Van der Valk Hotel Eindhoven

The beds were comfortable, and the bus stop was only about two minutes away, with a direct ride to Eindhoven Centrum taking around 15 minutes. But the rest of our stay was a big drop from my visit to Van Der Valk in Eindhoven about a year ago, when everything had gone smoothly. Our room was on an obviously unfinished floor. The vent and bathtub drain cover weren't properly screwed in, and construction started around 6 a.m., waking my girlfriend and keeping her from falling back asleep. The TV faced away from the beds and couldn't be adjusted. The AC barely worked, and its highest fan setting was extremely loud. The room was dirty too: what looked like pubic hair was on the wall by the toilet and near the tub, my girlfriend stepped on a nail hidden in the carpet, the mirrors and windows were smudged, and the floor was dusty enough to dirty our white socks within minutes. Check-in itself was flawless. At the bar, though, we waited about 20-30 minutes for someone to take our order. Other diners were waiting as well, even with four or more staff on duty, who seemed to be concentrating on the bar guests. The prices were very high and the food portions weren't good. Our loaded fries had barely any sauce and just a little shredded bacon scattered over a big pile of fries. My girlfriend liked her cocktail, but it had hardly any alcohol despite costing 13 euros. A bottle of vodka costs 13 at Gall&Gall, so customers might as well take the bus and save their money. The Bitterballen and beef teriyaki were delicious, at least. The reception was staffed until around 2, and with the doors open, it was easy for people to smoke. I've read reviews from as far back as two years ago mentioning the same problems with service, room quality, and lack of accommodation. The owner's replies seem to brush those issues aside with an apology and a hope that guests will return. Sometimes negative reviews get no reply, while five-star reviews receive praise. It feels like customer concerns are being ignored and serious problems swept under the rug. I would have liked to review Van Der Valk again because it used to be amazing, but, like other unhappy guests, I doubt we'll be invited back. We may just get another 'hope' that we return.