Excelsior Hotel & Spa Baku

We booked two rooms for four people at Excelsior Hotel Baku, and the service has been a disaster. Since early morning we've repeatedly asked for basic things like water, towels, and toothbrushes, but nothing has arrived. We also went to reception 2-3 times and still got no help. Without these essentials, we couldn't take a proper shower, and our tourist schedule has been thrown off. We expected a comfortable stay, but it's been the opposite. Staff seem indifferent to guests' needs, and the hospitality has been terrible. One star feels generous. If you're visiting Baku, I'd stay elsewhere. This hotel isn't worth the time, money, or frustration.

The location is awkward if you're sightseeing. Busy roads surround the hotel, so you'll need a taxi to get places, and traffic can mean a long wait at rush hour. The spa and pool aren't anything special either. They're crowded with people from Baku and feel like a public pool, with the odd requirement to wear a swim cap. The rooms are in rough shape. The carpets are worn and falling apart, the lights are dim, and the place feels gloomy. In my room, water dripped from the air conditioner and soaked the ceiling and floor. The ventilation made a constant buzzing noise, like bees overhead. The shower has a large window with no curtain, so people on the terrace outside can see in. The tiles are very slippery, and only some of the shower lights work. The front desk staff are friendly and say they'll fix things or move you, but nothing gets done. They seemed to hope the problems would just go away. When we complained about the poor condition of the standard rooms, the receptionist blamed us for not booking a deluxe room. The staff are warm, but their English is limited and they can't do much to resolve issues. For the price, it's a real letdown, and there are better places in town. The Excelsior Hotel and Spa in Baku feels like an old Soviet movie. Unless you like old, broken things, I'd skip it.

The service really stood out during our three-night stay last December. We arrived tired, and the receptionist told us to go straight to our room and relax before finishing the formalities. They understood how customers feel and spoke good English. I had also asked in advance for a cake for my daughter's birthday, and they arranged it with a lovely gesture, including a bottle of wine. We're a family of four, and our room was spacious, neat, and very clean. The hotel sits a little uphill, so the view is great. The buffet breakfast was tasty, with some vegetarian options too. I'd definitely recommend it for a stay in Baku.

The staff were friendly, and I enjoyed the breakfast. The spa and pool were nice, though the rooms weren't very clean. I wouldn't book here again: I was given a smaller room than the one advertised and booked, with a single bed instead of the king size bed. Staff then told me I'd have to pay another 50 euros to get the room I had booked. The manager later admitted they were wrong. That's no way to treat guests.