Smith Place Hotel

A complete no-go. Our friends had booked a room for Oct, but unforeseen circumstances meant they couldn’t travel, and cancelling wasn’t allowed. They paid 1000€ and got nothing back. They explained what had happened, offered proof of hospitalisation, and asked if they could come on another date so the money wouldn’t be wasted. The hotel only offered 10% off a future stay. Really disappointing, and they won’t be going back.

The man at reception was very nice, and there are pleasant coffee shops and bars nearby. It’s also not far from the Tramway station. The rooms are very clean, and the bathroom looks brand new. The decor is a bit kitsch, but cute. A nice hotel for a 3 star.

The room had no window, the air smelled horribly musty, and the bathroom reeked of mold. I didn’t feel safe using the shower. It felt like a damp, sealed-off storage unit being passed off as a hotel room. We paid $1,200 for three nights, and the place was a pit. When I asked to cancel and get a refund, staff casually said many guests complain and ask for refunds, but management refuses every time. They said this was standard practice. The staff seemed to know how bad the place was, but said upper management had their hands tied. That management seemed either indifferent or exploitative. I don’t know who wrote the good reviews. Maybe staff, maybe bots, or maybe people with no taste. Take this as a warning: once they have your money, you’re stuck. It felt like a total scam. Don’t book here. Avoid it at all costs, you’ll regret staying.

We asked management for a refund for our three-night stay, even a partial one, but they refused. There were no other rooms available for us to move to. We paid 400 a night, and what we got was a filthy, windowless room that felt like a dungeon. The bathroom smelled of mold and like an outhouse, and that smell spread into the room. The damp, musty air didn’t help, and the supposedly white walls were streaked with dirt and grime. One bed was a cot that sagged in the middle. The large bed just had a sheet thrown over the mattress. There was no AC and no window to open for air. The whole space felt shockingly dirty and depressing. The suspiciously good reviews, especially those from so-called “local guides,” are frustrating. I don’t know who they think they’re fooling. Maybe those reviewers were paid off, or maybe they have no standards. Anyone with eyes and a nose would see this place was unacceptable. It was a total rip-off. Avoid it.