Malcot Hotel

We were supposed to stay at hotel Malcot from December 24 until 26 over Christmas, but they turned us away before check-in. The rooms also look quite outdated in the pictures, and the location isn’t great, about 25 minutes walking from the station and another 10 minutes to the center of Mechelen. That morning I’d called with a few ordinary hotel questions I couldn’t answer from the listing: whether towels and soap were provided, whether breakfast was available, and whether we could check in later than the stated time. When I asked about towels and soap, the receptionist/owner answered in a snide tone, saying they were a 3* hotel with big and small towels, little soaps, and a bed in the room, then laughed at me. She kept listing things I hadn’t asked about, like a trash can and a bed, and laughing. I said it seemed like she was laughing at me, and that it might be best to end the call and talk when we arrived. We’d already paid, so I decided to try to make the best of it, though after that call I didn’t feel welcome. When we arrived, the doors were locked and a dog barked behind them. We rang the bell with no answer, then called; after a while a lady opened the door and asked if we were the ones who had called that morning. I thought maybe she would apologize, but as we walked to reception she again said my question was ridiculous because it was a 3* hotel, and asked if I’d ever been to a hotel that didn’t provide towels. That has happened to me, and I said there are many kinds of hotels. She was asking rhetorically and kept trying to make me understand how ridiculous she thought the question was. I felt uncomfortable and said I didn’t think it was a strange thing to ask a hotel. That seemed to agitate her. I asked if we could stop the conversation because I was uncomfortable and it didn’t seem to be going anywhere. She got angry, raised her voice, and repeatedly said, ‘I don’t want this **** here. You need to leave. Get out.’ I was surprised and didn’t know what to do, but after she said it several times I assumed we had to leave, even though we’d already paid and had no backup. I asked if we’d get our money back, since we hadn’t chosen to cancel and normally there’s a cancellation period, so it should be a full refund. She said it was none of her business, we’d have to sort it out ourselves, and again that she didn’t want ‘that ****’ there. I’ve never been denied entry to a hotel before, especially over a reasonable question about facilities, with no information about a refund or backup, leaving us out on the street in our circumstances. Please don’t stay here if you expect professional, kind treatment from the host. If you’re planning to stay, call first to ask whether they have towels, and you can see for yourself whether you feel welcome. On our way out she said something about not wanting bad reviews on booking.com and that this was also a reason she wouldn’t let us stay. It seems possible this has happened to other people too, but their opinions may not be visible. I wanted to share what happened so other travelers don’t go through the same thing.