I was feeling sad, and with my birthday approaching, I booked a hotel stay in an attempt to cheer myself up. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.
Although I had already waited to check in at 12 pm, I was somehow asked to join the queue again at 3 pm to collect my key. The check-in process was confusing and poorly communicated: I handed over our passports, entered my email address, signed a form, and provided my mobile number. I was told that the hotel would call me, but I explained that I would not be able to receive calls. Nevertheless, the staff member insisted that they could call. When that did not work, I was asked to scan a QR code for WhatsApp. At no point was I given a proper introduction to the hotel, its facilities, or basic practical information such as breakfast time and location.
I eventually attempted to move to a shorter nearby queue for key collection. The staff member then asked me four times whether I wanted to be escorted to my room. I had thought it was clear that I needed assistance, particularly because I had already explained that I had not been given the basic information mentioned above and was visibly quite lost around the hotel while she repeatedly asked the same question. She eventually escorted us only after I firmly insisted.
Even if it had not been obvious that I wanted an escort, I felt that she should simply have assisted us rather than asking the same question four times in different languages and tones. During the escort, she asked about the reason for my stay. When I mentioned that it was related to my birthday, the “happy birthday” I received felt insincere and overly sympathetic. Rather than making me feel welcomed, it made me feel worse.
She may have noticed how helpless and confused I felt, as she then directed me to a QR code in the room and told me to read the information there. However, I had booked the stay to rest and feel looked after, not to search through a QR code for information that should have been clearly communicated at check-in. This was particularly disappointing because the staff member wore a crossed golden keys lapel pin, which I understand represents a high standard of concierge skill and service.
It also took a long time for the pillows to arrive after my unsuccessful attempt to sleep using the standard pillows provided in the room, which were among the worst I have ever tried. This was already inconvenient because I was in my pyjamas. Initially, I was told that the delivery would take “a few minutes,” but after more than 10 minutes, when I inquired again, I was told it would take “a while.” A male staff member was then sent to deliver the pillows late at night, which made the situation more uncomfortable, given that I was already in my pyjamas. The handling of this request felt unnecessarily awkward and showed a lack of attention to detail.
At breakfast, the seating arrangement was confusing, and everything on my table was cleared away while I briefly left to get a pastry. My coffee was still untouched, and my knife and fork had been placed across the plate, which should have indicated that I was still eating. When I returned, I had to wait again for coffee, despite other guests who arrived after me being served first. I also had to ask for napkins again. It made me feel like an inconvenience rather than a guest.
There was also a great deal of unclear communication regarding in-room amenities. The menu listed “Additional Still Water,” “Additional Sparkling Water,” and “Replenish Tea & Coffee Facilities” on the same page. I therefore selected sparkling water, thinking that a complimentary refill might be available on request. I later received a WhatsApp message clarifying that sparkling water was not complimentary and referred to the bottles in the minibar. When I replied to confirm that the other items listed on the same page were complimentary, I received further messages that felt defensive rather than helpful.
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