Sterling Hotel

A modest-sized hotel, but it has a lot of heart. ❤️ I needed somewhere for one night after finding out my original hotel in Belgrade was overbooked. By chance, I reached the Sterling Grani Hotel in the middle of the night and was welcomed so warmly. The father and son put my worries at ease right away. They carried my luggage, gave me a clean room, and drove me to the airport the following day. Since my flight was late, they also let me keep the room a little longer. I felt looked after and at home, thanks to their kindness, hospitality, and humanity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️🍀 If I’m in Belgrade again, I’ll stay with you! 😇

The place has potential, but I’d avoid it until it’s properly maintained. My room could’ve been lovely, only it wasn’t clean, and the hotel needs investment in both its facilities and staffing. It felt like a ruin to me, though it may have been good when I was born. The front desk also wasn’t staffed 24/7 as advertised. At 2:50 a.m., I spent a few very unpleasant minutes outside the closed hotel door.

I booked at the last minute, skipped the reviews, and used Genius. I later moved to a proper international net hotel and couldn’t be happier. If the hotel takes even one suggestion seriously, there’s hope. Otherwise, it could be a “charming ruin” in 3 years. Best review by British mister few years ago :-) X I’m a hospitality management professional with over 15 years of experience, including managerial roles at Hyatt, Rixos, and Hilton, so I’m judging this against international HACCP standards. The hotel claims a 4-star level, but my experience didn’t match it. I’m giving 1 star only for the friendliness of the staff. By international standards, I’d say 0 stars. With no uniforms, standards, cleaning or room service, hairdryer, or kettle, perhaps it should rebrand as a BOUTIQUE HOTEL. It shouldn’t claim “exceptional service.” My room went without cleaning for 4 days. There were strange hairs on the toilet seat and beds, dirty men’s socks behind the shoe rack, and Turkish Airlines napkins in the closet. At least the previous guest had good taste in airlines 😉. The room also lacked a phone, room service, minibar, hairdryer, kettle, and cups. Those are common even in 2-3 star hotels. The room carpet had a sticky stain, maybe vomit, a spilled drink, or a leak from an unplugged fridge. I couldn’t walk barefoot without slippers, and having a wet, sticky patch underfoot during Zoom meetings was questionable. The property looks like significant money went into it, but when? I’d estimate it’s 8-10 years old and badly needs renovation. If carpets can’t be cleaned regularly, replace them with tiles and provide disposable slippers, since tiles are cold. I didn’t dare turn on the AC. In 4-5 star hotels, ACs are cleaned annually for mold, and this one seemed neglected enough to blow moldy air. I also had to beg at the front desk for a remote. When I asked for a kettle, I offered some€ to have one brought up, but was told there was only one for the whole hotel and I should come downstairs. The second time I asked, they joked, “You drink a lot of water!” I’d interrupted a manager scrolling on his phone, though he was polite. Dear colleagues, hotel staff DO NOT USE PHONES IN GUEST AREAS. This is strictly prohibited. The hallways were pitch-dark. Hotel lighting MUST operate 24/7, simply left ON, not automated. This is how you hear the music by the hotel owner with the closed doors on Sunday (video).

For my needs the location was perfect, and the room was large, which are the main reasons I’m giving it 2 stars. Parking on the street was impossible to find. The bathroom was clean, spacious, and well kept, and I slept comfortably on the mattress. But it was simply sitting on a wooden box, and the carpet clearly needed vacuuming. The elevator apparently has had an unsolvable “electricity problem” for years. The lobby could make a good impression, but it smelled of cigarettes and had random magazines and branded bags lying around. The front desk staff member was polite and friendly, though seeing him in a tracksuit instead of even a basic uniform didn’t feel professional.