El Djazair

With its heritage and architecture, the hotel feels like a living dream for guests from all over the world. It’s the most prestigious hotel in the country, with panoramic views, hospitable service, fabulous room decor, and tasty food.

Hotel El-Djazair’s garden is superb, lush, peaceful, and beautifully designed. The historic building has remarkable architecture and rich details, giving it a unique heritage. But the rest of my experience was disappointing, especially the poor upkeep. Rooms are outdated and neglected and need major renovation, bathrooms are old and unmaintained, and cleanliness overall needs serious improvement. These conditions fall far below what I’d expect from a five-star hotel. The restaurant was catastrophic, nowhere near five-star quality. Staff lacked professionalism, basic service skills, and even hygiene standards. They also wouldn’t let guests bring in even small food items, such as sweets, from outside, saying it was for guest safety. That felt unreasonable and unnecessary. The staff seemed not to understand customer service, with a noticeable lack of training, professionalism, and hospitality. Management appeared disconnected from what guests expect. The hotel has enormous potential because of the garden and historic value, but it needs a complete overhaul, from maintenance to service. A deep restructuring and replacement of staff, including senior management, is essential if it’s to live up to its five-star reputation.

The sandwich situation was the worst part. On October 14, 2025, I ordered one around 16:15 and waited about 45 minutes. I had a meeting soon after, so it sat there and got cold. Then a cat ate some of it. When I went to the kitchen after my meeting and politely asked for a replacement, the staff member refused at first and offered to reheat the same sandwich. I asked for a fresh one, but he brushed me off with “ok ok.” They brought it back with cheese covering the part the cat had eaten. I complained again, and the manager wearing glasses said it was partly my fault instead of apologizing. My room had problems too. I was happy to be back in Algeria after 15 years when I checked in in October 2025, but there was dried urine on the toilet and the outside door wouldn't shut properly, so I had to switch rooms. The replacement hadn't been vacuumed and still looked dirty. The whole stay felt unhygienic, unprofessional, and disrespectful.

The hotel's history caught my interest, but the appeal seems to stop at the outside. Inside, it's old and outdated, nowhere near what I'd expect from a luxury property. We cut our stay short. Food was a disappointment too. Breakfast was badly organized with very few choices, and even getting a coffee felt impossible. Lunch and dinner weren't appetizing or varied, and at 7,500 DZD they were far too expensive for the quality. Staff were often unfriendly, irritable, rude, and poorly trained. Some waiters pushed for tips. For a hotel claiming five-star service, this was a deeply disappointing stay. It seems to rely on its past, and I wouldn't recommend it.