM and without any discussion or presentation of that bill. In fact, I had asked for my bill at the end and even inquired if my friend had paid his cancellation fee and was assured by the staff that the bill they presented me would constitute payment in full.
Now, although I have offered to provide my friend's credit card number so that he can pay for his bill, I find myself in a confusing and time consuming game of "he said she said" with the hotel owner over an additional PENALTY night that they want to impose. He is insisting on the application of arcane and indecipherable rules that he apparently has in his contract, none of which were ever mentioned to me during my week long stay, and none of which I agreed to. In addition and most disturbingly, the owner has made personal and invasive comments in writing to me concerning my stay and my relationship to other members of our traveling party.
The photos may look gorgeous and the booking agent may seem wonderful. BUT BUYER BEWARE!!!!!
