I normally stay in the Marriott hotel next door, but due to it being full I checked into the Hilton Glasgow hotel last Tuesday evening for an overnight stay. After I had parked up in the secure underground area I made my way to reception. The lady was friendly, warmly welcoming and attentive asking if this were my first time and making the effort to explain the facilities available during my stay.
After getting my key to room 1 on the 16th floor I made my way to the lift. This is where it all started to go downhill. I had previously noticed a few signs informing guests that the hotel was undergoing refurbishment and clearly as part of this work, one of the lifts was out of service while it was been upgraded. This left two lifts to serve 20 floors and while I appreciate that they can’t avoid disruption, the amount of time I had to wait to actually get a lift to my floor, which incidentally stopped at every floor in between 1 and 16 was very tedious indeed. Especially after a four hour drive following a long day at work.
I had hoped this was the end of my problems. It turned out only to be start. I always freshen up after a long journey and this is when I noticed the sink in my bathroom doesn’t drain away at anything other than an excruciating slow drip by drip speed.
I ordered up room service, hoping some food inside me would improve my ever darkening mood. The food did not arrive within the promised thirty minutes but I did receive a phone call apologising for the delay and promising it was now on its way up and would be with me in a couple of minutes. 15 minutes later it arrived. The lady on the phone said as a gesture of goodwill she would not charge the usual tray fee because of the delay. I was not surprised to see it still on the bill, so pointed out to the waitress that this had to be removed.
After she had left I settled down to eat my meal. looking forward to some hot soup and fresh crusty Scottish bread asdescribed on the men. I now discovered having lifted the cover that there was no such bread. My mood was black and I rang downstairs demanding my bread bun! 7 minutes later after I’d finished my soup, my microwaved soggy bread bun arrived still nuclear hot. Not crusty, not Scottish and not nice.
I was ready to sleep by now figuring that if I didnt I would explode, so I hit the sack. I woke the next morning actually having had a good solid nights sleep. One of the best ever.
After dressing, waiting ten minutes for a lift I entered the breakfast area.
Chaos…just chaos.
No plates, dirty people scuffling around what little food was out on the buffet and miserable over worked staff serving (surprisingly) good coffee. The fellow customers around looked just as hacked off as me. i couldn’t wait to get out of this god awful place.
I collected my belongings after making the ten minute journey up to my room and then ten minutes back down with my bags. I arrived at reception. This time the warm friendly manner of the reception staff made my blood boil. I’d rather have substance than airy fairy platitudes. Of course by now I was not surprised to see the tray fee still on my bill.
I’d lost the will to fight. They had broken me. I left cursing under my breath never ever to return to this hotel.
pryordurkin rating 2 stars – for the sleep – nothing else.
