Novotel

Extremely Negative Review for Novotel Mainz - June 2024

I had an extremely negative experience at Novotel Mainz that left me deeply disappointed and frustrated. From the moment of check-in, none of the reception staff bothered to inform us of any changes in service hours or other important variations.
This total lack of communication with the guests is unacceptable.

One evening, I went down to the hotel bar around 7:35 PM for an aperitif while waiting to dine at the hotel restaurant or at least at the bar.
However, when I asked to see the menu to order a simple and low quality frozen pizza, the bartender rudely told me that the restaurant was already closed and suggested I find a kebab place down the street.
This rude behavior was just the beginning.

I pointed out to the bartender that, according to the official Novotel Mainz website, the restaurant closes at 9:30 PM, so I was still in time to place an order.
In response, I was accused of lying and told not to disturb further.
I then showed them their website to prove I was right (in the official website is writte 21:30), but I was treated with even more rudeness.

The restaurant manager then got involved and showed me a bulletin board near the elevator with a notice in German and English indicating a new closing time of 9:00 PM.
No one had bothered to inform me or my colleagues of this change, and I wonder how an international guest, who does not speak/read German or English or from countries with different alpahabets like arabian, chinese, japanese etc., would have known about it.

This total disorganization is unacceptable for a hotel that prides itself on high standards.

Finally, I spoke with a supervisor and I suggested heating a frozen pizza in the microwave to resolve the issue without further problems.

Nobody of the staff was able to suggest any proposal to fix this problem.

Even after trying to be accommodating and I also personally returning the dishes to the kitchen, the situation worsened when I asked for two separate bills: one for the dinner and one for the beers during the aperitif.

The bartender initially totally refused, claiming it was impossible, and only after my insistence did I get the two separate receipts.

I felt made a fool of and disrespected as a paying customer, as something supposedly impossible was suddenly achievable after my complaints.

Is this Novotel's policy for their customers?

The hotel's operations displayed sheer incoherence, with a complete lack of coordination and miscommunication between staff regarding basic details like restaurant hours.

Despite my willingness to find an amicable solution, this hotel demonstrated complete disorganization, incompetence, unprofessional and unacceptable rudeness unpolite.

The experience was a huge disappointment, especially considering the standards Novotel claims on their website.

In all honesty, I will never recommend this hotel to anyone due to its extremely low level of service, lack of professionalism, and especially the immense rudeness and lack of respect towards paying guests.