Hotel Montecarlo Spa & Wellness

I’ve stayed in more than 50 hotels rated between 2 and 5 stars over the past few years, and my stay at Montecarlo had the biggest gap between what I expected and what I got. In a 4 star hotel, you don’t expect the SPA to be set up in the dining room, separated only by a glass wall.

We booked 7 double rooms expecting basic hospitality, but this was the worst hotel experience we’ve ever had. The receptionist, a woman with glasses, was hostile, talked down to us, and was so dismissive that we tried to avoid her for the rest of our stay. When we asked who the manager was, she wouldn’t tell us. Things got worse after we politely asked if the air conditioning in the waiting area could be turned on. She responded rudely and arrogantly. We asked again to speak to the manager, and a man wearing a helmet appeared and threatened to make us leave. He was aggressive, almost mafia-like. We later found out he wasn’t the manager, just a friend of the receptionist. It was frightening and intimidating. Our parents are over 65 years old and were genuinely scared. No guest should feel unsafe in a hotel, especially older guests. We’ve travelled to over 40 countries and stayed in countless hotels, but never experienced such unprofessional, disrespectful, and unsafe behavior. For your own safety and your family’s, don’t consider this hotel.

Roses was a lovely surprise, so clean and relaxed. Most of the people we saw were of advanced age, but they were lively and graceful, and I loved seeing them enjoy themselves. The staff were super kind and helped us book the spa and parking with an electric charger for our EV. Special shout-out to Miquel (with a q for queso), spectacular vibe. I really enjoyed my stay and will definitely return. The one reason I’m not giving 5 stars is the shower: the pressure was very low, with hardly any water coming through. The hand piece worked better, but I needed both hands to wash my hair.

As a black British professional, I was shocked by how unprofessional the staff were. This hotel should give them hospitality training, with a compulsory focus on diversity and equality. It might suit the needs of white middle class guests aged 40 plus, but the service I experienced was pathetic.