Novotel Queenstown Lakeside

The location was the one thing we liked. Our garden-view room felt worn out and, worse, unclean, with flies all over the room, including the beds and bathroom. Parking onsite was scarce; we only found a street space because we got there before 6 p.m. For a Novotel in such a prime tourist spot, we expected far better. We stayed one night and left very disappointed. I’d only stay here if there were truly no other options, even on a budget.

The hotel’s location was the only good part of our four-night stay. The rest made it the worst place we stayed on our trip, and it didn’t live up to its name or reputation. The beds rolled around with the slightest touch, which might be fun for a bit but was a nuisance otherwise. Maintenance only managed to put duct tape on them before our last night. Parking costs extra and still isn’t guaranteed. They gave us a city map so we could search for a spot, while management had about 6-8 spaces reserved in the hotel car park. The internet was unsecured and had to be activated every 24 hours, which seems like a good setup for an aspiring cyber criminal to practice. The TV didn’t work, and with our 5-year-old along it mattered to us. Getting Netflix onto it was absurdly complicated and took me three days of the four-night stay to sort out.

Mahesh, the night manager, made me feel welcome throughout my four nights at Novotel Queenstown. He was approachable, professional and very friendly. Prabhat at the bar also stood out for attentive, polite service and the care he showed in making guests happy. There was one unpleasant moment on Monday night. I was told dining was closed, then another staff member said I could order from the bar. When I asked there for a menu, a female staff member rudely asked, “Do you want to take the menu home?” I was shocked by her tone and felt disrespected. That’s not the service I expect from a hotel of this standard. I still enjoyed the stay thanks to people like Mahesh and Prabhat. I hope management works on making the customer service consistent so every guest feels respected and welcome.

The barmen were nice, but that was about it. We paid for B&B and asked whether breakfast could be taken away. They said no unless we paid for an extra breakfast. I’ve never had worse service, and we were seriously considering finding somewhere else the next day. Our lake-view room looked onto a carpark that guests could only use for a ridiculous price. We spent 20 minutes driving around town for a space, and the hotel didn’t care. There were no facilities like a pool or sauna, and there were no plug sockets by the bed, so I had to charge my phone across the room. Who decides the star ratings? This is nowhere near a 4-star hotel, and even 3 stars is a stretch. I hate leaving bad reviews, but this felt important. #DISGUSTING CARRYON