Melia Vendome Boutique Hotel Paris

I just stayed 4 nights last week (10-14 Dec 2011). I chose this hotel because of the so-called discount thru zuji, a discount which I found out later not so significant. I paid around 160 euros, not cheap anyway. I was also misled by the word "boutique", which usually means accommodation with characteristics, design or personalized service. However, it turned out to be actually the biggest mistake among my many trips to Paris. In terms of the location, I have nothing to complain, it is indeed the centre of the centre. The moment I arrived at the entrance, I was impressed by the bright illumination, clean marble floor and a tidy lobby. But I could hardly appreciate further. I approached the front desk and the female staff was on the phone. Fine but it had been a long wait before I received attention - 4-star hotel needs waiting, doesn't it? The welcome was harsh because either she was xenophobic or she just had a broken heart. The lights were bright but her smile was not. Very rarely did I not see a smile at a hotel reception. Fine -- I did not take it personal. The check-in was quick and smooth though. But when I enquired about WiFi connection, she called somebody else first - is WiFi connection a rare question that front desk personnel cannot be prepared to answer? Then, she replied: "there is a cable in the room to be connected to your computer." My dear, many smartphones & tablets rely on WiFi please. After another call, she replied: "WiFi is only available in the lobby but not in the room. And a pre-paid card is necessary." Excuse me, this is one of the major capitals in the world and the building is not an ancient one. I DID expect some technology please. OK, the next morning, I needed to check emails and I was therefore willing to buy a pre-paid card for WiFi. The card was 40 euros, offering 24-hr connection, which was not cheap by the standard of any country/region. Fine -- I compromised again because I always believe that there is no free lunch in an expensive city. If the connection had been smooth and reliable, the 40 euros would have been worth paying. However, I soon found out the connection failed. I approached the front desk again and another female staff told me to try later. Good huh? After returning from shopping on 11 Dec, I tried Wifi again and succeeded but the connection was worse than Vietnam or Marrakesh. I eventually turned on and off Wifi several times to get something done. Was my 40 euros worth paying? OK, how about the room? Having known that I was in the expensive part of Europe, I did not evaluate a room by its size. The furniture sucked. Defects were found in a 4-star hotel - even rarer than museums' objets d'arts. Similar lack of smile & unfriendliness were experienced upon checking-out. It was another female staff. One unfriendly staff, that was my luck of the day; two, that was coincidence. But this Spanish-owned hotel chain is therefore applauded for training a unique team of front-line staff with noticeable attitude. I spoke to myself: beautiful French ladies are conceited; I understand then. To be fair, the breakfast buffet was indeed above average. And the waiters & waitress inside the breakfast lounge were far more friendlier than the concierge. OK ... heart-felt hospitality. That's it.

chicmec wrote on December 20, 2011