Radisson Hotel Tapatio Guadalajara

The noise around the pool and garden was a problem, with guests having a loud party there. For a quieter night, a city-view room may be a better choice since it's farther from that area. Most staff spoke English, though reception staff didn't, which surprised me. Service was generally acceptable, but the food was bland and disappointing. The rooms are roomy, with comfortable beds and a cozy feel, but most of the furniture is old and clearly needs replacing. There was noticeable humidity, which seemed to attract insects. I only ran into an annoying mosquito at night, but it was still unpleasant. The air conditioning only has a basic on/off switch, so you can't really adjust the temperature. For all its prestigious location and 5-star branding, this city oasis left quite a bit to be desired.

We checked out after only two hours, and there was no refund. After the other issues, the tip also gave me a bad impression. I selected 10% on the payment terminal, but the receipt showed 15%. When I pointed it out, it seemed like they regularly add more tip than the customer agreed to. Dinner service had been fine, and the food was around 3-4 star quality, at least until we paid. The rooms had plenty of space but were in poor condition, and the pool was in poor shape too. This is not a 5-star hotel. From a Scandinavian or European perspective, I'd rate it about 3-4 stars, at best a low 4. It's at the top of a hill inside a fenced resort, with 1 km/0.6 miles to the gate. Traffic outside the gate is heavy, and there's not much within walking distance. You depend on a taxi or Uber, and everywhere is at least a 10-15 minute drive. We clearly misjudged the location.

The pool was so cold and full of leaves that we couldn't use it, and our room didn't have enough towels for the four of us, two adults and two children. When we asked for more, they said we'd have to leave an ID with the receptionist, which was inconvenient and unreasonable. Other guests were openly complaining about dirty rooms too, so this didn't seem like a one-off problem. Our room was extremely dirty when we arrived. The sheets were stained and covered in hair. I'd paid extra for a view, but we were moved to an underground room facing the parking lot, with no proper explanation or accommodation for the downgrade. The restaurant was just as disappointing. The meal was overpriced and cold, and the salad looked old, as if it had been made days earlier. I could only manage five shrimp from the plate because of the poor quality. The whole stay fell well below an acceptable standard and didn't match the quality they'd promised.

Radisson took over, but the place still feels run down, with no upgrades to the rooms or facilities. It urgently needs work. There's no mini bar in the rooms, the linens need replacing, including towels, sheets, and duvets, and the pool needs repairs both inside and out. The front office staff still have that tapatío attitude and need customer service training.