My four friends and I arrived at the hotel at about 730pm in the evening, after a long train journey from Chur on the Bernina Express. We arrived by cab as the hotel was very far from the tram/metro links. (Good location, ha! We made the booking through priceline.com, and I’ve always had pleasant experiences with hotels booked through priceline, but sadly not this one). The hotel was located opposite a supermarket, and the streets were lined with rubbish and there was a stench.
We were received in the reception lobby by Ms Federica V., the only hotel staff on duty, who requested that all of our guests presented our passports for the check-in process. Because we had made the booking through priceline.com, we only had two double rooms for five people and we had not thought first to make the call to request for a triple sharing room. We only asked for the room upon arrival. HUGE mistake.
Ms Federica V. told us that they were fully booked for triple sharing rooms (a quick check later on bookings.com confirmed that there were at least four available rooms left). Crossing her arms, she rudely informed us that our friend who did not check in with us could not go up with us to the room upstairs and could only stay in the lobby to wait for us while we went up to deposit our luggage in the room, or buy another room
. Being hungry travellers, we decided to go for dinner at a nearby restaurant and come back to this issue later on. However, when we went downstairs to meet up with our isolated friend, we found out that we were TAILED AND FOLLOWED by a bell boy! Upon closer observation and inspection, we realised that Ms Federica V had asked the bell boy to keep a lookout for us! We felt like criminals in this hotel! we were honest about the number of travellers and were prepared to pay more for a room upgrade but were treated like criminals! We felt extremely insulted and discriminated by the staff in the hotel.
Knowing that we had to pay for the full rate if we did not know the market price, I paid for their internet (10 euros for 2 hours), to check out the hotel rates online (http://www.unahotels.co.uk/hotels-1/milan/una-hotel-scandinavia). Their website clearly states that the internet rate is 67euros per night for a booking of 2 nights or more. I tried to use this rate at the lobby, but Ms. Federica V. said that no, I have to make the booking online for this rate; otherwise it is 95 euros per night.
Shocked by Ms Federica V.’s inflexibility and unwillingness to accommodate to our requests, I asked if it was really necessary for me to go upstairs so that I could get the internet rate. Again, she crossed her arms and shrugged and said it was up to me.
In the end, because the special internet rate was unavailable for the same day of booking, I made the booking through hotels.com. Showing her the confirmation screen on my laptop, she shook her head and said that the confirmation email had not yet come in to her computer and we had to wait until the email arrives.
I asked to use their phone so that I could make a call to hotels.com. She said I could use the phone in my room. I pointed at the phone she had on the reception desk(which was just being used by another guest minutes ago), and said that I wanted to use this phone. She threw me a sour look and asked me for the number to dial.
I spoke to the customer services operator on hotels.com, who asked me to pass the phone to Ms. Federica V. She said that she had to wait for their email to come through to her computer. I suppose the guy over the line asked for her name as she spelt it out for him.
After another 5 minutes, we finally checked in for the night.
While I concede that it is our fault that we did not inform the hotel in advance that we needed a triple sharing room (rushed grad trip!), Ms. Federica V. could have made the experience much smoother and better for us. After all, we are here to enjoy ourselves, as are any other paying guests!
I will never ever book a hotel with the UNA chain of hotels ever, ever again. Beware!