City Hotel Alger

I left a bag behind with important documents and money in it, and the owners returned everything safely. They struck me as professional and trustworthy, and that honesty gave me real peace of mind. I’d happily return and recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Algiers. I’d just come back to Toronto after a trip to Algiers for a funeral. The hotel is modest in size but impeccably kept, and it’s right in the heart of the city with easy access to the main areas. My room was very clean, with working Wi-Fi and AC, plus reliable hot water in the shower. Breakfast was simple but enough to start the day.

The location was difficult, with a long flight of stairs that was hard to manage with luggage. But the worse part was how unsafe and upset we felt inside. We arrived with a confirmed reservation, and the receptionist was rude, dismissive, and unprofessional right away. He said he couldn’t find our booking and gave no useful explanation or help. The three of us, all women, sat down to find another place because we were uncomfortable with how we were being treated. When he saw we’d decided to book elsewhere, he started shouting aggressively. He left the front desk and came over to confront us, continuing in an intimidating and threatening way. We were frightened, shaken, and felt completely disrespected and unsafe. It was one of the most upsetting and unprofessional experiences we’ve had while travelling. Please don’t book here.

The hotel itself is nice, but the staff were very unfriendly, and I felt they were cheating us. We asked the tall man working during the day to arrange two taxis for the railway station, only 500 metres away. After booking, we were told the fare would be 6,000 dinars, or 44 US dollars, so we walked instead. Two weeks later, we asked the slim daytime receptionist to book a taxi to the airport, but he couldn’t. We flagged one down in the street and waited a long time. The breakfast woman was angry and unhelpful too. I won’t stay here again, and I’d warn others away.

I regret staying here. The staff were rude and seemed to know nothing about customer service. I understand Algeria doesn’t get many tourists, but this place was horrible. After the hotel replied to my review, I wanted to respond: yes, there are mosquitoes, just look at the walls, and yes, there are roaches. You and your staff are rude. Blaming the noise on other people in the group shows you know the walls and doors are thin. I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels with better soundproofing. That noise wasn’t a huge deal, I just thought it was worth mentioning. Needing to book an extra night shouldn’t be treated as an inconvenience. This is why your hotel and service suck. I never leave reviews, but I did after this nasty experience. I won’t return, and I told the tour group to stop using your hotel. Your feedback shows how rude you are and that you just don’t get it. Your loss.