The Rockwell

Trip.com eventually gave me goodwill cash compensation from its own funds because of how poor my stay was. I consider The Rockwell unprofessional, below the standard it advertises, and in decline. I would strongly advise against booking there. I’m skeptical of its many 5-star reviews, as I don’t think it even qualifies as a proper 4-star hotel. It felt old and poorly maintained. I stayed from 15 to 22 February 2026, first in Room 301 on the night of 15 February, then in Room 103 from 16 to 22 February. The hotel has a strange policy requiring guests to leave their key card at reception every time they go out, even if they’re not checking out, and collect it again on their return. I’ve never encountered this elsewhere. I asked how my belongings were secure if staff could access my room with the card. A staff member said, “We will not enter your room”. That doesn’t reassure me, since someone with bad intentions wouldn’t admit to stealing our things. At check-in around 9 PM on 15 February, a male receptionist struggled to communicate in English, making the process difficult. Room 301 also didn’t meet the special requests I had emailed ahead. It was dirty and dusty, and the kettle was broken with a visible hole. The shower took 1-2 minutes to warm up, which was uncomfortable in winter. Once warm, the temperature could suddenly drop without me adjusting it, and the pressure kept switching between strong and weak. When I reported this straight away, I was told maintenance wasn’t available around the clock and would only be in during working hours, unlike at other 4-star hotels. I asked for a manager and was first told there wasn’t one, then told there was a manager but only available in the daytime. I repeatedly requested a meeting during my seven-night stay, but the manager never met me, saying he had a “very busy schedule.” Trip.com had to intervene before I was moved to Room 103 on 16 February, with no extra charge. That room also had problems: bedside lamps didn’t work, the fridge was broken, and the shower handle was faulty. After I contacted Trip.com again, the hotel duty manager Csaba Sarkadi told them these were issues from Room 301 and claimed I’d said Room 103 had no problems. I then had a live call with Trip.com and showed evidence that Room 103 had several defects too. Repairs were done quietly while I was out, without anyone properly informing me. I’ve attached photos of the dirty sofa and the complimentary glass bottled water in Room 103, which looked very unclean and unsafe to drink. I didn’t drink it, because I feared I could get a waterborne illness such as cholera. On my last night, 21 February, one of the lamps failed again. Housekeeping was inconsistent. Some days shampoo and other toiletries were replenished; other days they weren’t replaced at all. The shampoo came in tiny bottles that were hard to squeeze. The hotel’s overall condition and service were extremely disappointing.