Vila Gale Rio de Janeiro

We chose Novotel over IBIS for comfort, since they’re part of the same hotel group, but we were charged for water that should have been free. Staff spoke very little English and seemed inexperienced, so even a small issue could take hours to sort out. As I was leaving, I said, “This is Novotel, right? I’ve never had such bad hospitality at another Novotel anywhere in the world.” I wouldn’t recommend staying here, and I’ll definitely choose somewhere else if I return. If you have another option, look elsewhere.

The food was low quality, and the rooms were dirty with poor ventilation. The sofa bed was in terrible condition and covered in old sweat, so my child couldn’t use it. The bathroom also needs maintenance. At reception especially, employees were unfriendly and didn’t seem focused on guests. They even spoke badly about each other in front of us.

The room was noisy all night: the AC and fridge were loud, sounds from adjoining rooms carried through, and from 5:30 a.m. the lift bell kept ringing. It was dirty as well. There was an STI information leaflet in the room, which surprised me for a supposedly upmarket hotel. The couch had stains that clearly weren’t spills, though thankfully I saw them before sitting down. When I told reception, they didn’t seem to understand what the problem was and asked what I wanted done. They arranged cleaning, but it only made the stain smaller. There were more marks on the curtains and mold on the bathroom ceiling. I asked for clean sheets, but the bed was just made instead. I could tell because there was still sand in it after a beach visit. The lifts had card scanners meant to restrict floor access, but they weren’t working, so anyone could go anywhere. The restaurant was open to people who weren’t hotel guests, which by itself wasn’t an issue, but they could also reach every floor. One night I woke up when someone tried my room door. In other hotels I might be disturbed but feel safer because of the chain or bolt. This one had been removed and wasn’t replaced. Dinner from the buffet was barely passable, lukewarm and overcooked under the heat lamps, so we had to go out each night. Breakfast was worse, with stale pastries and local baked goods. When we asked staff for dinner ideas, they weren’t helpful, only pointing us to the hotel restaurant and saying there might be something at the airport. I also tried to make the best of the area around the hotel, which was beyond its control. There were many homeless people nearby calling out as we walked past. As three men together, we could keep walking without being followed, but I wouldn’t have wanted to be alone or in a group of women. At checkout I was charged for a Snickers bar from the minibar that I hadn’t taken. I challenged it and got a refund, but five minutes later my colleague faced the same thing. It suggests either a scam involving the chocolate bar charge, or dishonest staff taking them, expecting guests to pay.

The area was conveniently placed, but run down, with closed shops and groups of homeless people nearby. The hotel corridors were dark and dingy, and the furnishings in the room were worn and heavily stained. I found an insect in the bed and wasn’t sure the bedding was properly changed each day. The food was reasonable, and staff did lend me a plug adapter. But at checkout they tried to charge me for a minibar Snickers bar I hadn’t eaten. The same thing happened to a colleague. When I refused to pay, they still asked me to sign a form saying I’d had it, which I also refused.