Royal Grand Hotel

The bed was the only decent thing. The room was dirty, the door wouldn't lock, and the curtains were broken, so I propped them up with a chair. The bathroom smelled bad. Housekeeping, done by older women, wasn't helpful and didn't clean properly. I've stayed in hundreds of hotels around the world as an active traveler, and this felt like an abandoned place where nobody cared. It was like sleeping where someone had vomited the day before, then leaving the next morning. Two stars, at most.

The location is the best thing about it, central and close to everything. But the security arrangements really confused me. Once my key card stopped working, and a cleaner offered help by opening the room with her own card without even asking if it was mine. What if I'd been on the wrong floor, or a complete stranger? Reception staff never seemed to look up or say hello. The room fridges were useless and just gave off heat. Cleaning was another issue: they replaced the towels and toilet paper, and that was about it. Nowhere near the stated four stars.

The apartments were beautiful and comfortable, and the staff were friendly. I was disappointed there wasn't a restaurant, but the staff quickly arranged food and took our preferences into account. I'd recommend staying here.

The location was the only good thing. This shouldn't be rated above two stars. Our comforter was filthy and badly stained, and it was too small for the bed. When I brought it to reception, the young receptionist didn't apologize and acted as if it didn't matter. The replacement was just as small, not big enough for two people. The furniture was old and not useful. The small closet was awkwardly placed and hard to reach, and there was no luggage rack. Instead, several useless tables were lined up together. Both little fridges were broken, including the supposedly stocked mini-bar, which was empty. The sheets weren't changed daily, and we never got enough clean towels for two. Some towels had yellow stains. The walls were thin enough that we heard the neighbors and their TV. In the bathroom, tiles were cracked, the shower head was broken and wouldn't stay in its holder, and the drain was so slow that water rose to my ankles and took ages to go down. Paint was peeling from the wall too. Maybe we got the worst room in the hotel?